An American film director, screenwriter, and actor, he gained fame for his role as Michael Myers in "Halloween" (1978). A University of Southern California graduate, he co-wrote "Escape from New York" (1981) with John Carpenter. His directorial debut came with "The Last Starfighter" (1984), followed by films like "Dennis the Menace" (1993) and "Major Payne" (1995). Beyond directing, he continued acting and writing, contributing to various projects in the film industry.