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 |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wright, Robert," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.
Wright, Robert. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.
"Wright, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Robert Wright
Discogs: Robert Wright
Allmusic: Robert Wright
Grove: Robert Wright
RILM: Robert Wright
IMDb: Robert Wright
Britannica: Robert Wright
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Wright, Robert, 1914-2005 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82083378
Wikidata: Robert Wright - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q888339
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/93854485
MusicBrainz: Robert Wright - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e2f3fb9d-5ce0-4287-82b1-9124fd4cf50c
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