Born in Schenectady, NY. He began as an usher in Radio City Music Hall, then wrote radio plays before turning to screenwriting for Warners in the mid-1940s. A former president of the Writers Guild of America West, and a director since mid-50s. Writing credits, alone or in collaboration, include OBJECTIVE, BURMA! and MILDRED PIERCE (both 1945), POSSESSED (1947), JUNE BRIDE (1948), THE HASTY HEART (1949), STAGE FRIGHT and BRIGHT LEAF (both 1950), THE HOUSE IN THE SQUARE (1951), THE NAKED JUNGLE (1954), QUEEN BEE (1955, also director), THE MOUNTAIN (1956), MAN ON FIRE (1957, also director), THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1959, also director), GO NAKED IN THE WORLD (1961, also director), CLEOPATRA (1963), THE MERCENARIES and JIGSAW (also producer) (both 1968), COCKEYED COWBOYS OF CALICO COUNTY (1970, also producer & director), and THAT MAN BOLT (1973). MacDougall was married to actress Nanette Fabray from 1957 until he died in 1973.  Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1945: MILDRED PIERCE 1 nomination