HR0463 LRB095 12282 GRL 36822 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, State Representative Monique D. Davis and the
3 Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the
4 death of Carl Wright of Chicago, who passed away on May 18,
5 2007; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Carl Wright was born in 1932 in Orlando, Florida;
7 he was one of nine children; and
 
8     WHEREAS, As a boy, Carl Wright longed to be an entertainer;
9 he attended college in Atlanta, but his true loves were
10 dancing, singing and telling jokes; before long, he was
11 traveling the country; he arrived in Chicago in the early 1950s
12 and soon began working at various South Side clubs; he started
13 his career dancing and performing comedy by himself; he then
14 met a man named Frank James, who had one leg; they got together
15 and called themselves the Three-Leggers; James and Mr. Wright
16 worked together for several years, doing a dance-and-comedy
17 routine; they took their show on the road, traveling as far as
18 Canada to perform; while performing at the Club DeLisa in
19 Chicago, he met his wife, Shirley, who was a chorus-line
20 dancer; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Soon after their wedding, Carl Wright went into
22 the Army for two years and was stationed in New Jersey; while

 

 

HR0463 - 2 - LRB095 12282 GRL 36822 r

1 in the service, he won an all-Army talent show; when he was
2 discharged, Mr. Wright returned to Chicago; he worked steadily,
3 emceeing events and doing stand-up comedy until 1987, when he
4 joined his friend Pervis Spann as co-host of the local cable TV
5 show "Blues & More"; over the years, he and Pervis Spann
6 interviewed celebrities such as B.B. King, Jamie Foxx, and
7 Bernie Mac; a decade later, the producers of the movie "Soul
8 Food" saw Mr. Wright on the program; they enjoyed his
9 performance and gave him the role of Reverend Williams; he had
10 also appeared in the movies Barbershop, Barbershop 2: Back in
11 Business, Big Momma's House, and The Cookout; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Carl Wright is survived by his wife of 53 years,
13 Shirley; his brothers, Charles, Clarence, and Billy; his
14 sisters, Sherrie Wright and Diane Wright-Cahee; his daughters,
15 Kia Wright and Linda Fowler; and his four grandchildren;
16 therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
19 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Carl
20 Wright; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to the family of Carl Wright as an expression of our
23 sympathy.