Roy Webb

Roy Webb

Known for
Sound
Born
October 3, 1888
Died
December 10, 1982 (aged 94)
Birthplace
New York City, New York, USA

Biography

Roy Webb (né Royden Denslow Webb; October 3, 1888 – December 10, 1982) was an American film music composer. Webb has hundreds of film music credits to his name, mainly with RKO Pictures. He is best known for film noir and horror film scores, in particular for the films of Val Lewton. Born in Manhattan, New York, Webb orchestrated and conducted for the Broadway stage, before moving to Hollywood in the late 1920s to work as music director for Radio Pictures, later RKO Pictures. He remained at RKO until 1955, then worked freelance for several years, including scoring several episodes of Wagon Train. Webb is credited as composer or arranger on more than 200 films, and received Academy Award nominations for Quality Street (1937), My Favorite Wife (1940), I Married a Witch (1942), Joan of Paris (1942), The Fallen Sparrow (1943), The Fighting Seabees (1944), and The Enchanted Cottage (1945). His piano concerto from The Enchanted Cottage was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Constantin Bakaleinikoff, in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1945. In 1961, a house fire destroyed Webb's manuscripts including film scores and unpublished concert music, after which Webb ceased composing. Webb died in 1982 from a heart attack at the age of 94. An alumnus of Columbia University, Webb wrote the fight song “Roar, Lion, Roar” for his alma mater in 1925. Several cues composed by Webb were used in the newsreel montage of Kane's life in Citizen Kane. Several cues composed by Webb replaced those by Bernard Herrmann in The Magnificent Ambersons after the film was re-edited. Webb also composed several cues (uncredited) for This is Cinerama, the first Cinerama production in 1952. The Christopher Palmer Collection of Roy Webb Scores is held at Syracuse University, New York.

Known For

Filmography

1972
The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! poster

The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!

Movie · Sound

1958
Teacher's Pet poster

Teacher's Pet

Movie · Original Music Composer

1957
Top Secret Affair poster

Top Secret Affair

Movie · Original Music Composer

1957
Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend poster

Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend

Movie · Original Music Composer

1956
The First Texan poster

The First Texan

Movie · Original Music Composer

1956
The Girl He Left Behind poster

The Girl He Left Behind

Movie · Original Music Composer

1956
The Search for Bridey Murphy poster

The Search for Bridey Murphy

Movie · Original Music Composer

1956
Our Miss Brooks poster

Our Miss Brooks

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
Blood Alley poster

Blood Alley

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
The Americano poster

The Americano

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
Bengazi poster

Bengazi

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
Marty poster

Marty

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
Underwater! poster

Underwater!

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
The Sea Chase poster

The Sea Chase

Movie · Original Music Composer

1955
The Kentuckian poster

The Kentuckian

Movie · Original Music Composer

1954
Track of the Cat poster

Track of the Cat

Movie · Original Music Composer

1954
Dangerous Mission poster

Dangerous Mission

Movie · Original Music Composer

1954
She Couldn't Say No poster

She Couldn't Say No

Movie · Original Music Composer

1954
Alaska Seas poster

Alaska Seas

Movie · Original Music Composer

1954
The Raid poster

The Raid

Movie · Original Music Composer

1953
Second Chance poster

Second Chance

Movie · Original Music Composer

1953
Split Second poster

Split Second

Movie · Original Music Composer

1953
Affair with a Stranger poster

Affair with a Stranger

Movie · Original Music Composer

1953
Houdini poster

Houdini

Movie · Original Music Composer

1952
Clash by Night poster

Clash by Night

Movie · Original Music Composer

1952
The Lusty Men poster

The Lusty Men

Movie · Original Music Composer

1952
At Sword's Point poster

At Sword's Point

Movie · Original Music Composer

1951
Flying Leathernecks poster

Flying Leathernecks

Movie · Music

1951
Hard, Fast and Beautiful! poster

Hard, Fast and Beautiful!

Movie · Original Music Composer

1951
Fixed Bayonets! poster

Fixed Bayonets!

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
Gambling House poster

Gambling House

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
The Secret Fury poster

The Secret Fury

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
The White Tower poster

The White Tower

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
Branded poster

Branded

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
Where Danger Lives poster

Where Danger Lives

Movie · Original Music Composer

1950
Vendetta poster

Vendetta

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
The Window poster

The Window

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
A Dangerous Profession poster

A Dangerous Profession

Movie · Music

1949
Roughshod poster

Roughshod

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
Mighty Joe Young poster

Mighty Joe Young

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
Holiday Affair poster

Holiday Affair

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
My Friend Irma poster

My Friend Irma

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
Easy Living poster

Easy Living

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
Bad Men of Tombstone poster

Bad Men of Tombstone

Movie · Original Music Composer

1949
Make Mine Laughs poster

Make Mine Laughs

Movie · Original Music Composer

1948
Race Street poster

Race Street

Movie · Original Music Composer

1948
Blood on the Moon poster

Blood on the Moon

Movie · Original Music Composer

1948
Rachel and the Stranger poster

Rachel and the Stranger

Movie · Original Music Composer

1948
I Remember Mama poster

I Remember Mama

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Out of the Past poster

Out of the Past

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Riff-Raff poster

Riff-Raff

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Crossfire poster

Crossfire

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Easy Come, Easy Go poster

Easy Come, Easy Go

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Magic Town poster

Magic Town

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
They Won't Believe Me poster

They Won't Believe Me

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
The Perfect Marriage poster

The Perfect Marriage

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Sinbad the Sailor poster

Sinbad the Sailor

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
The Devil Thumbs a Ride poster

The Devil Thumbs a Ride

Movie · Original Music Composer

1947
Cass Timberlane poster

Cass Timberlane

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
Notorious poster

Notorious

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
Bedlam poster

Bedlam

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
The Spiral Staircase poster

The Spiral Staircase

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
The Locket poster

The Locket

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
The Well Groomed Bride poster

The Well Groomed Bride

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
Badman's Territory poster

Badman's Territory

Movie · Original Music Composer

1946
Without Reservations poster

Without Reservations

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
The Body Snatcher poster

The Body Snatcher

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Cornered poster

Cornered

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Two O'Clock Courage poster

Two O'Clock Courage

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Betrayal from the East poster

Betrayal from the East

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Sing Your Way Home poster

Sing Your Way Home

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Love, Honor and Goodbye poster

Love, Honor and Goodbye

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
The Enchanted Cottage poster

The Enchanted Cottage

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Those Endearing Young Charms poster

Those Endearing Young Charms

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Dick Tracy poster

Dick Tracy

Movie · Original Music Composer

1945
Zombies on Broadway poster

Zombies on Broadway

Movie · Music

1944
Murder, My Sweet poster

Murder, My Sweet

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
The Curse of the Cat People poster

The Curse of the Cat People

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
The Falcon Out West poster

The Falcon Out West

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
The Seventh Cross poster

The Seventh Cross

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Rainbow Island poster

Rainbow Island

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Bride by Mistake poster

Bride by Mistake

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
The Master Race poster

The Master Race

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Action in Arabia poster

Action in Arabia

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Experiment Perilous poster

Experiment Perilous

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Marine Raiders poster

Marine Raiders

Movie · Music

1944
Tall in the Saddle poster

Tall in the Saddle

Movie · Original Music Composer

1944
Passport to Destiny poster

Passport to Destiny

Movie · Music

1943
The Seventh Victim poster

The Seventh Victim

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Journey into Fear poster

Journey into Fear

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
The Ghost Ship poster

The Ghost Ship

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
The Falcon in Danger poster

The Falcon in Danger

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
The Falcon Strikes Back poster

The Falcon Strikes Back

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Gangway for Tomorrow poster

Gangway for Tomorrow

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Bombardier poster

Bombardier

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Mr. Lucky poster

Mr. Lucky

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Flight for Freedom poster

Flight for Freedom

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Ladies' Day poster

Ladies' Day

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Hitler's Children poster

Hitler's Children

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Petticoat Larceny poster

Petticoat Larceny

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
The Fallen Sparrow poster

The Fallen Sparrow

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
Behind the Rising Sun poster

Behind the Rising Sun

Movie · Music

1943
A Lady Takes a Chance poster

A Lady Takes a Chance

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
The Leopard Man poster

The Leopard Man

Movie · Original Music Composer

1943
I Walked with a Zombie poster

I Walked with a Zombie

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
I Married a Witch poster

I Married a Witch

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Cat People poster

Cat People

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
The Falcon Takes Over poster

The Falcon Takes Over

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
The Falcon's Brother poster

The Falcon's Brother

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Bandit Ranger poster

Bandit Ranger

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
The Navy Comes Through poster

The Navy Comes Through

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Here We Go Again poster

Here We Go Again

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
The Big Street poster

The Big Street

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Obliging Young Lady poster

Obliging Young Lady

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
My Favorite Spy poster

My Favorite Spy

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Joan of Paris poster

Joan of Paris

Movie · Original Music Composer

1942
Seven Miles from Alcatraz poster

Seven Miles from Alcatraz

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
The Saint In Palm Springs poster

The Saint In Palm Springs

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
Tom, Dick and Harry poster

Tom, Dick and Harry

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
Parachute Battalion poster

Parachute Battalion

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
Father Takes a Wife poster

Father Takes a Wife

Movie · Music Director

1941
Look Who's Laughing poster

Look Who's Laughing

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
Weekend for Three poster

Weekend for Three

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
The Bandit Trail poster

The Bandit Trail

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
The Saint's Vacation poster

The Saint's Vacation

Movie · Original Music Composer

1941
The Devil and Miss Jones poster

The Devil and Miss Jones

Movie · Music Director

1941
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob poster

A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Stranger on the Third Floor poster

Stranger on the Third Floor

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Curtain Call poster

Curtain Call

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Stage to Chino poster

Stage to Chino

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Mexican Spitfire Out West poster

Mexican Spitfire Out West

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
A Bill of Divorcement poster

A Bill of Divorcement

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Kitty Foyle poster

Kitty Foyle

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Bullet Code poster

Bullet Code

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
I'm Still Alive poster

I'm Still Alive

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Millionaires in Prison poster

Millionaires in Prison

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Abe Lincoln in Illinois poster

Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
My Favorite Wife poster

My Favorite Wife

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
You Can't Fool Your Wife poster

You Can't Fool Your Wife

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Irene poster

Irene

Movie · Original Music Composer

1940
Wildcat Bus poster

Wildcat Bus

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
Timber Stampede poster

Timber Stampede

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1939
Trouble in Sundown poster

Trouble in Sundown

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1939
Racketeers of the Range poster

Racketeers of the Range

Movie · Music Director

1939
Bachelor Mother poster

Bachelor Mother

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
The Rookie Cop poster

The Rookie Cop

Movie · Music Director

1939
Love Affair poster

Love Affair

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
In Name Only poster

In Name Only

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
The Fighting Gringo poster

The Fighting Gringo

Movie · Music

1939
Sued for Libel poster

Sued for Libel

Movie · Music Director

1939
Five Came Back poster

Five Came Back

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
Panama Lady poster

Panama Lady

Movie · Music, Music Director

1939
Bad Lands poster

Bad Lands

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
The Spellbinder poster

The Spellbinder

Movie · Music

1939
Twelve Crowded Hours poster

Twelve Crowded Hours

Movie · Music Director

1939
That's Right – You're Wrong poster

That's Right – You're Wrong

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
Sorority House poster

Sorority House

Movie · Original Music Composer

1939
The Saint Strikes Back poster

The Saint Strikes Back

Movie · Original Music Composer

1938
Bringing Up Baby poster

Bringing Up Baby

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1938
The Law West of Tombstone poster

The Law West of Tombstone

Movie · Music Director

1938
Condemned Women poster

Condemned Women

Movie · Music

1938
The Affairs of Annabel poster

The Affairs of Annabel

Movie · Music Director

1938
Go Chase Yourself poster

Go Chase Yourself

Movie · Music Director

1938
Having Wonderful Time poster

Having Wonderful Time

Movie · Music Director

1938
Lawless Valley poster

Lawless Valley

Movie · Music

1938
A Man to Remember poster

A Man to Remember

Movie · Original Music Composer

1938
The Mad Miss Manton poster

The Mad Miss Manton

Movie · Original Music Composer

1938
Vivacious Lady poster

Vivacious Lady

Movie · Music Director

1938
The Saint in New York poster

The Saint in New York

Movie · Original Music Composer

1938
Blond Cheat poster

Blond Cheat

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1938
Next Time I Marry poster

Next Time I Marry

Movie · Music Director

1937
The Outcasts of Poker Flat poster

The Outcasts of Poker Flat

Movie · Music Supervisor

1937
High Flyers poster

High Flyers

Movie · Original Music Composer

1937
You Can't Buy Luck poster

You Can't Buy Luck

Movie · Original Music Composer

1937
We're on the Jury poster

We're on the Jury

Movie · Original Music Composer

1937
Sea Devils poster

Sea Devils

Movie · Music Director

1937
New Faces of 1937 poster

New Faces of 1937

Movie · Music Director

1937
Stage Door poster

Stage Door

Movie · Music Director

1937
The Woman I Love poster

The Woman I Love

Movie · Music Director

1937
Quality Street poster

Quality Street

Movie · Original Music Composer

1937
Forty Naughty Girls poster

Forty Naughty Girls

Movie · Music Director

1936
The Last of the Mohicans poster

The Last of the Mohicans

Movie · Original Music Composer

1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford poster

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1936
Bunker Bean poster

Bunker Bean

Movie · Music Director

1936
The Plough and the Stars poster

The Plough and the Stars

Movie · Original Music Composer

1936
Two in the Dark poster

Two in the Dark

Movie · Original Music Composer

1936
Silly Billies poster

Silly Billies

Movie · Original Music Composer

1936
The Lady Consents poster

The Lady Consents

Movie · Music Director

1936
Chatterbox poster

Chatterbox

Movie · Original Music Composer

1936
A Woman Rebels poster

A Woman Rebels

Movie · Music

1936
Murder on a Bridle Path poster

Murder on a Bridle Path

Movie · Music Director

1935
Sylvia Scarlett poster

Sylvia Scarlett

Movie · Music Director, Original Music Composer

1935
Becky Sharp poster

Becky Sharp

Movie · Music Director

1935
Alice Adams poster

Alice Adams

Movie · Original Music Composer

1935
The Nitwits poster

The Nitwits

Movie · Original Music Composer

1935
The Arizonian poster

The Arizonian

Movie · Original Music Composer

1935
The Rainmakers poster

The Rainmakers

Movie · Music

1935
The Last Days of Pompeii poster

The Last Days of Pompeii

Movie · Music

1935
In Person poster

In Person

Movie · Music Director

1934
La Cucaracha poster

La Cucaracha

Movie · Music Director

1934
By Your Leave poster

By Your Leave

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
Cockeyed Cavaliers poster

Cockeyed Cavaliers

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
Hips, Hips, Hooray! poster

Hips, Hips, Hooray!

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
This Man Is Mine poster

This Man Is Mine

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
Strictly Dynamite poster

Strictly Dynamite

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
Let's Try Again poster

Let's Try Again

Movie · Original Music Composer

1934
Kentucky Kernels poster

Kentucky Kernels

Movie · Original Music Composer, Music Director

1934
Down to Their Last Yacht poster

Down to Their Last Yacht

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Emergency Call poster

Emergency Call

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Blind Adventure poster

Blind Adventure

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Ann Vickers poster

Ann Vickers

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Our Betters poster

Our Betters

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men poster

Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
The Right To Romance poster

The Right To Romance

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
If I Were Free poster

If I Were Free

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Topaze poster

Topaze

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Diplomaniacs poster

Diplomaniacs

Movie · Original Music Composer

1933
Professional Sweetheart poster

Professional Sweetheart

Movie · Music Director

1930
Inside the Lines poster

Inside the Lines

Movie · Original Music Composer

1930
The Life of the Party poster

The Life of the Party

Movie · Music Director

1930
Alias French Gertie poster

Alias French Gertie

Movie · Original Music Composer

1930
Shooting Straight poster

Shooting Straight

Movie · Original Music Composer

1930
Girl of the Port poster

Girl of the Port

Movie · Original Music Composer

1930
Conspiracy poster

Conspiracy

Movie · Original Music Composer

1929
The Delightful Rogue poster

The Delightful Rogue

Movie · Original Music Composer

1929
Rio Rita poster

Rio Rita

Movie · Orchestrator

1929
Seven Keys to Baldpate poster

Seven Keys to Baldpate

Movie · Original Music Composer