Robert Wright (writer)
| Robert Wright | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Craig Wright |
| Also known as | Bob |
| Born | September 25, 1914 |
| Origin | Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Died | July 27, 2005 (aged 90) Miami, Florida, U.S.A |
| Genres | Musical theatre |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, lyricist |
| Associated acts | George Forrest |
Robert (Bob) 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 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 then exported most of these productions to Broadway.
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 "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.
Hit songs of their day include "The Donkey Serenade" (written with composer Herbert Stothart "based on a theme of Rudolf Friml") from "The Firefly", "Always and Always" from Mannequin and "It's a Blue World" from Music in My Heart.
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.
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