Robert Wright

Robert Craig Wright (September 25, 1914 – July 27, 2005) was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre, best known for the Broadway musical and musical film Kismet, for which he and his professional and romantic partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics. Kismet was one of several Wright and Forrest creations that was commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. Song of Norway, Gypsy Lady, Magdalena, and their adaptation of The Great Waltz were also commissioned by Lester for the LACLO. The LACLO passed most of these productions to Broadway.

Wright was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for Hollywood and the Broadway musical stage. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Forrest who worked with the music. Forrest and Wright won a Tony Award for their work on Kismet and, in 1995, they were awarded the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award.

He was cremated at Cofer-Kolski-Combs mortuary, Miami, and his ashes given to his executor.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 25, 1914 (Daytona Beach), Died July 21, 2005 (Miami)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, adapter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 28 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-03275 10-in. 11/24/1936 I stumbled over love Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
Victor BS-03502 10-in. 12/1/1936 I stumbled over love Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-09935 10-in. 1/13/1938 The donkey serenade Allan Jones ; Nathaniel Shilkret Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-017736 10-in. 12/17/1937 Always and always Jerry Blaine ; Phyllis Kenny ; Stream Line Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-018105 10-in. 1/5/1938 Always and always Larry Clinton Orchestra ; Bea Wain Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-021130 10-in. 3/9/1938 Always and always Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-038454 10-in. 7/20/1939 Loveliness Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBS-042294 10-in. 12/11/1939 Oh! What a lovely dream Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-042313 10-in. 12/22/1939 It's a blue world Kenny Baker ; David Broekman Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor BS-043975 10-in. 12/6/1939 It's a blue world Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044308 10-in. 12/4/1939 Ho! Punchinello Rose Blane ; Californians ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044309 10-in. 12/4/1939 At the Balalaika Californians ; Eddie Holly ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-044529 10-in. 12/28/1939 It's a blue world Anita Boyer ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044557 10-in. 1/4/1940 At the Balalaika Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-053245 10-in. 7/26/1940 South of Pago Pago Carl Ravazza Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-055529 10-in. 8/19/1940 Donkey serenade Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-055542 10-in. 8/27/1940 South of Pago-Pago Hawaiian Musical Ambassadors ; Ray Kinney Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) lyricist  
Victor BS-060309 10-in. 1/11/1941 Donkey serenade Emile Coté ; Frank Parker ; Victor Mixed Chorus Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and piano lyricist  
Victor CS-066742 12-in. 9/2/1941 Donkey serenade Raymond Paige Orchestra lyricist  
Victor D4RC-0698 12-in. 12/27/1944 Strange music Al Goodman ; James Melton Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor D4VB-1050 10-in. 11/22/1944 Strange music Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Artie Wayne Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band adapter, lyricist  
Victor D5VB-0698 10-in. 10/22/1945 The donkey serenade Al Goodman Orchestra ; Earl Wrightson Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor D7VB-1680 10-in. 10/7/1947 Strange music Marion Bell ; Thomas Lender Jones Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist, adapter  
Victor D9VB-0131 10-in. 1/20/1949 Bon soir, Paris Henri René Orchestra Instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Gramophone 0BA2712 10-in. 9/9/1938 Serenata del somarello Emílio Livi ; Orchestra Gino Dover Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 1-25 of 28 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wright, Robert," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.

Wright, Robert. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.

"Wright, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695

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