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John DeCuir Jr. (born August 4, 1941, Burbank, California)1 is an American production designer and art director whose career spans feature films, television, themed exhibitions, and Disney Imagineering projects across four decades. He served as art director on Ghostbusters (1984), working alongside his father, the legendary three-time Oscar-winning production designer John DeCuir Sr.,2 in what proved to be the elder DeCuir's final film.3
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John DeCuir Jr. was born into a filmmaking family. His father, John DeCuir Sr. (1918-1991),3 was one of Hollywood's most celebrated production designers, earning eleven Academy Award nominations and winning three Oscars for The King and I (1956), Cleopatra (1963), and Hello, Dolly! (1969).2
Growing up in that environment gave John Jr. early and exceptional access to major film productions. While still attending college, he worked as a student apprentice on three of his father's productions: Cleopatra (1963), The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), and The Taming of the Shrew (1967).1
He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree (cum laude) from the University of Southern California, followed by two years of graduate work at USC's Institute of Building Research and Technology.1
Before establishing himself as a production designer, DeCuir Jr. served as art director on two films in the early 1980s: Raise the Titanic (1980) and Monsignor (1982).1
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, DeCuir Jr. contributed to some of Disney's most ambitious projects. As a Project Designer within the Imagineering division, he worked on the master plan for Walt Disney World's EPCOT and World Showcase, and was project designer for Spaceship Earth, the park's iconic geodesic sphere, and the original Communicore. He also assisted on themed film attractions including Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, and EPCOT's Universe of Energy pavilion.4
After Ghostbusters (1984), DeCuir Jr. transitioned fully into the production designer role and worked steadily through the late 1980s and 1990s on a wide range of genre films and studio productions:1
He has designed productions not only in the United States but in Italy, Spain, France, England, Ireland, Japan, and Canada.1
DeCuir Jr. founded Cinematix, a company that produced films and theatrical live shows and designed corporate interiors for Disney hotel properties, including the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Disneyland hotels.4
DeCuir Jr. is an adjunct faculty member at Asbury University, where he teaches production design through the Miller Center for Communication Arts. He has also lectured at UCLA, USC, the American Film Institute, and Columbia College Chicago. He runs an online course, Design for Film, Television, and Theater. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has been working on two books: The Architecture of Illusion and Travels with Dad.4
DeCuir Jr. served as art director on Ghostbusters (1984) under his father, John DeCuir Sr., who held the production designer credit. Their collaboration was described in the Asbury Production Design Studies Center as "the symbolic passing of the torch from father to son."5 Ghostbusters was the last film John DeCuir Sr. designed before his death in 1991.3
DeCuir Jr. was interviewed about the production for The Complete SFX Guide to Ghostbusters (2014), where he discussed the design work and his firsthand knowledge of the industry.6
The production required constructing some of the most elaborate sets in the film, including the various components that made up the 55 Central Park West building. As noted in Making Ghostbusters (the official production book), that climactic structure was compiled from more than a dozen sets, miniatures, matte shots, and location elements.7 Set decoration was handled by Marvin March.8
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
IMDb, "John DeCuir Jr." (nm0214039), accessed 2026-06-13, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0214039/bio/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6
Spook Central, Ghostbusters Press Kit: Production Information (UK) (1984). "De Cuir has received 11 Academy Award nominations and has won three Oscars, for art direction of 'The King And I' (1956), 'Cleopatra' (1963) and 'Hello Dolly!'" ↩ ↩2
"John DeCuir," Wikipedia, accessed 2026-06-13, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DeCuir ↩ ↩2 ↩3
The John DeCuir Production Design Studies Center, "John DeCuir, Jr.," accessed 2026-06-13, https://asburyproductiondesignstudiescenter.com/johndecuirjr ↩ ↩2 ↩3
The John DeCuir Production Design Studies Center, "Ghostbusters," accessed 2026-06-13, https://asburyproductiondesignstudiescenter.com/explore/ghostbusters-g74pp. "This film marked the symbolic passing of the torch from father to son as DeCuir served as Production Designer and DeCuir Jr. joined him as Art Director." ↩
Spook Central, The Complete SFX Guide to Ghostbusters (2014). John DeCuir Jr. interview. ↩
Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA. ISBN 0918432685. ↩
Ghostbusters (1984). Columbia Pictures. Directed by Ivan Reitman. End credits: Set Designer, George Eckert; Set Decorator, Marvin March. ↩