Friday the 13th Writer Victor Miller Dies in Alameda
The Emmy-winning screenwriter who created Jason Voorhees called Alameda home. He died Aug. 31 at 86.
By The Alameda Pulse
Victor Miller, the screenwriter who wrote the original 1980 "Friday the 13th" and created the villain Jason Voorhees, died in Alameda, CA on Monday, Aug. 31, at age 86.
- Who: Victor Miller, screenwriter of "Friday the 13th" (1980) and creator of Jason Voorhees.
- When: He died Aug. 31, 2026, at age 86.
- Where: Alameda, CA, where he made his home.
- Announced by: His son Ian, in a post on Instagram.
- Other credits: Three Daytime Emmy Awards for writing soap operas, including "All My Children."
Who was Victor Miller?
He's the writer who gave horror movies one of their most famous villains, even though Jason doesn't actually show up as the killer until the sequel. Miller wrote the screenplay for the original "Friday the 13th" in 1980, setting his slasher story at a summer camp that became one of the genre's most copied settings. Born May 14, 1940 in New Orleans to John Dabney and Barbara Leovy Miller, he studied at Milton Academy in Massachusetts before heading to Yale. Away from horror, he spent years writing daytime television, picking up three Daytime Emmy Awards for shows like "All My Children," "One Life to Live," "Another World," "Guiding Light" and "General Hospital." That's a rare mix for one career: he's remembered both for a slasher classic and for decades of soap opera storylines.
Did Victor Miller live in Alameda?
Yes. Alameda, CA was his home when he died on Aug. 31 at 86. His son Ian announced the news on Instagram, writing that his father "was almost always the smartest, funniest person in whatever room he was in." Miller is survived by his wife, two sons and a grandson. The announcement didn't give a cause of death.
What happens next
Miller's family is planning a celebration of life for November, timed, fittingly, for Friday the 13th. There's no public venue or ticket information out yet. For now, Alameda can add another name to its list of residents who quietly shaped American pop culture, this one from a long way outside Camp Crystal Lake.
Read more about Miller's life and family statement at TheWrap. For more on the people who shape the city, visit our Community news section.
Source: thewrap.com (opens in a new tab)
