About Cobina Wright
Lived 1887 – 1970 (aged 82). Cobina Wright was an American actor, opera singer, socialite, stage actor and film actor.
Cobina Wright Sr. (born Esther Ellen Cobb, September 20, 1887 – April 9, 1970) was an American opera singer and actress who appeared in The Razor's Edge. She gained later fame as a hostess and a syndicated gossip columnist for King Features Syndicate. Wright was also known as Esther Cobb, Esther Johnson, and Esther Cobina.
Biography She was born on September 20, 1887, in Lakeview, Oregon to Benjamin M. Cobb and Della Holmes (1861–1943).
She married and divorced twice. Her first husband, whom she married in 1912, was American novelist Owen Johnson; she was his second wife, and they divorced in 1917. Her second husband was William May Wright, a stockbroker, by whom she had one child, a daughter, Cobina Carolyn Wright (aka Cobina Wright Jr.), (1921–2011), briefly a movie actress. the Wrights were divorced in 1935.
In the early part of the 20th century, she was a coloratura soprano, using the stage name Esther Cobina. She had studied singing in California, under voice teacher Nettie Snyder, and in Germany, where she initially pursued her career on stage. During World War I, she performed for French and American troops in Europe. She later made her American opera debut at Carnegie Hall in 1924.
She died in Los Angeles, California in 1970.
Legacy Wright was the author of a memoir titled I Never Grew Up (Prentice-Hall, 1952).
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1943 Danger! Women at Work Regina 1944 Sweethearts of the U.S.A. Mrs. Josephine Carver 1946 The Razor's Edge Princess Novemali
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Cobina Wright's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Cobina Wright's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Cobina Wright?
American actress (1887-1970)
When was Cobina Wright born?
Cobina Wright was born on 20 September 1887 in Lakeview.
When did Cobina Wright die?
Cobina Wright died on 9 April 1970 in Los Angeles.
What was Cobina Wright's occupation?
Cobina Wright was an actor, opera singer, socialite, stage actor and film actor.
What nationality was Cobina Wright?
Cobina Wright was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cobina Wright. https://biography.guide/cobina-wright/
MLA: "Cobina Wright." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cobina-wright/.
Chicago: "Cobina Wright." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cobina-wright/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-26 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:14 UTC