American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor and composer, born 16 January 1948 in Carthage, New York. Director of such movies as "Assault On Precinct 13", "The Fog", "Escape From New York", "The Thing", or "Halloween", Carpenter himself composed most of the soundtracks for his films (sometimes with Alan Howarth). He was married to actress Adrienne Barbeau from 1979 to 1984.