- Earned a BFA in Media Arts (1991) from the University of Arizona where he graduated summa cum laude. For his senior honors thesis, he wrote a screenplay that offers another interpretation of the Arthurian legend called "Clearing the Mists." He also earned an MA (1993) and a PhD (1998) in Language, Reading & Culture from the University of Arizona. In 2005, he also eared an MBA online from Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, AL.
- One son and two adopted daughters with Germaine Catherine Carson (aka Catherine Germaine Carson), daughter of Jack Carson and Kay St. Germain Wells.
- In 2005, received an MBA (in E-Business and Technology) earned entirely online from Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, Alabama.
- Father of Seth D. Webster.
- Once introduced himself to then-Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey who quipped that "Yes, I've seen your name [Daniel Webster] around the Capitol."
- First performed publicly at Prairie Village Elementary School in Prairie Village, Kansas, one of only six kindergartners asked to do so, singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" in the Christmas Pagent.
- Co-wrote (with Audrey Ricker) and presented a scholarly paper entitle "Gender Confusion and Portrayal of Sexual Dysfunction in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)," at the Western States Communications Association Conference, Boise, ID (February 1992); since the film was not yet out on video, he had to view the film in a discount theater at least a half dozen times, taking notes in the dark.
- Went by the name "Danny" in elementary school. One Valentine's Day he received a Valentine addressed to "Danny Thomas." The other child later explained that he knew it was Danny and "somebody famous," confusing Danny Webster with the historic figure Daniel Webster.
- [January 2007] Currently co-writing a new version of "A Star is Born" partially based on the A Star Is Born (1954) version that starred Judy Garland, James Mason, and his father-in-law Jack Carson. It will feature some sequences it the Tohono O'Odham language.
- First stage appearance as a Policeman, General Grant's Aide, and the German Executioner in the Walter Mitty vignette in James Thurber's "Thurber Carnival" (Fall, 1964), at Metropolitan Junior College-Kansas City (now a part of the Penn Valley Community College District).
- While working on a Saturday as Systems Manager for one of the United States' first computer-assisted instruction (CAI) projects in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early 1970s, Daniel heard a rapping on the interior hallway window. Two gentlemen had received permission to shoot baskets in the gym and were looking for the custodian to help get them basketballs. Daniel looked at one of them and thought to himself that the one on the right was the 'spitting image' of Lenny Dawson. Of course, it was Len Dawson, the then-quarterback of the NFL Kansas City Chiefs.
- When the University of Arizona (in Tucson, Arizona) performed Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oritorio for the first time in the United States, Daniel was in the University Community Chorus. Paul McCartney himself quietly slipped into the back of the auditorium after the lights had been lowered.
- While living in the Kansas City area, he and his wife Catherine met Linda Henning (Petticoat Junction (1963)) and her mother Ruth Henning for lunch on the famous Country Club Plaza.
- Worked with Scott J. Gill on a radio drama in their Media Arts 214 class at The University of Arizona. Scott created the effect of running on snow by crushing potato chips in a box.
- Favorite author: John Steinbeck.
- Attended school in the burgeoning Tucson Unified School District #1 in Tucson, Arizona, beginning in 1953. During that period, he went to 3 different schools the year they opened: Lizzie Brown Elementary School (1954), Annie Kellond Elementary School (1956), and Townsend Junior High School (1957). He also attended Rincon High School, from which he graduated, at the beginning of its second year (1959).
- [1961] Represented his high school (Rincon in Tucson, AZ) in the American Society of Tool Manufacturing Engineers contest to design a manufacturing jig and was awarded 5th place overall, receiving a metal rule as his award.
- Performed on a public-access television program videotaped in Tucson, AZ, called "Sunset Years" (1982-1987), a soap opera featuring senior citizens and their families. He later also worked as the Head Writer for the show. One of the featured players at one point in the story line was FBI Special Agent D'Agostino played by Daniel O'Haco. Also appearing in the cast, and doubling as the acting coach for the show, was Francesca Jarvis who had earlier performed the role of Sister Albertine in Lilies of the Field (1963), starring Sidney Poitier.
- On September 11, 2001, Daniel's son Seth D. Webster's band (Bad News Blues Band, http://www.badnewsbluesband.com) was on a road trip and scheduled to play at Buddy Guy's Legends in downtown Chicago, in the shadow of the Sears Tower. Most of the patrons that night were stranded in town because of the airline shutdown. The honor of it all was lost in the aftermath of the events in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.
- Attended a Kansas City Royals' baseball game during George Brett's 1980 season, his best ever batting season, finishing with a .390. That evening, Brett got a hit that, temporarily, raised his batting average to .401.
- Former roommate: Charlie DiPinto.
- When in 5th grade, Daniel sang in a chorus, directed by Ferde Grofé Sr., composer of Grand Canyon Suite, at the University of Arizona football stadium.
- While in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, on business, Daniel crashed late Senator Jesse Helms' victory party the night of Helms' first senatorial re-election in 1978.
- While working as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Arizona in 1992, Webster was a discussion leader for Media Theory and Aesthetics (MAR-200); one of Webster's undergraduate students was Jason Urban who later cast Webster as Caleb Blood Smith, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Interior, in Lost River: Lincoln's Secret Weapon (2010). Urban was the film's producer/director. Lincoln was played by Fritz Klein.
- Part of the crowd at the end of Trade In (2009), directly to the right of long-time Tucson DJ, Alan Michaels.
- Ironically, as it turns out, was inspired to get into recovery by Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Julian Wells in Less Than Zero (1987).
- Is ambidextrous. Suffered a right shoulder separation in the summer of 1969 that forced the issue. In kindergarten, his teacher made him use his right hand, rather than his left, forcing the issue the other way.
- Reportedly a falling out occurred on the set of Groundhog Day (1993) between actor Bill Murray and Director Harold Ramis. Murray saw the film more philosophically whereas Ramis viewed the project as simply a comedy. Among Webster's circle of acquaintances, much discussion occurred contemporaneously with the film's release, most recognizing and expressing the film's portrayal of a "One Day at a Time" attitude, agreeing with Murray that the film is a metaphorical story about letting go and letting God; hence, philosophical.
- In 1988, he became engaged to woman whose last name, due to her first marriage, was Teufel. Teufel, in German, means Devil. Clearly, the relationship was doomed from the start since that would have translated as "The Devil and Daniel Webster" from the book of the same title by Stephen Vincent Benet. Ironically, Benet's story was also used as the basis for the film Shortcut to Happiness (2003).
- One of the characters he played in Larry Foster's Wormwood (2001) was God, but the character looks more like Albert Einstein.
- Quit smoking in 1967 when his then-fiancée, Joyce Kay Hodson, said she wouldn't kiss him anymore if he didn't.
- Graduated from Rincon High School, Tucson, Arizona, Class of 1963. Following the multi-class reunion in 2002, had his high school's Ranger mascot logo tattooed on his chest.
- Served a year as Terry Thure's Graduate Assistant in Teaching at The University of Arizona during the 1991-1992 academic year.
- Elder son of Beverly Yissar. His younger brother (Michael F. Webster) was engaged as the uncredited Property Master for Revenge of the Nerds (1984) that was filmed on The University of Arizona campus.
- First wife was one-quarter Assiniboine Sioux, making her eligible for receipt of distributed tribal profits.
- Worked in a University of Arizona student film with Ray C. Merrill. Merrill's first work was in a series of Zombie films (e.g., Zombie Bloodbath (1993)). This time Merill was a medic and Webster was the Zombie. The two met while working on the historical drama Lost River: Lincoln's Secret Weapon (2010).
- Spent most of his summer vacation from teaching working with Director Matthew Bora on the film "Twin Brides," which was shot primarily at the Sheraton Tucson (AZ) Inn & Suites.
- Great-Grandfather Jacob S. Wigers, sheriff of Rock Island County, Illinois, was murdered trying to apprehend parolees Hale O'Reilly and James Giblin, these two being arrested shortly after the murder. Others also sought were Edward O'Hara and Thomas Walsh. The book Echoes from Riverside Cenetary, Moline Illinois, relates his story.
- His role in Darklands (2010) was written for an Old Neighbor Lady, but the producer could not find a woman to play the part.
- At age 65, 11 months, and 12 days, he performed his first movie stunts in "Alambrista," a film starring Jake Roberts ("Jake the Snake").
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content