Robert Craig Wright (September 25, 1914 – July 27, 2005) was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

, best known for the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical and musical film '' Kismet'', for which he and his professional and romantic partner George Forrest adapted themes by

Alexander Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin ( rus, link=no, Александр Порфирьевич Бородин, Aleksandr Porfir’yevich Borodin , p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr pɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bərɐˈdʲin, a=RU-Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.ogg, ...

and added lyrics. ''Kismet'' was one of several Wright and Forrest creations that was commissioned by

impresario An impresario (from the Italian ''impresa'', "an enterprise or undertaking") is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film or television producer. Hist ...

Edwin Lester Edwin Lester (30 March 1895, in New York City – 13 December 1990, in Beverly Hills, California) was an American theatre director, impresario, and producer. He was the longtime general director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, which he founde ...

for the

Los Angeles Civic Light Opera The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO) was an American theatre/opera company in Los Angeles, California. Founded under the motto "Light Opera in the Grand Opera manner" in 1938 by impresario Edwin Lester, the organization presented fifty season ...

. ''

Song of Norway ''Song of Norway'' is an operetta written in 1944 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg and the book by Milton Lazarus and Homer Curran. A very loose film adaptation with major changes to both the book ...

'', ''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 Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal Resort town, resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population ...

, United States. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

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 The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for their work on ''Kismet'' and, in 1995, they were awarded the

ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award The ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award is an annual award presented by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), in recognition of lifetime achievement by composers and lyricists in musical theatre. Established by D ...

. He was cremated at Cofer-Kolski-Combs mortuary, Miami, and his ashes given to his executor.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 52054-52055). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Film work

* (1936) ''New Shoes'' (short feature), ''After the Thin Man'', ''Maytime'', ''The Longest Night'', ''Libeled Lady'', ''Sinner Take All'' * (1937) ''Bad Man of Brimstone'', '' The Firefly'', ''The Good Old Soak'', ''London by Night'', ''Madame X'', ''Mama Steps Out'', ''Mannequin'', ''Man of the People'', ''Navy Blue and Gold'', ''Parnell'', ''Saratoga'', ''You're Only Young Once'' * (1938) ''

Broadway Serenade ''Broadway Serenade'' (also known as ''Serenade'') is a 1939 musical drama film distributed by MGM, produced and directed by Robert Z. Leonard. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer, based on a story by Lew Lipton, John Taintor Foote an ...

'', ''The First Hundred Years'', ''The Girl Downstairs'', ''Happily Buried'' (short feature), ''The Hardys Ride High'', ''Honolulu'', ''Let Freedom Ring'', ''Lord Jeff'', ''The Magician's Daughter'' (short feature), ''Marie Antoinette'', ''Nuts and Bolts'' (short feature), ''Our Gang Follies'' (short feature), ''Paradise for Three'', ''Snow Gets in Your Eyes'' (short feature), ''Sweethearts'', ''Three Comrades'', ''The Toy Wife'', ''Vacation from Love'' * (1939) ''Balalaika'', ''Florian'', ''Music in My Heart'', ''The New Moon'', ''Strange Cargo'', ''These Glamour Girls'', ''The Women'' * (1940) "Blondie Goes Latin", "Dance, Girl, Dance", "Kit Carson", "South of Pago-Pago" * (1941) "Cubana", "Fiesta", "Playing with Music", "I Married an Angel", "Rio Rita" * (1955) "Kismet", "Make Believe Ballroom", "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" * (1970) ''

'' (This film featured adaptations of different music of

Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the foremost Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of ...

than that of the 1944 Broadway show of the same title.) * (1972) '' The Great Waltz'' Hit songs of their day include "The Donkey Serenade" (written with composer

Herbert Stothart Herbert Pope Stothart (September 11, 1885February 1, 1949) was an American songwriter, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was also nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score for '' The Wizard of Oz''. Stothart was widel ...

"based on a theme of

Rudolf Friml Charles Rudolf Friml"Mrs. Rudolf Friml to Receive Divorce"
...

") from "The Firefly", "Always and Always" from ''Mannequin'' and "It's a Blue World" from ''Music in My Heart''.

Shows

* ''

'' (1944); adapting the music of

* ''Gypsy Lady'' (''Romany Love'') (1947); using the music of

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is be ...

* '' Magdalena'' (1948); using the music of

Heitor Villa-Lobos Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the ...

, working directly with the composer * '' The Great Waltz'' (1949); adapting the music of

Johann Strauss Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ove ...

* '' Kismet'' (1953); adapting the music of

* ''At the Grand'' (1958); original music and lyrics * ''The Love Doctor'' (London, 1959); original music and lyrics * ''

Kean Kean may refer to: * Kean (name) * Kean (play), ''Kean'' (play), 1838 play by Alexandre Dumas père based on the life of the actor Edmund Kean, and its adaptations: ** Kean (1921 film), ''Kean'' (1921 film), a German silent historical film ** Kean ...

'' (1961); original music and lyrics * '' Anya'' (1965); adapting the music of

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...

* ''

Timbuktu! ''Timbuktu!'' is a musical, with lyrics by George Forrest (author), George Forrest and Robert Wright (writer), Robert Wright, set to music by Alexander Borodin, Borodin, Forrest and Wright. The book is by Luther Davis. It is a resetting of Forrest ...

'' (1978); a reworking of ''Kismet'' for an African-American cast, adding a few new songs * ''

Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...

'' (1989); a reworking of ''At the Grand'' with additional music and lyrics by

Maury Yeston Maury Yeston (born October 23, 1945) is an American composer, lyricist and music theorist. He is known as the initiator of new Broadway musicals and writing their music and lyrics, as well as a classical orchestral and ballet composer, Yale Uni ...

Hit songs of their day include "Strange Music" from ''Song of Norway''; and " Stranger in Paradise", "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" and "And This Is My Beloved" from ''Kismet''.

References

External links

''New York Times'' Obituary

Music Theatre International Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Robert 1914 births 2005 deaths People from Daytona Beach, Florida Songwriters from Florida Tony Award winners Musicians from Daytona Beach, Florida 20th-century American musicians Broadway composers and lyricists