William Friedkin(1935-2023)

Director
Writer
Producer

Play trailer0:35

Fellini des esprits (2020)

Friedkin's mother was an operating room nurse. His father was a merchant seaman, semi-pro softball player and ultimately sold clothes in a men's discount chain. Ultimately, his father never earned more than $50/week in his whole life and died indigent. Eventually young Will became infatuated with Orson Welles after seeing Citizen Kane (1941). He went to work for WGN TV immediately after graduating from high school where he started making documentaries, one of which won the Golden Gate Award at the 1962 San Francisco film festival. In 1965, he moved to Hollywood and immediately started directing TV shows, including an episode of the Suspicion (1962); Hitchcock infamously chastised him for not wearing a tie.

IMDbProStarmeter Top 5,000402

Won 1 Oscar
- 23 wins & 19 nominations total

Photos81

+ 75

Known for

Police fédérale, Los Angeles

7.3

Director

1985

French Connection

7.7

Director

1971

L'Exorciste

8.1

Director

1973

Cruising - La Chasse

6.5

Director

1980

Credits

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IMDbPro

Director

L'affaire de la mutinerie du Caine
6.7
- Director (directed by)
- 2023
The Devil and Father Amorth
4.6
- Director
- 2017
Henri Langlois vu par...
3.9
Short
- Director
- 2014
Killer Joe
6.7
- Director
- 2011
Les Experts
7.7
TV Series
- Director
- 2007–2009
The Painter's Voice
7.0
Video
- Director
- 2007
Bug
6.1
- Director
- 2006
Traqué
6.1
- Director
- 2003
L'enfer du devoir
6.4
- Director
- 2000
Johnny Hallyday: Ce que je sais
4.6
Music Video
- Director
- 1998
Douze hommes en colère
7.8
TV Movie
- Director
- 1997
Jade
5.3
- Director
- 1995
Rebel Highway
5.5
TV Series
- Director
- 1994
Blue Chips
6.3
- Director
- 1994
Les contes de la crypte
8.0
TV Series
- Director
- 1992

Writer

L'affaire de la mutinerie du Caine
6.7
- teleplay by
- 2023
The Devil and Father Amorth
4.6
- written by
- 2017
La nurse
5.4
- screenplay
- 1990
C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
4.2
TV Movie
- created by
- story (creator)
- 1988
Le sang du châtiment
6.1
- screenplay by
- 1987
Police fédérale, Los Angeles
7.3
- screenplay by
- 1985
Cruising - La Chasse
6.5
- written by
- 1980
Le Convoi de la peur
7.7
- screenplay (uncredited)
- 1977
French Connection
7.7
- screenplay (uncredited)
- 1971
Good Times
4.5
- screenplay (uncredited)
- 1967
The Thin Blue Line
6.4
TV Movie
- story
- 1966

Producer

Videos8

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist

Personal details

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Official site
- X
Alternative names
- Billy Friedkin
Height
- 1.83 m
Born
- August 29, 1935
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died
- August 7, 2023
- Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA(heart failure and pneumonia)
Spouses
Children
Parents
Relatives
- Justin Green(Cousin)
Other works
Music video: Directed Laura Branigan's video "Self Control".
Publicity listings

Did you know

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Trivia
According to writer/director Larry Cohen, composer Bernard Herrmann was approached by Friedkin to score L'Exorciste (1973). After screening the movie to Herrmann, Friedkin said, "I want you to write me a better score than you wrote for Citizen Kane (1941)", to which Herrmann replied, "Then why don't you make a better movie than 'Citizen Kane'?".

Quotes
By the time a film of mine makes it into the theaters, I have a love-hate relationship with it. There is always something I could have done to make it better.