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James R. Webb

January 20, 2023

James Ruffin Webb (October 4, 1909 – September 27, 1974) was an American screenwriter.[1] He was best known for writing the screenplay for the film How the West Was Won (1962), which garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned him an Academy Award.

James R. Webb
Born
James Ruffin Webb

(1909-10-04)October 4, 1909
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
DiedSeptember 27, 1974(1974-09-27) (aged 64)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeLos Angeles National Cemetery
Other namesJames Webb
EducationStanford University
OccupationScreenwriter
Years active1938–1971
SpouseSusan Noble
Children2

Biography

Early life

Webb was born in Denver in 1909 and graduated from Stanford University in 1930.[1] He became a fiction writer for national magazines, including Collier's: The National Weekly, Cosmopolitan, and The Saturday Evening Post,[2] in 1936 and a screenwriter two years later.

Early Screenplays

Webb's early screenplays were written for Republic Pictures. He did a series of films starring Roy Rogers and directed by Joseph Kane: Nevada City (1941), Bad Man of Deadwood (1941), Jesse James at Bay (1941) and South of Santa Fe (1942) with Roy Rogers. He also did Rags to Riches (1941) directed by Kane.

World War II

Webb was commissioned an army officer in June 1942 and became a personal aide to General Lloyd R. Fredendall who was commander of the II Corps. Webb accompanied Fredendall to England in October 1942 and participated in the invasion of North Africa in November 1942 when the Second Corps captured the city of Oran. The Second Corps then attacked eastward into Tunisia. In February 1943 the German army launched a counterattack at Kasserine Pass which repulsed the Second Corps and nearly broke through the Allied lines. The Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower relieved Fredendall of command in March 1943 and sent him back to the United States where he became deputy commander of the Second United States Army at Memphis, Tennessee.

Webb returned to the United States with Fredendall and later served in the European Theater.

Post War Career

Webb left the Army after the war and returned to Hollywood, where he continued his work as a screenwriter. He returned to Republic for California Firebrand (1948).

In 1948 he sold a story to Universal, Going, Going, Gone and was going to write the script but no film resulted.[3] A story of his Fugitive from Love, was filmed as Woman in Hiding (1950).[4]

Warner Bros

Webb signed a contract for Warner Bros for whom he wrote the Westerns Montana (1950) with Errol Flynn, Raton Pass (1951), and The Big Trees (1952) with Kirk Douglas.[5]

He also wrote Close to My Heart (1951) based on his own novel, Operation Secret (1952), The Iron Mistress (1952) for Alan Ladd, The Charge at Feather River (1953) a 3-D film, and Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954).

Webb had a big hit with two films for Burt Lancaster and Robert Aldrich: Apache (1954) and Vera Cruz (1954). He wrote episodes of The Millionaire and Cheyenne and Illegal (1955) with Edward G. Robinson.

Post Warner Bros

Lancaster hired Webb to do Trapeze (1956). He also wrote The Big Country (1958) and Pork Chop Hill (1959).

Webb received critical acclaim for his screenplays for Cape Fear (1962) and How the West Was Won (1962). He won an Academy Award for Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for the latter.[6]

Mirisch Brothers

Less well received were Kings of the Sun (1963) for the Mirisch Brothers and Cheyenne Autumn (1964) for John Ford. He wrote an early draft of Chinese Finale that became 7 Women, Ford's last film, but Webb is not credited in the final movie.[7]

Webb wrote the English language version of Guns for San Sebastian (1968) and did a script for Patton.[8]

He did some historical epics: Alfred the Great (1969), for MGM; Sinful Davey (1969) for John Huston and the Mirisches; and The Hawaiians (1970), for the Mirsches.

His last credits were sequels to In the Heat of the Night, both for the Mirsches: They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971).

In March 1974 the American Writers Guild awarded him the Morgan Award for services to the guild.[9]

He died on September 27, 1974, and was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery. He was survived by a wife, a son and a daughter.

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ a b "JAMES WEBB DIES. SCREENWRITER, 64". The New York Times. September 29, 1974. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  2. ^ Film Writer James Webb; Won Oscar The Washington Post 29 Sep 1974: B6.
  3. ^ Movie Expeditions Find Goals in Italy, Africa; Opera Songbird Signed Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 15 Nov 1948: A6.
  4. ^ MOVIELAND BRIEFS Los Angeles Times 19 May 1949: B11.
  5. ^ Patricia Neal, Dennis Morgan In Star Roles The Christian Science Monitor 20 Apr 1951: 5.
  6. ^ Patricia Neal, Poitier, 'Tom Jones' Win Main Awards in Oscar Contest The Washington Post and Times-Herald 15 Apr 1964: C10.
  7. ^ LOCAL VIEW: UNDERSEAS TENSION: Novel on Nuclear Sub Bought -- 'Infidelity' -- Ford's 'Finale' By A.H. WEILER. New York Times 12 July 1964: X7.
  8. ^ Miss Moore, Wagner to Star Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 4 Feb 1967: 16.
  9. ^ 'TIGER' TOP DRAMA: Writers Guild Awards Given Los Angeles Times 23 Mar 1974: a8

External links

  • James R. Webb at IMDb
  • James R. Webb overview at MSN Movies
  • All Media Guide. James R. Webb biography. VH1.com.
  • James R. Webb Material Regarding Lloyd R. Fredendall and the Tunisian Campaign at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library

January 20, 2023
james, webb, james, ruffin, webb, october, 1909, september, 1974, american, screenwriter, best, known, writing, screenplay, film, west, 1962, which, garnered, widespread, critical, acclaim, earned, academy, award, bornjames, ruffin, webb, 1909, october, 1909de. James Ruffin Webb October 4 1909 September 27 1974 was an American screenwriter 1 He was best known for writing the screenplay for the film How the West Was Won 1962 which garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned him an Academy Award James R WebbBornJames Ruffin Webb 1909 10 04 October 4 1909Denver Colorado U S DiedSeptember 27 1974 1974 09 27 aged 64 Los Angeles California U S Resting placeLos Angeles National CemeteryOther namesJames WebbEducationStanford UniversityOccupationScreenwriterYears active1938 1971SpouseSusan NobleChildren2 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Early Screenplays 1 3 World War II 1 4 Post War Career 1 5 Warner Bros 1 6 Post Warner Bros 1 7 Mirisch Brothers 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEarly life Edit Webb was born in Denver in 1909 and graduated from Stanford University in 1930 1 He became a fiction writer for national magazines including Collier s The National Weekly Cosmopolitan and The Saturday Evening Post 2 in 1936 and a screenwriter two years later Early Screenplays Edit Webb s early screenplays were written for Republic Pictures He did a series of films starring Roy Rogers and directed by Joseph Kane Nevada City 1941 Bad Man of Deadwood 1941 Jesse James at Bay 1941 and South of Santa Fe 1942 with Roy Rogers He also did Rags to Riches 1941 directed by Kane World War II Edit Webb was commissioned an army officer in June 1942 and became a personal aide to General Lloyd R Fredendall who was commander of the II Corps Webb accompanied Fredendall to England in October 1942 and participated in the invasion of North Africa in November 1942 when the Second Corps captured the city of Oran The Second Corps then attacked eastward into Tunisia In February 1943 the German army launched a counterattack at Kasserine Pass which repulsed the Second Corps and nearly broke through the Allied lines The Supreme Commander Dwight D Eisenhower relieved Fredendall of command in March 1943 and sent him back to the United States where he became deputy commander of the Second United States Army at Memphis Tennessee Webb returned to the United States with Fredendall and later served in the European Theater Post War Career Edit Webb left the Army after the war and returned to Hollywood where he continued his work as a screenwriter He returned to Republic for California Firebrand 1948 In 1948 he sold a story to Universal Going Going Gone and was going to write the script but no film resulted 3 A story of his Fugitive from Love was filmed as Woman in Hiding 1950 4 Warner Bros Edit Webb signed a contract for Warner Bros for whom he wrote the Westerns Montana 1950 with Errol Flynn Raton Pass 1951 and The Big Trees 1952 with Kirk Douglas 5 He also wrote Close to My Heart 1951 based on his own novel Operation Secret 1952 The Iron Mistress 1952 for Alan Ladd The Charge at Feather River 1953 a 3 D film and Phantom of the Rue Morgue 1954 Webb had a big hit with two films for Burt Lancaster and Robert Aldrich Apache 1954 and Vera Cruz 1954 He wrote episodes of The Millionaire and Cheyenne and Illegal 1955 with Edward G Robinson Post Warner Bros Edit Lancaster hired Webb to do Trapeze 1956 He also wrote The Big Country 1958 and Pork Chop Hill 1959 Webb received critical acclaim for his screenplays for Cape Fear 1962 and How the West Was Won 1962 He won an Academy Award for Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for the latter 6 Mirisch Brothers Edit Less well received were Kings of the Sun 1963 for the Mirisch Brothers and Cheyenne Autumn 1964 for John Ford He wrote an early draft of Chinese Finale that became 7 Women Ford s last film but Webb is not credited in the final movie 7 Webb wrote the English language version of Guns for San Sebastian 1968 and did a script for Patton 8 He did some historical epics Alfred the Great 1969 for MGM Sinful Davey 1969 for John Huston and the Mirisches and The Hawaiians 1970 for the Mirsches His last credits were sequels to In the Heat of the Night both for the Mirsches They Call Me Mister Tibbs 1970 and The Organization 1971 In March 1974 the American Writers Guild awarded him the Morgan Award for services to the guild 9 He died on September 27 1974 and was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery He was survived by a wife a son and a daughter Partial filmography EditNevada City 1941 original screenplay Rags to Riches 1941 screenplay Bad Man of Deadwood 1941 original screenplay Jesse James at Bay 1942 screenplay South of Santa Fe 1942 original screenplay California Firebrand 1948 story uncredited South of St Louis 1949 screenplay Montana 1950 screenplay Raton Pass 1951 screenplay Close to My Heart 1951 original novel A Baby for Midge and screenplay The Big Trees 1952 screenplay Operation Secret 1952 screenplay The Iron Mistress 1952 screenplay The Charge at Feather River 1953 screenplay Phantom of the Rue Morgue 1954 screenplay Apache 1954 screenplay Vera Cruz 1954 screenplay The Millionaire episode The Joe Iris Story 1955 teleplay Illegal 1955 screenplay Cheyenne episode West of the River 1956 teleplay Trapeze 1956 screenplay The Big Country 1958 screenplay Pork Chop Hill 1959 screenplay Cape Fear 1962 screenplay How the West Was Won 1963 screenplay Kings of the Sun 1963 screenplay Cheyenne Autumn 1964 screenplay La Bataille de San Sebastian 1968 English screenplay Alfred the Great 1969 story and screenplay Sinful Davey 1969 screenplay The Hawaiians 1970 screenplay They Call Me Mister Tibbs 1970 screenplay The Organization 1971 screenplayReferences Edit a b JAMES WEBB DIES SCREENWRITER 64 The New York Times September 29 1974 Retrieved October 31 2020 Film Writer James Webb Won Oscar The Washington Post 29 Sep 1974 B6 Movie Expeditions Find Goals in Italy Africa Opera Songbird Signed Schallert Edwin Los Angeles Times 15 Nov 1948 A6 MOVIELAND BRIEFS Los Angeles Times 19 May 1949 B11 Patricia Neal Dennis Morgan In Star Roles The Christian Science Monitor 20 Apr 1951 5 Patricia Neal Poitier Tom Jones Win Main Awards in Oscar Contest The Washington Post and Times Herald 15 Apr 1964 C10 LOCAL VIEW UNDERSEAS TENSION Novel on Nuclear Sub Bought Infidelity Ford s Finale By A H WEILER New York Times 12 July 1964 X7 Miss Moore Wagner to Star Martin Betty Los Angeles Times 4 Feb 1967 16 TIGER TOP DRAMA Writers Guild Awards Given Los Angeles Times 23 Mar 1974 a8External links EditJames R Webb at IMDb James R Webb overview at MSN Movies All Media Guide James R Webb biography VH1 com James R Webb Material Regarding Lloyd R Fredendall and the Tunisian Campaign at the Dwight D Eisenhower Presidential Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James R Webb amp oldid 1115466226, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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