Oscar-winning director William Friedkin died on Monday at age 87.Photo:Primo Barol/Anadolu Agency/Getty
Primo Barol/Anadolu Agency/Getty
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director behind such films asThe French ConnectionandThe Exorcist, died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 87.His wife, former producer and studio head Sherry Lansing, confirmed the news toTheHollywood Reporter.
William Friedkin helmed iconic films including ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘The French Connection.'.Sylvain Lefevre/Getty
Sylvain Lefevre/Getty
After directingThe Boys in the Bandin 1970, he dove into what would be a career highlight with 1971’sThe French Connection, an action-packed thriller starring Gene Hackman. The movie nabbed four other Oscars including Best Picture.
In 1973, Friedkin directed the iconic horror filmThe Exorcist, known for its infamous and chilling head-spinning scene. His other films include 1977’sSorcerer, 1985’sTo Live and Die in L.A., 2000’sRules of Engagementand 2006’sBug.
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Friedkin published a memoir in 2013 calledThe Friedkin Connection, which details his life and Hollywood career. The director wrote about growing up poor with his mother, a former nurse, and father, who he said jumped between jobs and “seemed to have no sense of purpose except day-to-day survival.”
He said his family at times subsisted on welfare. “I never knew it. All my friends lived the same way,” he wrote.
source: people.com
