He lent his voice to Sebastian, the crab from Walt Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Actor and singer Samuel E. Wright passed away on May 24, 2021, from prostate cancer, at the age of 74, in Montgomery, New York, the town where he lived. “Today, the City of Montgomery mourns the loss of Sam Wright,” a City Council social media post said. “Sam was an inspiration to all of us and together with his family he established the Hudson Valley Conservatory. Sam and his family have impacted countless youth in the Hudson Valley, always inspiring them to reach higher and deeper to become the best version of themselves. In addition to his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was best known for walking into a room and simply bringing pure joy to those with whom he interacted. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”
Born November 20, 1946, in Camden, South Carolina, Samuel E. Wright made his way into the entertainment industry when he landed on Broadway as part of the original cast of the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” . He was nominated for a 1984 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in “The Tap Dance Kid.”
He made his television debut with the series Ball Four , followed by other titles, such as The Bill Cosby Hour . In movies, Samuel E. Wright stood out as the singer Dizzy Gillespie, in Clint Eastwood ‘s Bird . In 1989 he gave his voice to Ariel’s faithful companion, in The Little Mermaid, a character he would repeat in numerous video games, the House of Mouse television series, and The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea . The songs of the crab, “Bajo el mar” and “Besa a la chica”, in their Spanish versions, became very popular.
On the other hand, Samuel E. Wright released a soul music single in 1973, with the Paramount label. He was married to Amanda Wright, with whom he had three children: Keely, Dee, and Sam.
