Wesley Earl Craven (born August 2, 1939) is an American film director and writer, perhaps best known as the creator of many horror films, including the famed Nightmare on Elm Street series featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character.

Wes was born in Cleveland in 1939. After an unhappy childhood (he was raised in a Baptist family) he left Cleveland to study for a degree in English Literature, at Wheaton College, Illinois. But after illness, he left the school for one year before returning to study psychology. In 1963 he took a degree in writing and psychology and in 1964 he took a Masters from J. Hopkins University. While he was a humanities college teacher, Wes married Bonnie Broecker, mother of both his children, Jonathan and Jessica. But after few years, they separated and the children stayed with Bonnie. Wes left his job as a teacher and after employment as taxi driver he became a sound editor for a post-production company in New York. And after the co-direction of Together (1971) with Sean S. Cunningham, Wes made the horror movie, Last House on the Left, The (1972). The movie, released in August 1972, was a big success as was his second movie, Hills Have Eyes, The (1977), winning the critic's prize at the Sitges Film Festival. Wes has gone onto win many more awards, including one for the best movie at the Avoriaz Film Festival for _Nightmare On Elm Street, A (1984)_. In 1999 he directed Music of the Heart (1999), a change of direction from the horror genre for which he is known.