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Biography: "Sean S. Cunningham is an alumnus of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1962, he played "Puck" in "A Midsummer Nights Dream" at Franklin & Marshall's Green Room Theatre. He will always be remembered in the horror field for directing what is considered the inspiration to thousands of crazed slasher films, Friday the 13th. It was produced for a modest $500,000 and has grossed well over $70 million to date. Born 1941, a New York native, Cunningham considered becoming a doctor, but didn't want to actually practice medicine.
He graduated from Stanford University with a Master's Degree in Drama and Film and began his career managing theatre companies around the country, including productions at New York's Lincoln Center, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and at the Mineola Theatre on Long Island. His first film was a semi-documentary entitled Together.
He directed a few exploitation titles before teaming with Wes Craven on the controversial cult classic Last House on the Left. The film was a harsh and brutal tale of revenge and murder, based on Ingmar Bergman's Virgin Spring. Making a subsequent transition to comedy in 1977, Cunningham produced and directed Here Come the Tigers followed by Manny's Orphans.
Cunningham returned to horror in 1980 and hit pay dirt with a little slasher film called Friday The 13th. Cunningham sold the film on its unique title before he even had written a script or cast any actors, the result would be one of the most highly successful if not the longest running slasher film franchise, not to mention the most heavily imitated.
A Stranger is Watching followed, garnering critical acclaim and financial success. Next, Cunningham scored again with the hit film Spring Break, a youth orientated comedy which brought back memories of college antics to people of all ages.
Like Craven, he pretty much found success with a lucrative series yet he has had a fair number of misses (Deep Star Six, My Boyfriend's Back) to complement his hits." - Thanks to Roger Cobb's House
Producer Filmography
Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)
Terminal Invasion (2002)
Jason X (2001)
XCU: Extreme Close Up (2001)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
My Boyfriend's Back (1993)
House IV (1992)
The Horror Show (1989)
DeepStar Six (1989)
House II: The Second Story (1987)
House (1986)
The New Kids (1985)
Spring Break (1983)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Here Come the Tigers (1978)
Case of the Full Moon Murders (1974)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
Director Filmography
Trapped Ashes (2006)
Terminal Invasion (2002)
XCU: Extreme Close Up (2001)
DeepStar Six (1989)
The New Kids (1985)
Spring Break (1983)
A Stranger Is Watching (1982)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Manny's Orphans (1978)
Here Come the Tigers (1978)
Case of the Full Moon Murders (1974)
The Last House on the Left (1972)
Together (1971)
Where Is He Now?: Sean S. Cunningham continues to be active in producing, most recently with Freddy vs. Jason.
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