Warburton Guilbert 1896-1939

Francis Warburton Guilbert was born in 1896 into Racine’s wealthy class to parents A. Arthur Guilbert, architect, and Bessie Bull Guilbert, daughter of Stephen Bull, one of the giants of the Case Corporation.

“Gerald Karwowski, a local history buff who operates the Oak Clearing Museum near Union Grove, said Guilbert wrote 3,114 songs … Jerry has 1,485 pieces of unpublished Guilbert sheet music so he has a way to go to get a complete file of Guilbert music.” — Racine Journal Times, September 9, 1996.

F. Warburton Guilbert in 1928, age 32.
Warburton Guilbert worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald while they were both in Princeton's Triangle Club producing musical comedies. The Evil Eye was produced in the 1915-1916 season.
Warburton Guilbert worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald while they were both in Princeton’s Triangle Club producing musical comedies. The Evil Eye was produced in the 1915-1916 season.
Here Warburton teamed up with F. Scott Fitzgerald again to produce Safety First during the Triangle Club's 1916-1917 season.
Here Warburton teamed up with F. Scott Fitzgerald again to produce Safety First during the Triangle Club’s 1916-1917 season.
Warburton in about 1917, from Gerry Karwowski’s collection

1922: Death of father A. Arthur Guilbert

1926: Mother Bessie Bull Guilbert becomes ill

1928: Death of mother Bessie Bull Guilbert

April 7, 1930, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA, Francis 33 is an Actor and Composer for Motion Pictures. He rents his home @ $90 per month and has a roommate, Clarence S. Bliss 50, an Insurance Salesman. From the 1930 Federal Census.

Warburton’s show business career appears to have peaked in 1934 in the musical comedy, New Faces (sometimes called New Faces of 1934) at the Fulton Theater (now Helen Hayes Theater), 210 W. 46th St., New York. New Faces put on 149 performances before it closed.
Racine Journal Times, October 5, 1939: To Hold Services Friday Afternoon for F. W. Guilbert
Ashes of the late F. Warburton Guilbert, former Racine resident, who died September 22 in Hollywood, will be brought to Racine and will be deposited in a grave on the Stephen Bull lot in Mound cemetery. Services will be held Friday at 2 p. m. at the grave. Rev. Alexander Simpson of St. Luke’s Episcopal church will officiate. Mr. Guilbert was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. Arthur Guilbert and a grandson of the late Stephen Bull. Mr. Guilbert had won a wide reputation as a composer and musical director. Many of his productions were presented in radio broadcasts and in moving pictures. He also appeared in numerous stage productions. His death followed a short illness. The body was cremated in Los Angeles.