Known for movies

Short Info

Date Of BirthDecember 1, 1941
DiedNovember 8, 2011
SpouseSusan E. Cunningham
MarkUses atmospheric cinematography from Barry Abrams in both Friday the 13th and A Stranger is Watching.
FactDespite his association with Friday the 13th (1980), its sequels, and various other horror films, he has repeatedly reiterated that he is personally not a fan of the horror genre at all.


Sean S. Cunningham is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter best known for directing the Friday the 13th film series. He has also directed other horror films such as The Last House on the Left, DeepStar Six, and House.

Cunningham was born in New York City on December 6, 1941. His parents were both of Irish descent. He has two sisters. Cunningham attended New York University, where he studied film.

Cunningham’s first film was The Last House on the Left, which he co-wrote and directed. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $3 million on a budget of only $87,000. It was also controversial, with many critics finding it to be too violent.

Cunningham’s next film was DeepStar Six, a science fiction horror film about an underwater mining base that is attacked by a giant sea creature. The film was not as successful as The Last House on the Left, but it did earn Cunningham a Saturn Award nomination for Best Director.

In 1980, Cunningham directed Friday the 13th, which became one of the most successful horror films of all time. The film spawned a franchise that includes nine sequels, a television series, novels, comic books, and video games.

Cunningham has also directed other films such as The New Kids, Intensity, and My Soul to Take. He has also produced films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.

Cunningham’s net worth is estimated to be $20 million. He has been married three times and has four children.

General Info

Date Of BirthDecember 1, 1941
DiedNovember 8, 2011
Place Of BirthNew York City, New York, United States
ProfessionFilm director, Film producer, Screenwriter
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseSusan E. Cunningham
ChildrenNoel John Cunningham, Jessica Cunningham, Chelsea Cunningham

Accomplishments

Music GroupsAtlas
MoviesFriday the 13th, Freddy vs. Jason, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, DeepStar Six, The Last House on the Left, The New Kids, The Horror Show, A Stranger Is Watching, Spring Break, House II: The Second Story, Manny's Orphans, Here Come the Tigers, Trapped Ashes, House, Terminal Invasion, My Boyfr...

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Uses atmospheric cinematography from Barry Abrams in both Friday the 13th and A Stranger is Watching.

Quotes

#Quote
1You can't do anything new with special effects; you can't get any mileage out of killing more people or being more graphic, because it's all been done - you should excuse the expression - to death. The pornography of violence is similar to the pornography of sex, in that when it's presented without substance it becomes a turn-off and it self-destructs.
2I am not a fan of brutal, ugly horror films. I don't like them, don't enjoy them.

Facts

#Fact
1Father, with Susan E. Cunningham, of Noel Cunningham and Jessica Cunningham.
2Despite his association with Friday the 13th (1980), its sequels, and various other horror films, he has repeatedly reiterated that he is personally not a fan of the horror genre at all.
3Producing and shooting Friday the 13th films Jason X and Freddy VS. Jason. [2001]
4At the same time that he was putting together Friday the 13th (1980), he was also working on a kiddie sports movie called Here Come the Tigers (1978). Both he and the studio thought that the latter would be a major hit and that the former would be lucky to get green-lit. Friday the 13th (1980) turned out to be a box office hit, but Here Come the Tigers (1978) was a box office flop.
5Close friend of Wes Craven.
6Frequently casts Ronn Carroll.
7Frequently uses music by Harry Manfredini.
8Directed the chase sequence in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
9Adopted a daughter named Chelsea.

Pictures

Movies

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Nurse with the Purple Hair2017Documentary executive producer / producer post-production
Friday the 13th: The Game2017Video Game producer post-production
Debris2015/IIShort executive producer
The Last House on the Left2009producer - as Sean Cunningham
Friday the 13th2009producer
His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th2009TV Movie documentary executive producer
Freddy vs. Jason2003producer
Terminal Invasion2002TV Movie executive producer
Jason X2001executive producer
XCU: Extreme Close Up2001producer
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday1993producer
My Boyfriend's Back1993producer
House IV1992Video producer
The Horror Show1989producer
DeepStar Six1989producer
House II: The Second Story1987producer
House1986producer
The New Kids1985producer
Spring Break1983producer
Friday the 13th1980producer
Manny's Orphans1978producer
Here Come the Tigers1978producer
The People Who Own the Dark1976producer
Case of the Full Moon Murders1973producer
The Last House on the Left1972producer
Together1971producer
The Art of Marriage1970Documentary producer - uncredited

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Friday the 13th: The Game2017Video Game based on the characters of post-production
Jason Xmas2014-2015TV Mini-Series based on a character created by - 8 episodes
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood1988characters - uncredited
Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI1986characters - uncredited
Reiselust1986TV Series documentary
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning1985characters - uncredited
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter1984characters - uncredited
Friday the 13th Part III1982characters - uncredited
Friday the 13th Part 21981characters - uncredited
Friday the 13th1980story
Together1971

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Nurse with the Purple Hair2017Documentary post-production
The 'Thing'2015Short
Trapped Ashes2006segment "Jibaku"
Terminal Invasion2002TV Movie
XCU: Extreme Close Up2001
DeepStar Six1989
The New Kids1985
Spring Break1983
A Stranger Is Watching1982
Friday the 13th1980
Manny's Orphans1978
Here Come the Tigers1978
Case of the Full Moon Murders1973
Together1971
The Art of Marriage1970Documentary uncredited

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Dark Dreamers2011TV Series

Assistant Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Friday the 13th Part 21981director: 'Friday the 13th Part 1' footage

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
A Nightmare on Elm Street1984director: chase scene - uncredited

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Stasis2017thanks post-production
The Emerging Past Director's Cut2017inspiration post-production
DeathDateShort very special thanks post-production
The Driftergrateful thanks announced
WingMuttTV Series special thanks - 1 episode pre-production
Devil's Deal2015Short special thanks
Lazarus: Apocalypse2014original inspiration
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th2013Video documentary very special thanks
Voorhees (Born on a Friday)2011Short special thanks
Emerging Past2011Video inspiration
Monsterpiece Theatre Volume 12011special thanks
El Panda2009Short dedicatee
D.O.D.2008Short very special thanks
Delivery2006Video special thanks
A Nightmare on Elm Street1984special thanks - as Sean Cunningham

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story2016Documentary post-productionHimself
The Insiders on TheLipTV2014TV SeriesHimself
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th2013Video documentaryHimself - Producer / Director
Monster Man2012TV SeriesHimself
Face Off2011TV SeriesHimself - Party Guest / Himself - Guest Judge
The Movie Loft2009TV SeriesHimself
His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th2009TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham2009Video documentary shortHimself
Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film2006DocumentaryHimself
Never Sleep Again: The Making of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'2006Video documentaryHimself
The House That Freddy Built2006Video documentary shortHimself
Hitchcocked!2006TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Perfect Scary Movie2005TV Movie documentaryHimself
Genesis: Development Hell2004Video documentary shortHimself
On Location: Springwood Revisited2004Video documentary shortHimself
The 100 Scariest Movie Moments2004TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
The 100 Greatest Scary Moments2003TV Movie documentaryHimself (as Sean Cunningham)
Return to Crystal Lake: Making 'Friday the 13th'2003Video documentary shortHimself (as Sean Cunningham)
Freddy Vs. Jason Weigh-In Las Vegas2003Video shortHimself
Celluloid Crime of the Century2003Video documentary shortHimself
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Jason X'2002Video short documentaryHimself
The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees2002Video short documentaryHimself
It's Only a Movie: The Making of 'Last House on the Left'2002Video documentary shortHimself (as Sean Cunningham)
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre2000TV Movie documentaryHimself
Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film2000TV Special documentaryHimself
Fear, Panic & Censorship2000TV Movie documentaryHimself
Welcome to Primetime1999Video documentaryHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Moxina2012ShortMentor Cunningham, Sean S.
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010Video documentaryHimself (uncredited)

Awards

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1981Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst PictureFriday the 13th (1980)
1980Best FilmMystfestFriday the 13th (1980)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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