Samuel E. Wright, best known to Disney fans for bringing Sebastian the crab to life in 1989’s The Little Mermaid, has passed away. News of his death comes from the official Facebook page for Montgomery, New York, the town where he lived (H/T The DisInsider). Paying tribute to him, they wrote: “Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. 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. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”

Wright portrayal of Sebastian was an instant favorite after the film’s initial release and he would continue to voice the character for much of his career including reprising the role for several other Disney projects including The Little Mermaid TV series, the direct-to-video Little Mermaid 2, the House of Mouse short collection, and many more. He would also lend his voice to 2000 animated film Dinosaur as well.

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