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.
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]
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]