William Peter Blatty Biography (1928-)



Born January 7, 1928, in New York, NY; son of Peter (a carpenter) and Mary (Mouakad) Blatty; married Mary Margaret Rigard, February 18, 1950 (marriage annulled); married Elizabeth Gilman, 1950 (divorced); married Linda Tuero (a professional tennis player), July 20, 1975 (divorced); married Julie Alice Witbrodt, 1983; children: (second marriage) Christine Ann, Michael Peter, Mary Joanna; (third marriage) two; (fourth marriage) two, including Peter Vincent. Religion: Roman Catholic. Career: Writer and producer. U.S. Information Agency, Beirut, Lebanon, editor of News Review, 1955-57; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, publicity director, 1957-58; Loyola University (now Loyola Marymount University), Los Angeles, CA, publicitydirector, 1959-60. Also worked as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salespersonfor Electrolux and beer truck driver for Gunther Brewing Company. Militaryservice: U.S. Air Force, 1951-54. Member: Writers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America. Awards, Honors: Gabriel Award and American Film Festival blue ribbon, both 1969, for Insight; California Literature Silver Medal Award, 1972, for the novel The Exorcist; Academy Award, best screenplay based on a work in another medium, Golden Globe Award,best screenplay for a motion picture, August Derleth Award, and Academy Awardnomination, best picture, all 1973, for The Exorcist; honorary L.H.D., Seattle University, 1974; Golden Globe Award, best motion picture screenplay, 1980, for The Ninth Configuration(released as Twinkle, Twinkle,"Killer" Kane). Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Writer, producer
Birth Details
January 7, 1928
New York, New York, United States

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