Victor Miller, screenwriter of the original movie 'Friday the 13th', has died at the age of 86 in Alameda, California. The death occurred on Monday, August 31, and was announced by his son Ian, who remembered his father as a particularly intelligent and funny person, highlighting his passion for photography, music, and storytelling. The family has not disclosed the cause of death.
Born in New Orleans on May 14, 1940, Miller became forever linked to one of the most popular franchises in horror cinema history thanks to the script of 'Friday the 13th', released in 1980. The film, directed by Sean S. Cunningham, became a major reference in slasher cinema and gave rise to a saga that would eventually turn Jason Voorhees into one of the most recognizable characters in the genre.
However, the Jason conceived by Miller was very different from the character that would later become the franchise's protagonist. In the first movie, Jason is the child who had drowned years earlier at Camp Crystal Lake. The killer was his mother, Pamela Voorhees, played by Betsy Palmer, seeking revenge for her son's death.
Jason would not become the central killer of the saga until 'Friday the 13th Part 2', without Miller's involvement. The character would eventually adopt his trademark hockey mask in the third installment and progressively transform into the horror icon that has endured to this day.
Miller explained on several occasions that 'Friday the 13th' was partly born as a response to the success of 'Halloween', by John Carpenter, released in 1978. The project transferred the formula of the relentless killer to a summer camp and helped solidify some of the elements that would define the slasher genre.
The screenwriter, however, stayed away from the subsequent films in the saga. In fact, he expressed disapproval of Jason's evolution as a killer, as his original conception of the character did not involve him returning from the dead to become the supernatural protagonist of the sequels.
His name once again took center stage in the 'Friday the 13th' story decades later, due to the legal battle over the copyright of the script and characters. Miller claimed rights to certain elements of the work, and in 2021, a federal appeals court confirmed his position on the original script.
Literary and Television Career
But it was in television where Miller developed much of his later career. He specialized in American daytime soap operas and held positions of responsibility as an associate head writer on 'One Life to Live', 'All My Children', 'Guiding Light', and 'Another World', in addition to working on "General Hospital." His career in this genre spanned over two decades and earned him three Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on 'One Life to Live' and 'All My Children'.
'All My Children' was particularly significant in his career. Miller was associated with the series at different times between 1984 and 2006 and was part of the writing team during some of its most popular periods. He also worked on 'Another World' from 1990 to 1995 and on 'Guiding Light' during various periods, including his role as associate head writer from 1996 to 1997.
Miller wrote nine novels featuring the detective Theo Kojak, portrayed on television by Telly Savalas, published between 1974 and 1975. This work reflects a lesser-known aspect of Miller, who besides being a screenwriter was also a novelist and playwright. It is worth noting that Miller did not create the character of Kojak.
Miller's death comes at a particularly relevant time for the 'Friday the 13th' franchise. This year, Sean S. Cunningham confirmed that he had resolved his legal differences with Miller and that there was a project to recapture the spirit of the early Jason movies.
The family will hold a tribute event for Miller in November on a date particularly fitting for his legacy: a Friday the 13th.