A short life of the author
William Peter Blatty (1928–2017) was born on 7 January 1928 in New York City, the son of Lebanese immigrants. He studied at Georgetown University — the Jesuit university that provides the setting for The Exorcist — and George Washington University. Before turning to horror, he was a comedy writer, producing screenplays for Blake Edwards and others.
Life and Career
The Exorcist (1971) — about the demonic possession of twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil and the priests who attempt to save her — was inspired by a 1949 exorcism case. The novel spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list. William Friedkin’s 1973 film adaptation — scripted by Blatty — was a cultural phenomenon that terrified a generation and remains the highest-grossing horror film in inflation-adjusted terms.
The Ninth Configuration (1978) — about a psychiatrist treating mentally ill soldiers at a castle — and Legion (1983) — a sequel to The Exorcist that follows Lieutenant Kinderman’s investigation of a serial killer — are both highly regarded. Blatty directed the film adaptation of Legion as The Exorcist III (1990).
Major Works and Themes
Blatty’s horror is grounded in Catholic theology — the reality of evil, the possibility of grace, the price of faith. The Exorcist is not merely a horror novel; it is a theological argument about the existence of the devil and, by extension, the existence of God.
Key Works
- The Exorcist (1971)
- Legion (1983)
- The Ninth Configuration (1978)
Collecting Blatty
The Exorcist (1971, Harper & Row) brings $100–$400 for first editions in jacket. Legion (1983, Simon & Schuster) brings $30–$80. Blatty signed at events. He died in 2017.