Kenneth Webb
Kenneth Seymour Webb (16 October 1885 New York City – 6 March 1966 Hollywood, California) was an American film director, screenwriter, and composer noted for directing a number of films in the early age of the American film industry. He helped write the Gay Divorce along with Samuel Hoffenstein.
Kenneth Webb
Photographer not credited · 1922 photo via Corbis site [1] Note: Image did not originate with Corbis, and Corbis is not the copyright holder. · Public domain
- Name
- Kenneth Seymour Webb
- Born
- 16 October 1885
- Birthplace
- New York City
- Died
- 6 March 1966
- Place of death
- Hollywood, California
- Education
- Columbia University (BA)
- Occupation
- Stage & film director Songwriter
- Spouse
- Lorraine Frost (maiden; 1897–1993)
- Nationality
- United States
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Kenneth Seymour Webb (16 October 1885 New York City – 6 March 1966 Hollywood, California) was an American film director, screenwriter, and composer noted for directing a number of films in the early age of the American film industry. He helped write the Gay Divorce along with Samuel Hoffenstein.
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Kenneth Webb (1892–1966) was an American composer, film director and screenwriter. Born in New York City, the composer died in Hollywood. Kenneth Webb studied at Collegiate School and Columbia University.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Kenneth Seymour Webb • Birth Name — Kenneth Seymour Webb • Born — 16 October 1885 • Birthplace — New York City • Died — 6 March 1966 • Place of death — Hollywood, California • Education — Columbia University (BA) • Occupation — Stage & film director Songwriter • Years Active — 1910–1938 • Spouse — Lorraine Frost (maiden; 1897–1993)
Selected songs
Selected songs
• "You and Me and You" (1919) • Kenneth Webb (words) • Roy Webb (music)
Career
Career
Webb, beginning around 1910, became a sketch writer and director for vaudeville stage. In 1913, he began writing scenarios for the Vitagraph Company. From 1918 to 1919, he was a writer and director for Vitagraph. From 1919 to 1938, Webb was a writer and director, first with the Famous Players Film Company, then with Whitman Bennett (a production company) and Associated First National Theatres, Inc. (Bennett's distributor), then Fox Film Corporation, then Whitman Bennett (production company) and United Artists (Bennett's distributor), then Burr & Company, then Pathe, then Lee de Forest, Inspiration Pictures, Tiffany Pictures, and then FitzPatrick Pictures. Webb wrote for legitimate stage since 1924. Since 1933, Webb was a radio writer and producer with Batten Barton Durstine & Osborn, Inc., and since 1953, was its Western editor. From 1943 to 1943, Webb was a lecturer at New York University of radio writing and production.
Partial filmography
Partial filmography
As director Marie, Ltd. (1919) Will You Be Staying for Supper? (1919) Sinners (1920) The Stolen Kiss (1920) The Master Mind (1920) The Devil's Garden (1920) The Truth About Husbands (it) (1920) The Fear Market (1920) Realart Pictures Corporation (producer and distributor) The Great Adventure (1921) Whitman Bennett (producer) Associated First National Pictures, Inc. (distributor) Jim the Penman (1921) Salvation Nell (1921) Fair Lady (1922) How Women Love (1922) The Daring Years (1923) The Beautiful City (1925) Just Suppose (1926)
Education
Education
Webb attended The Collegiate School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He went on to study at Columbia University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1906.
Professional and fraternal associations
Professional and fraternal associations
• Society of Cincinnati • The Lambs, joined 1913 • ASCAP, 1914 charter member • Songwriters Protective Association • Actors' Equity Association • Motion Picture Directors Association (Eastern President 1923–1925; member of council 1935–1950) • Radio Directors Guild • Alpha Chi Rho
Family
Family
Kenneth Webb was one of children born to the marriage of William Edward Webb (1844–1915) and Juliette Seymour Bell (1863–1930). Kenneth Webb married, on September 20, 1920, silent film actress Lorraine Frost (maiden; 1897–1993) in Manhattan, New York. His brother, Roy Webb, also composer and film director, was one of his chief collaborators.
Identity and overview
Identity and overview
The following is established of the heading itself.
Works and production
Works and production
The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
New York City.
Birth place
Hollywood.
Death place
Where the work is held
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Institutional holdings are recorded as follows.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary (4th ed.), compiled for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers – by Jacques Cattell Press, New York: R.R. Bowker Co. (1980) "Webb, Kenneth," pg. 532 (Search only via HathiTrust)
- 2.Rhodes, Gary D. White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland & Company. 84. 2001. 978-0-7864-2762-8.
- 3.Columbia University Press. A History Of Columbia College On Morningside. 1954.
- 4.The Lambs, Inc. The Lambs. the-lambs.org. (Member Roster).
- 5.The Heroes of the American Revolution and Their Descendants: Battle of Long Island, by Henry Whittemore, Genealogical Society of Utah (2001), pps. 161–162;
- 6."New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829–1940" (database), FamilySearch, March 20, 2015, "Kenneth Webb" and "Lorraine Frost", September 20, 1920; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York City Municipal Archives NYC Marriage Certificate No. 28772 FHL microfilm (GS No.) 1643956 Note: The FHL microfilm number was formerly known as a GS film number (GS = Genealogical Society of Utah) (registration/login for FamilySearch may be required, but is free)
- 7.The Encyclopedia of Film Composers, by Thomas S. Hischak (born 1951), Rowman & Littlefield (2015); pps. 708–708;
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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