Victor Miller, the screenwriter who created the screenplay for the original Friday the 13th, has died at the age of 86.
Miller’s son Ian confirmed that his father died on August 30. He did not disclose the cause of death.
In a tribute shared on Instagram, Ian remembered his father as a witty and intelligent man who encouraged his interest in photography, music and storytelling.
Miller is survived by his wife, two sons and a grandson.
A memorial celebration is planned for November, with the family choosing “Friday the 13th” as the date in keeping with Miller’s best-known work.
Miller wrote the screenplay for Sean S. Cunningham’s 1980 horror film Friday the 13th, which went on to become the starting point for a long-running franchise and several sequels.
His collaboration with Cunningham began before the horror classic.
The pair worked on the 1978 family comedy Manny’s Orphans, which Miller co-wrote with Steve Miner. Miller also wrote Cunningham’s 1978 sports comedy Here Come the Tigers under the pen name Arch McCoy.
Following Friday the 13th, Miller and Cunningham reunited for the 1982 thriller A Stranger Is Watching.
Miller’s other screen credits include Getting In (1994), Jury Duty (1995), Rock, Paper, Scissors (2017), The Once and Future Smash (2022) and the 2025 short film Sweet Revenge.
He also had an extensive career in television, particularly in daytime drama.
Miller served as an associate head writer on One Life to Live from 1982 to 1984.
He then joined All My Children in the same capacity in 1984 before taking similar roles on Guiding Light, Another World and General Hospital.
His work on All My Children earned him several Daytime Emmy Awards, including wins in 1985, 1988 and 1998.
Miller’s connection to the Friday the 13th franchise will continue through Crystal Lake, an upcoming A24 series based on the horror property and serving as a prequel to the film he wrote.
The series is scheduled to premiere on Peacock on 15 October.
