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{{other people||Paul Webster (disambiguation){{!}}Paul Webster}}

{{Infobox musical artist {{Infobox musical artist
| name = Paul Francis Webster | name = Paul Francis Webster
| image = | image =
| caption = | caption =
| image_size = | image_size =
| background = non_performing_personnel | background = non_performing_personnel
| alias = | alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1907|12|20|mf=y}} | birth_date = {{birth date|1907|12|20|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1984|3|18|1907|12|20}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1984|3|18|1907|12|20}}
|death_place = ], ] | death_place = ], ]
| origin = ], United States | birth_place = ], United States
| instrument = | instrument =
| genre = | genre =
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| label = | label =
| associated_acts = | associated_acts =
| website = | website =
}} }}

'''Paul Francis Webster''' (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984) was an ] ] who won three ] and was nominated sixteen times for the award. '''Paul Francis Webster''' (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=]|editor=]|publisher=]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=2646/7}}</ref> was an American ] who won three ], and was nominated sixteen times for the award.


==Life and career== ==Life and career==
Webster was born in ], the son of Myron Lawrence Webster and Blanche Pauline Stonehill Webster. His family was Jewish. His father was born in ], ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://baumcrohnwebster.org/baumcrohnwebster.org/We_Remember_Folder/We_Remember_09.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2017-07-09 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503155724/http://baumcrohnwebster.org/baumcrohnwebster.org/We_Remember_Folder/We_Remember_09.pdf |archivedate=2018-05-03 |df= }}</ref> He attended the ] (]), graduating in 1926, and then went to ] from 1927 to 1928 and ] from 1928 to 1930, leaving without receiving a degree. He worked on ships throughout Asia and then became a ] instructor at an ] studio in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/biographies/paulfrancis_webster.htm|title=Potted biographies of musical theatre composers|author=|date=|website=www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com|accessdate=3 May 2018|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814174021/http://guidetomusicaltheatre.com/biographies/paulfrancis_webster.htm|archivedate=14 August 2017|df=}}</ref><ref name="songbook">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelfeinsteinsamericansongbook.org/songwriter.html?p=156 |title=Paul Francis Webster |work=Michael Feinstein's American Songbook |publisher=] |accessdate=2015-01-12 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113033640/http://www.michaelfeinsteinsamericansongbook.org/songwriter.html?p=156 |archivedate=2015-01-13 |df= }}</ref> Webster was born in ], United States,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> the son of Myron Lawrence Webster and Blanche Pauline Stonehill Webster. His family was Jewish. His father was born in ], Poland.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://baumcrohnwebster.org/baumcrohnwebster.org/We_Remember_Folder/We_Remember_09.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-07-09 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503155724/http://baumcrohnwebster.org/baumcrohnwebster.org/We_Remember_Folder/We_Remember_09.pdf |archive-date=2018-05-03 }}</ref> He attended the ] (]), graduating in 1926, and then went to ] from 1927 to 1928 and ] from 1928 to 1930, leaving without receiving a degree.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He worked on ships throughout Asia and then became a ] instructor at an ] studio in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/biographies/paulfrancis_webster.htm|title=Potted biographies of musical theatre composers|website=Guidetomusicaltheatre.com|access-date=3 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814174021/http://guidetomusicaltheatre.com/biographies/paulfrancis_webster.htm|archive-date=14 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="songbook">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelfeinsteinsamericansongbook.org/songwriter.html?p=156 |title=Paul Francis Webster |work=Michael Feinstein's American Songbook |publisher=] |access-date=2015-01-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113033640/http://www.michaelfeinsteinsamericansongbook.org/songwriter.html?p=156 |archive-date=2015-01-13 }}</ref> After college, Webster served as an officer in the ].<ref> ]. Retrieved November 9, 2024.</ref><ref> jazzstandards.com. Retrieved November 9, 2024.</ref>


By 1931, however, he turned his career direction to writing song ]. His first professional lyric was ''Masquerade'' (music by ]) which became a hit in 1932, performed by ]. By 1931, however, he turned his career direction to writing song ].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His first professional lyric was "Masquerade" (music by ]) which became a hit in 1932, performed by ].<ref name="LarkinGE"/>


In 1935 ] signed him to a contract to write lyrics for ]'s films, but shortly afterward he went back to freelance writing. His first hit was a collaboration in 1941 with ] on the song "]". In 1935, ] signed him to a contract to write lyrics for ]'s films, but shortly afterward he went back to freelance writing. His first hit was a collaboration in 1941 with ] on the song "]".<ref name="LarkinGE"/>


After 1950, Webster worked mostly for ]. He won two ] in collaboration with ], in 1953 and 1955, and another with ] in 1965. Altogether, sixteen of his songs received ] nominations; among lyricists, he is third after ] with twenty-six and ], who was nominated eighteen times, in number of nominations. In addition, a large number of his songs became major hits on the ] charts. After 1950, Webster worked mostly for ]. He won two ] in collaboration with ], in 1953 and 1955, and another with ] in 1965.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Altogether, sixteen of his songs received ] nominations; among lyricists, he is third after ] with twenty-six and ], who was nominated eighteen times, in number of nominations. In addition, a large number of his songs became major hits on the ] charts.


Webster is the most successful songwriter of the 1950s on the U.K. charts. In 1967 he was asked to write the famed lyrics for the ] of the television cartoon. He was inducted into the ] in 1972.<ref>{{Shof|id=74|name=Paul Francis Webster}}</ref> His papers are collected at ].<ref name="papers">{{cite web |url=http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/w/webster_pf.htm |title=Paul Francis Webster Papers |work=Syracuse University Libraries |publisher=] |accessdate=2015-01-12 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030120736/http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/w/webster_pf.htm |archivedate=2013-10-30 |df= }}</ref> Webster is the most successful songwriter of the 1950s on the ]. In 1967, he was asked to write the lyrics for the ]{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} for the ]. He was inducted into the ] in 1972.<ref>{{Shof|id=74|name=Paul Francis Webster}}</ref> His papers are collected at ].<ref name="papers">{{cite web |url=http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/w/webster_pf.htm |title=Paul Francis Webster Papers |work=Syracuse University Libraries |publisher=] |access-date=2015-01-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030120736/http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/w/webster_pf.htm |archive-date=2013-10-30 }}</ref>


Webster's first born son, ] Webster, was a prolific photographer of musicians and bands in the 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Guy Webster, Photographer of Album Covers by The Doors and Rolling Stones, Dies at 79|first=Steve|last=Marinucci|date=February 7, 2019|access-date=February 8, 2019|url=https://variety.com/2019/music/news/guy-webster-photographer-albums-doors-rolling-stones-mamas-papas-byrds-dead-1203131144/|magazine=]}}</ref> His younger son, Mona Roger Webster, is a conceptual artist, a real estate investor and a longtime resident of Venice, CA.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
⚫ Webster continued writing through 1983.<ref name="songbook"/> He died in 1984 in ] and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in ].

⚫ Webster continued writing through 1983.<ref name="songbook"/> He died in 1984 in ], and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in ].


==List of songs== ==List of songs==
Here is a partial list of songs for which he wrote the lyrics:<ref name="songbook" /><ref name="SHOFCatalog">{{cite web |url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/songs/detailed/C74 |title=Paul Francis Webster Song Catalog |work=Songwriters Hall of Fame |publisher=] |accessdate=2015-01-12 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112182349/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/songs/detailed/C74 |archivedate=2015-01-12 |df= }}</ref><ref name="musicvf">{{cite web |url=http://www.musicvf.com/songs.php?page=artist&artist=Paul+Francis+Webster&tab=songaswriterchartstab |title=Songs Written by Paul Francis Webster |work=MusicVF.com |publisher=VF Entertainment |accessdate=2015-01-12 }}</ref> Here is a partial list of songs for which he wrote the lyrics:<ref name="LarkinGE"/><ref name="songbook" /><ref name="SHOFCatalog">{{cite web |url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/songs/detailed/C74 |title=Paul Francis Webster Song Catalog |work=Songwriters Hall of Fame |publisher=] |access-date=2015-01-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112182349/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/songs/detailed/C74 |archive-date=2015-01-12 }}</ref><ref name="musicvf">{{cite web |url=http://www.musicvf.com/songs.php?page=artist&artist=Paul+Francis+Webster&tab=songaswriterchartstab |title=Songs Written by Paul Francis Webster |work=MusicVF.com |publisher=VF Entertainment |access-date=2015-01-12 }}</ref>
===Songs by Paul Francis Webster that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song=== ===Songs by Paul Francis Webster that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song===
*"]" (1953) *"]" ('']'', 1953)
*"]" (1955) *"]" ('']'', 1955)
*"]" (1965) *"]" ('']'', 1965)


===Nominated for the award=== ===Nominated for the award===
*"]" (1944) *"Remember Me to Carolina" ('']'', 1944)
*"]" (1956) *"]" ('']'', 1956)
*"]" (1957) *"]" ('']'', 1957)
*"]" (1958) *"]" ('']'', 1958)
*"]" (1958) *"]" ('']'', 1958)
*"]" (1960) *"]" ('']'', 1960)
*"] (The Falcon and the Dove)" (1961) *"Love Theme from El Cid (The Falcon and the Dove)" ('']'', 1961)
*"]" (1962) *"Tender Is the Night" ('']'', 1962)
*"]" (1962) *"Love Song From Mutiny on the Bounty (Follow Me)" ('']'', 1962)
*"]" (1963) *"So Little Time" ('']'', 1963)
*"]" (1966) *"A Time for Love" ('']'', 1966)
*"Strange Are The Ways of Love" from the film '']'' (1972) *"Strange Are the Ways of Love" from the film '']'' (1972)
*"A World that Never Was" from the film '']'' (1976) *"A World that Never Was" from the film '']'' (1976)


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{{columns-list|colwidth=30em| {{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*"]" (1956) *"]" (1956)
*"]" (1960) *"]" (1960)
*"]" (1957)
*"]" *"]"
*"Beloved" (1954) *"Beloved" (1954)
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*"]" *"]"
* "The Brown-Skin Gal in the Calico Gown" (1941) * "The Brown-Skin Gal in the Calico Gown" (1941)
*"]" (1958)
* "Chocolate Shake" (1941) * "Chocolate Shake" (1941)
*"Days of Love" (1967) *"Days of Love" (1967)
*"]" *"]"
*"]" *"]"
*"The First Snowfall" *"The First Snowfall" (1953) ]]
*"]" (1956)
*"]" (1961) *"]" (1961)
*"]" (1955) *"]" (1955)
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*"]" *"]"
* "Just Blew in from the Windy City" (1953) * "Just Blew in from the Windy City" (1953)
*"The Lamplighter's Serenade" (1942) *"]" (1942)
*"Like Young" (1958) *"]" (1958)
*"]" (1950) *"]" (1950)
*"Man on Fire" *"Man on Fire"
*"Masquerade" (1931) *"Masquerade" (1931)
*"Maverick" *"Maverick"
*"Memphis in June" (1945) for RKO's ''Johnny Angel'', Music by Hoagy Carmichael
*"The Mood I'm In" (co-written with Pete King) *"The Mood I'm In" (co-written with Pete King)
*"My Moonlight Madonna" *"My Moonlight Madonna"
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*"]" (1936) *"]" (1936)
*"]" (1959) *"]" (1959)
*"Somewhere My Love" (1966) (The lyrics, which are Webster's original work, are sung to the melody of "]" from the film '']'') (needs citation) *"Somewhere My Love" (1966) (The lyrics, which are Webster's original work, are sung to the melody of "]" from the film '']''.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}})
*"Summertime in Heidelberg" (1954) *"The Song Angels Sing" (1951)
*"The Song Angels Sing" 1951
*"] (1959) *"] (1959)
*"The Song of Raintree County" (1957) *"The Song of Raintree County" (1957)
*"]" (1967) *"]" (1967)
*"Sugarfoot"<program credits> *"Sugarfoot"
* There's a Rising Moon (1954) *"Summertime in Heidelberg" (1954)
* There They Are *"There They Are"
*"There's Never Been Anyone Else But You" *"There's Never Been Anyone Else But You"
* There's a Rising Moon (1954)
*"]" (1971) *"]" (1971)
*"]" *"]"
*"Two Cigarettes in the Dark" (1934) *"Two Cigarettes in the Dark" (1934)
⚫ *"Virgins Wrapped in Cellophane" (1932)
*"Veni Vidi Vici" *"Veni Vidi Vici"
⚫ *"Virgins Wrapped in Cellophane" (1932)
*"Who Are We?" *"Who Are We?"
⚫ *"A Woman's Touch" (1953)
*"The Winds of Chance" (1969) *"The Winds of Chance" (1969)
⚫ *"A Woman's Touch" (1953)
*"You Was" *"You Was"
}} }}
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==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0916990}}

==Other sources==
* Hill, Tony L. "Paul Francis Webster, 1907-1984", in ''Dictionary of Literary Biography 265''. Detroit: Gale Research, 2002. * Hill, Tony L. "Paul Francis Webster, 1907-1984", in ''Dictionary of Literary Biography 265''. Detroit: Gale Research, 2002.
* Sammy Lifetime Achievement Film Music Award for Paul Francis Webster http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/sammys2016.htm *


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Latest revision as of 01:46, 10 November 2024

Paul Francis Webster
Born(1907-12-20)December 20, 1907
New York City, United States
DiedMarch 18, 1984(1984-03-18) (aged 76)
Beverly Hills, California, United States
OccupationLyricist
Musical artist

Paul Francis Webster (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984) was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and was nominated sixteen times for the award.

Life and career

Webster was born in New York City, United States, the son of Myron Lawrence Webster and Blanche Pauline Stonehill Webster. His family was Jewish. His father was born in Augustów, Poland. He attended the Horace Mann School (Riverdale, Bronx, New York), graduating in 1926, and then went to Cornell University from 1927 to 1928 and New York University from 1928 to 1930, leaving without receiving a degree. He worked on ships throughout Asia and then became a dance instructor at an Arthur Murray studio in New York City. After college, Webster served as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

By 1931, however, he turned his career direction to writing song lyrics. His first professional lyric was "Masquerade" (music by John Jacob Loeb) which became a hit in 1932, performed by Paul Whiteman.

In 1935, Twentieth Century Fox signed him to a contract to write lyrics for Shirley Temple's films, but shortly afterward he went back to freelance writing. His first hit was a collaboration in 1941 with Duke Ellington on the song "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)".

After 1950, Webster worked mostly for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He won two Academy Awards in collaboration with Sammy Fain, in 1953 and 1955, and another with Johnny Mandel in 1965. Altogether, sixteen of his songs received Academy Award nominations; among lyricists, he is third after Sammy Cahn with twenty-six and Johnny Mercer, who was nominated eighteen times, in number of nominations. In addition, a large number of his songs became major hits on the popular music charts.

Webster is the most successful songwriter of the 1950s on the UK Singles Chart. In 1967, he was asked to write the lyrics for the Spider-Man theme song for the television cartoon series of the same name. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. His papers are collected at Syracuse University Libraries.

Webster's first born son, Guy Webster, was a prolific photographer of musicians and bands in the 1960s and 1970s. His younger son, Mona Roger Webster, is a conceptual artist, a real estate investor and a longtime resident of Venice, CA.

Webster continued writing through 1983. He died in 1984 in Beverly Hills, California, and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California.

List of songs

Here is a partial list of songs for which he wrote the lyrics:

Songs by Paul Francis Webster that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song

Nominated for the award

Songs winning Grammy Awards for best song of the year

Other songs with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

Song compilation

  • The Songs of Paul Francis Webster (ISBN 0-7935-0665-4)
  • Award-Winning Songs By Paul Francis Webster, Robbins Music Corporation, 1964

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2646/7. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-05-03. Retrieved 2017-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Potted biographies of musical theatre composers". Guidetomusicaltheatre.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Paul Francis Webster". Michael Feinstein's American Songbook. Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative. Archived from the original on 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
  5. Paul Francis Webster; His "Shadow of Your Smile" won both Grammy and Oscar for Best Song Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  6. Paul Francis Webster; Lyricist (1907-1984) jazzstandards.com. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  7. Paul Francis Webster at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
  8. "Paul Francis Webster Papers". Syracuse University Libraries. Syracuse University. Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
  9. Marinucci, Steve (February 7, 2019). "Guy Webster, Photographer of Album Covers by The Doors and Rolling Stones, Dies at 79". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  10. "Paul Francis Webster Song Catalog". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2015-01-12. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
  11. "Songs Written by Paul Francis Webster". MusicVF.com. VF Entertainment. Retrieved 2015-01-12.

External links

Other sources

Awards for Paul Francis Webster
Academy Award for Best Original Song
1934–1940
1941–1950
1951–1960
1961–1970
1971–1980
1981–1990
1991–2000
2001–2010
2011–2020
2021–present
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Categories: