William Friedkin, who directed 'The Exorcist' and 'The French Connection,' dies at 87
LOS ANGELES -- William Friedkin, the generation-defining director who brought a visceral realism to 1970s hits"The French Connection" and"The Exorcist" and was quickly anointed one of Hollywood's top directors when he was only in his 30s, has died. He was 87.
He followed with an even bigger blockbuster,"The Exorcist," released in 1973 and based on William Peter Blatty's bestselling novel about a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil. "I embody arrogance, insecurity and ambition that spur me on as they hold me back," he wrote in his 2012 memoir. "I haven't made that many films. I think, in a career that's over 60 years, I don't think I've made 20 films," he said in 2021."If I can't see a film in my mind's eye, I won't do the film."
Other film credits included"To Live and Die in L.A.,""Rules of Engagement" and a TV remake of the classic play and Sidney Lumet movie"12 Angry Men." Friedkin also directed episodes for such TV shows as"The Twilight Zone,""Rebel Highway" and"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." After working on such shows as"The Bold Ones,""The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and the documentary"The Thin Blue Line," Friedkin landed his first film, 1967's"Good Times." It was a lighthearted musical romp headlined by the pop duo Sonny and Cher in what would be their only movie appearance together.
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