Samuel E. Wright, 'The Little Mermaid' voice of Sebastian, dead at 74 By Julius Young article Samuel E. Wright attends the 20th Anniversary Performance of 'The Lion King' on Broadway After Party at The Minskoff Theatre on November 5, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Walter McBride/WireImage)(Disney Junior via Getty Images) Actor Samuel E. Wright, the recognizable voice behind Sebastian the crab in "The Little Mermaid," has died. He was 74. Wright’s hometown of Montgomery, N.Y. sent the actor off in swell fashion on Tuesday when the town broke the news of his passing in a tribute shared to its Facebook page.