John Carpenter

John Carpenter was born in upstate New York on January 16, 1948, but his family moved to Bowling Green, KY when he was five years old. Though Carpenter has worked in a variety of genres, including science fiction and action, he’s often recognized as The Master of Horror.

In 1978, he directed, scored, and co-wrote ‘Halloween,’ which spawned a massively influential franchise consisting of eleven films, novels, comics, video games and merchandise. The theme song—a panicked piano over low, droning strings—is one of the most recognized pieces of music in horror. The films’ primary antagonist—the ominous, white-masked Michael Myers—has become an icon in horror film and Halloween culture. Other notable films of Carpenter’s include ‘The Fog’ (1980), ‘The Thing’ (1982), ‘Christine’ (1983), ‘Starman’ (1984), ‘Big Trouble In Little China’ (1986), and ‘Prince of Darkness’ (1987), many of which are considered cult classics.