Sean S. Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 Cunningham in 2024 | |
| Born | Sean Sexton Cunningham December 31, 1941 (1941-12-31) (age 83) New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1970–present |
| Spouse | Susan E. Cunningham |
| Children | 4 |
Sean Sexton Cunningham (born December 31, 1941)[a] is an American film director, producer, and writer. He is best known for directing and producing several horror films, beginning in the early 1970s.
Raised in Connecticut, Cunningham graduated fromFranklin & Marshall College before earning an MFA from Stanford University. After completing his education, he worked as a manager for various theater companies, including New York City'sLincoln Center and theOregon Shakespeare Festival. While working for a documentary company in New York, Cunningham made his feature film directorial debut withThe Art of Marriage (1970). While editing his second film, he metWes Craven, with whom he collaborated as a producer of Craven'sexploitation horror filmThe Last House on the Left (1972).
Cunningham went on to co-create and direct theslasher filmFriday the 13th (1980), which was a major box-office success. He produced several horror films throughout the 1980s, includingHouse (1985) and its sequelHouse II: The Second Story (1987).
Cunningham was born in New York City on December 31, 1941[1] and raised in Connecticut.[2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Franklin & Marshall College and later earned an MFA from Stanford University.[3]
Cunningham's first jobs after graduating from Stanford included managing theater companies such as New York's Lincoln Center, the Mineola Theater on Long Island, as well as theOregon Shakespeare Festival, the latter of where he briefly studied.[2] He is a member of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and theDirectors Guild of America.
While working for a documentary company in New York City in the late 1960s, Cunningham made his directorial debut withThe Art of Marriage (1970). While editingTogether, he metWes Craven, who was working as an editor at the time.[4] The two collaborated on Craven's directorial debut, the exploitation filmThe Last House on the Left (1972), which Cunningham produced.
Cunningham is best known for his involvement of multiple films in theFriday the 13th franchise, which introduced the fictional mass murdererJason Voorhees. Of the 12 films in the series, the ones that had Cunningham's involvement werethe original,Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday,Jason X,Freddy vs. Jason, andthe 2009 reboot. He has also produced many horror films, such as theHouse series andWes Craven's debut feature,The Last House on the Left. He is the founder and CEO ofCrystal Lake Entertainment. Cunningham was set to producethe CW series adaption ofFriday the 13th before that project fell through,[5][6] and served as a producer ofFriday the 13th: The Game.
As of 2015, he is also a member of the board of advisers for the Hollywood Horror Museum.
In 2025, Cunningham was honoured at the58th Sitges Film Festival with the Time Machine Award (The Màquina del Temps).[7]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | The Art of Marriage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1971 | Together | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1972 | The Last House on the Left | No | Yes | No |
| 1974 | Case of the Full Moon Murders | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1978 | Here Come the Tigers | Yes | Yes | No |
| Manny's Orphans | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 1980 | Friday the 13th | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1982 | A Stranger Is Watching | Yes | No | No |
| 1983 | Spring Break | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1985 | The New Kids | Yes | Yes | No |
| House | No | Yes | No | |
| 1986 | Reiselust | No | Yes | Yes |
| 1987 | House II: The Second Story | No | Yes | No |
| 1989 | DeepStar Six | Yes | Yes | No |
| House III | No | Yes | No | |
| 1992 | House IV | No | Yes | No |
| 1993 | My Boyfriend's Back | No | Yes | No |
| Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | No | Yes | No | |
| 2001 | XCU: Extreme Close Up | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2002 | Jason X | No | Yes | No |
| Terminal Invasion | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | Freddy vs. Jason | No | Yes | No |
| 2006 | Trapped Ashes | Yes | No | No |
| 2009 | Friday the 13th | No | Yes | No |
| The Last House on the Left | No | Yes | No | |
| His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th | No | Yes | No | |
| 2017 | The Nurse with the Purple Hair | Yes | Yes | No |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The 'Thing' | Yes | No |
| 2019 | The Music Teacher | Yes | Yes |
