Biography
William Peter Blatty was an American novelist, screenwriter, director and producer. He wrote the 1971 novel The Exorcist, which he adapted into the screenplay for the 1973 film of the same name; he also served as producer on the film.
Blatty was born in New York City on 7 January 1928 and died on 12 January 2017. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1950 and received a master’s degree in English literature from George Washington University in 1954. He later served in the United States Air Force.
Blatty’s other notable credits include the screenplay for A Shot in the Dark (1964), the novel and film The Ninth Configuration (1980), on which he made his directorial debut, and The Exorcist III (1990), which he wrote and directed. He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Exorcist and received a nomination for Best Picture as producer.
