CAMDEN, S.C. — Samuel E. Wright, the actor best known for voicing Sebastian the crab in "The Little Mermaid," passed away Tuesday. But what many may not know is his connection to South Carolina.
The town of Montgomery, New York, where he founded the Hudson Valley Conservatory, confirmed the news of his death in a Facebook post. Wright was 74 years old.
"On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with," the town said in a statement.
Wright was born in Camden, South Carolina in 1946. The Arts Center of Kershaw County said Wright was the first Black actor to play a lead role with The Camden Players, an acting troop in his hometown. That was a production of "Annie Get Your Gun."
In 2018 he went back to the Arts Center in Camden for a special reception honoring him and a free performance for the community. He invited children who attended onstage with him to sing "Under the Sea."
After leaving South Carolina he eventually moved to New York City, where he transitioned to a career on Broadway. The Arts Center of Kershaw County said he was in several productions, including "Jesus Christ Superstar," and received his first Tony Award nomination for his role in "The Tap Dance Kid."
But he'd achieve a completely new level of success when he was cast in Disney's 1989 animated feature "The Little Mermaid" as Sebastian, the singing crab and companion to the lead character, Ariel. Two of the songs he sang in the film, "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl," were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, with "Under the Sea" winning.
"His iconic performance as Sebastian will always be remembered for the charm and heart Wright brought to every line and lyric," Disney said in a statement Wednesday.
He'd later appear in a TV sequel to the film.
When Disney let their film "The Lion King" be adapted as a Broadway musical, Wright was tapped as the original actor to play Mufasa, the father of Simba the lion. The production smashed box office records, and "The Lion King" is now the highest grossing Broadway musical of all-time since it opened in 1997. That performance led to a second Tony nomination.
In 2000, he'd go back to Disney once again, voicing Kron in the animated movie "Dinosaur."
His other non-Disney credits include appearances on "Law & Order," "Simon & Simon" and "Spenser For Hire." And he played Officer Turk Adams, partner to Officer Enos Strate, in the short-lived "Dukes of Hazzard" spinoff "Enos" in the early 1980s. He also played Dizzy Gillespie in the Clint Eastwood directed film "Bird."