Partner Robert Wright
Queer Places:
Van Orsdel Family Funeral Funeral Chapels and Crematory, 3333 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137, Stati Uniti
George
Forrest (born George Forrest Chichester Jr., July 31, 1915 – October 10, 1999)
was a writer of music and lyrics for musical theatre best known for the show
Kismet, adapted from the works of Alexander Borodin. He was also known
professionally at times as Chet Forrest.
Producer Arthur Freed, who was not gay, never had as his purpose the creation of a team of gay artists for MGM, nor were all the members of the Arthur Freed unit gay. Freed did want a first-rate team, however, and hired without regard to sexual orientation. A large number of the gifted people on it turned out to be gay, including composers Cole Porter, Frederick Loewe, Robert Wright, and Chet Forrest, choreographers Robert Alton and Jack Cole, and directors Charles Walters and the closeted Vincente Minnelli.
Throughout his career Forrest worked exclusively with the composer-lyricist Robert Wright. The pair 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 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright & Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Mr. Forrest who worked with the music.
Kismet was one of several works Forrest created with Wright that was commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO). 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. Forrest and Wright won a Tony Award for their work on Kismet and in 1995 they were awarded the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award.[1]
He was cremated at Van Orsdel (Northside Chapel) Crematory, Miami.[2]
My published books:
