Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Born in Russell County, Kansas. Randall Duell was the architect of most of America's theme parks. Following the success of Disneyland, that park's general manager, C.V. Wood formed Marco Engineering with Disney art director Wade Rubottom, and Duell joined in 1958. Marco developed several failed Disneyland-wannabes, including Pleasure Island near Boston and Freedomland in the Bronx. Duell formed Randall Duell and Associates in the early 1960s after his success designing Six Flags Over Texas in Irving, TX. RDA of Santa Monica, CA, quickly became the preeminent theme park design firm, employing other art directors such as John DeCuir (and often swapping artists with Disney). RDA was responsible for Astroworld, Magic Mountain, the Six Flags parks, the King's Island and King's Dominion parks, both Great Americas and many others. Duell entered American film as an associate art director for MY DEAR MISS ALDRICH (1937) at MGM. His many other associate credits include WAR AGAINST WOMEN (1938), THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, THE WIZARD OF OZ and NINOTCHKA (all 1939), WYOMING (1940), WHEN LADIES MEET (1941), RANDOM HARVEST (1942), ABOVE SUSPICION (1943) and THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER (1944). As art director, Duell's credits include WOMAN OF THE YEAR (1942), MRS. PARKINGTON (1944), ANCHORS AWEIGH (1945), THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946), SONG OF THE THIN MAN (1947), THE KISSING BANDIT (1948), IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949), THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950), THE UNKNOWN MAN (1951), SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952), ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT (1953), THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS (1954), BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955), TRIAN, THE SWAN and INVITATION TO THE DANCE (all 1956), SILK STOCKINGS and JAILHOUSE ROCK (both 1957), THE HIGH COST OF LOVING and PARTY GIRL (both 1958), and his last Hollywood picture, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS (1959).  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1941: WHEN LADIES MEET - Art Direction (w. Cedric Gibbons)  Nominated for Interior Decoration (Black & White) 1942: RANDOM HARVEST - Art Direction (w. Cedric Gibbons)  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Black & White) 1955: BLACKBOARD JUNGLE - Art Direction (w. Cedric Gibbons) 3 nominations