Samuel E. Wright Explained

Samuel E. Wright
Birth Date:1946 11, mf=yes
Birth Place:Camden, South Carolina, U.S.
Death Place:Walden, New York, U.S.
Years Active:1968–2008
Children:3

Samuel Ernest Wright (November 20, 1946 – May 24, 2021)[1] was an American actor. He was best known as the voice of Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid, for which he provided the lead vocals to "Under the Sea",[2] which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. He played Dizzy Gillespie in Bird, the biographical film about Charlie Parker. Wright also played the part of Mufasa in the original cast of The Lion King on Broadway and voiced Kron the Iguanodon in the 2000 CGI/live-action film Dinosaur.

Early life

Wright was born on November 20, 1946, in Camden, South Carolina.[1] [3] He was a student at Camden High School, where he was involved with sports and the arts.[4]

Career

In 1968, Wright moved to New York City to pursue his acting career full time.[3] Wright originated the part of "Sam" in Over Here! on Broadway[5] (1974). In addition, on Broadway, Wright replaced Ben Vereen as the Leading Player in Pippin[1] (1972).

Wright played Enos' partner Officer Turk Adams in the TV series Enos, the Dukes of Hazzard spin-off in 1980–81. Wright was nominated for a Tony Award in 1984 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in The Tap Dance Kid. He portrayed jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzy Gillespie in the 1988 Clint Eastwood film Bird.[6]

He originated the role of Mayor Joe Clark in Mule Bone (1991).[7] He was nominated for a Tony Award again in 1998 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical as the original lead actor for Mufasa in The Lion King, the Broadway version of Disney's animated classic of the same name.

He also played the part of Jericho on the short-lived Fox television program Jonny Zero in 2005.[8]

Music and voice-over work

Wright narrated the 1988 documentary film , produced by Clint Eastwood.[9]

Wright performed and recorded several songs for the Walt Disney Pictures animated film The Little Mermaid, as Sebastian the Crab, and is widely known for the songs "Under the Sea", and "Kiss the Girl". He voiced Sebastian in The Little Mermaid sequels and spin-offs, including and (the latter being his final voice role), and recorded several albums in reggae style, among them Sebastian from The Little Mermaid and .[10] Wright also voiced Kron, the leader of the Iguanadon herd, in another Disney animation Dinosaur.[8]

He released a soul music single in 1973, "There's Something Funny Going On" backed with "Three Hundred Pounds of Hungry" on the Paramount Records label.[11]

Personal life and death

Wright met his wife Amanda Wright, a dance director, at a production of William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona in London's West End.[3] They married on June 14, 1974.[4] Together they had three children: Keely, Dee, and Sam Jr.[12] [13]

Wright died from prostate cancer at his home in Walden, New York on May 24, 2021, aged 74. The cancer had been diagnosed three years earlier.[14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988BirdDizzy Gillespie[15]
Me and HimParamedic #1
1989The Little MermaidSebastian (voice)
1993StrappedDave[16]
2000Dinosaur Kron (voice)
Sebastian (voice)Direct-to-video
2008Direct-to-video; Final role

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976Ball FourC. B. Travis5 episodes
1979Hollow ImageScottyTelevision film[17]
1980–1981EnosOfficer Turk Adams18 episodes
1982The NeighborhoodMoving ManTelevision film
1985BrassCaptain Michael Shore
1986The Gift of Amazing GraceMorrisEpisode: "The Gift of Amazing Grace"
The Cosby ShowDr. Dan MorganEpisode: "Close to Home"
1991Separate but EqualArtis PattersonTV mini-series
Sebastian's Caribbean JamboreeSebastian (voice)Television special
Sebastian's Party Gras![18] [19]
1992–1994The Little Mermaid31 episodes
1992Raw ToonageEpisode: "Draining Cats and Dogs/Mars vs. Man"[20]
1993Alex Haley's QueenAlfred2 episodes[21]
MarsupilamiSebastian (voice)8 episodes[22]
1994–2000Law & OrderJerome Osborn, Dubois, and Morris Stokely3 episodes
1997New York UndercoverGil JeffersonEpisode: "Fade Out"[23]
2001–2002House of MouseSebastian (voice)6 episodes
2003MickeypaloozaTelevision special[24]

Video games

YearTitleRole
1992Ariel the Little MermaidSebastian[25]
1997Ariel's Story Studio
1999Disney's Arcade Frenzy
2000The Little Mermaid II: The Video Game

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1971Jesus Christ SuperstarReporter, Leper, ApostleBroadway
1971, 1973Two Gentlemen of VeronaValentine, PerformerBroadway, West End
1972PippinLeading playerBroadway
1974Over Here!Sam
1983The Tap Dance KidWilliam Sheridan
1989Welcome to the ClubBruce Aiken
1991Mule BoneMayor Joe Clark
1997Promises, PromisesMr. KirkebyOff-Broadway[26]
The Lion KingMufasaBroadway

Discography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Samuel E. Wright, Voice of Sebastian the Crab in 'The Little Mermaid,' Dies at 74. Mike. Barnes. May 25, 2021. May 26, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. News: Victorian. Brande. 'What More Is You Looking For?' Meet Samuel E. Wright, The Voice Of Sebastian On 'The Little Mermaid'. October 10, 2013. Madame Noire. July 30, 2014.
  3. News: Samuel E. Wright, the Voice of Sebastian in 'The Little Mermaid,' Dies at 72. The New York Times. May 26, 2021. May 29, 2021. Morales. Christina.
  4. Web site: Samuel Wright Obituary (1946 - 2021) - Walden, NY - Times Herald-Record. 2021-06-04. legacy.com. en.
  5. News: Meyer . Dan . Tony Nominee Samuel E. Wright Dies at 74 . June 1, 2021 . Playbill . May 26, 2021 . en.
  6. News: May 26, 2021 . Samuel E Wright: Tributes paid to actor who voiced crab in The Little Mermaid . BBC News . June 1, 2021.
  7. Web site: Samuel E. Wright . June 1, 2021 . . en.
  8. News: Samuel E. Wright Dies: 'The Little Mermaid's Sebastian The Crab, Broadway's Mufasa Was 74. Greg. Evans. May 25, 2021. Deadline Hollywood.
  9. See film credits on IMDB.
  10. Lenker . Maureen Lee . Samuel E. Wright, voice of Sebastian the Crab in 'The Little Mermaid,' dies at 74 . June 1, 2021 . Entertainment Weekly . May 25, 2021 . en.
  11. Web site: Samuel E. Wright – There's Something Funny Going On (1973, Vinyl) . Discog.com . 1973 . June 1, 2021 . en.
  12. News: Kari. Granville . Without Him, Sebastian Would Be Speechless. Los Angeles Times . December 23, 1989 . October 25, 2019.
  13. News: Lynne. Heffley . As a Crab or 'Bird,' Wright Gives 100%. . Los Angeles Times . November 16, 1991. October 25, 2019.
  14. News: Samuel E. Wright, Voice of The Little Mermaid's Sebastian, Dead at 74. Charu. Sinha. Vulture. May 25, 2021. May 25, 2021.
  15. News: Samuel Wright, Voice Of The Little Mermaid's Sebastian, Is Dead At 74. Adam. Holmes. CinemaBlend. May 25, 2021.
  16. Web site: Samuel E Wright, The Little Mermaid Star, Has Died Aged 74. HuffPost. Daniel. Welsh. May 26, 2021.
  17. Web site: Samuel E Wright . Turner Classic Movies.
  18. News: Discover More About the First Year of Life on Family Channel Documentary. The Los Angeles Times. 1991-11-17. 2023-06-19.
  19. News: As Crab or 'Bird,' Wright Gives 100%. The Los Angeles Times. 1991-11-16. 2020-06-20.
  20. Web site: Raw Toonage. TV.com.
  21. Web site: Alex Haley's Queen. TV.com.
  22. Web site: Sebastian Voices (Little Mermaid) . Behind the Voice Actors.
  23. Web site: FADE OUT NEW YORK UNDERCOVER SEASON 3 . Rotten Tomatoes.
  24. Web site: Samuel E. Wright, Known as the Voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, Dead at 74. Glenn. Garner. People. May 25, 2021.
  25. News: SAMUEL E. WRIGHT, VOICE OF SEBASTIAN IN THE LITTLE MERMAID, DIES AT 74. Vanessa. Armstrong. SyFy.
  26. Web site: Nominees for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. June 4, 1998. Playbill.