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William Peter BlattyWriter, screenwriter
Date of Birth: 07.01.1928
Country:  USA |
Content:
- William Peter Blatty: A Renowned Writer and Screenwriter
- Literary Career
- "The Exorcist": A Literary and Cinematic Triumph
- Sequels and Prequels
- Other Notable Works
- How to Stop the World, Jack (1960)
William Peter Blatty: A Renowned Writer and Screenwriter
Early Life and EducationWilliam Peter Blatty was born on January 7, 1928, in New York City, to Lebanese Catholic parents. After graduating from Georgetown University with a degree in English and a Master's degree, Blatty joined the Foreign Service and served in Lebanon.
Literary Career
In the mid-1950s, Blatty decided to pursue a career in writing full-time. He penned several novels and screenplays, some in collaboration with Blake Edwards, the creator of "The Pink Panther."
"The Exorcist": A Literary and Cinematic Triumph
Blatty's most famous work, "The Exorcist," was published in 1971. It tells the story of a possessed 12-year-old girl, interspersed with the characters' inner monologues reflecting on the nature of faith and human response. The novel was inspired by an article Blatty read in the Washington Post in 1949 about an exorcism performed on a 14-year-old boy. He also claimed to have learned details of the ritual in a New Testament history and literature class at Georgetown University. However, journalists who attempted to find real-life counterparts to the characters in "The Exorcist" have asserted that no such events occurred in Mount Rainier.
"The Exorcist" quickly became a bestseller, selling over 13 million copies worldwide. Blatty later adapted it into a screenplay, directed by William Friedkin. The film won two Academy Awards, for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing.
Sequels and Prequels
In 1983, Blatty released "Legion," a sequel to "The Exorcist." He also wrote the screenplay for "The Exorcist III."
In his later years, Blatty wrote the screenplays for the "Exorcist" prequels "Exorcist: The Beginning" (2004) and "Dominion" (2005).
Other Notable Works
In addition to "The Exorcist," Blatty authored several other novels and screenplays, including:
How to Stop the World, Jack (1960)
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1963)Wink at Me, Killer Kane (1966)
I'll Tell Them I Remember You (1973)
The Eighth Configuration (1978)
Demoniacs Five, Exorcists Zero: A Fable (1996)
