William Peter Blatty ā American writer and screenwriter of the 20th century, best known for The Exorcist and Legion. Though he began as a humorist, he achieved lasting fame in horror, blending supernatural terror with spiritual reflection. His work reshaped modern horror literature and cinema.
āØ Born in New York City to Lebanese immigrant parents. š Studied at Georgetown University, later making it the setting of his novel. š Early career focused on humorous books and screenwriting. š¬ Won an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Exorcist (1973). š His novel Legion became the basis for The Exorcist III. š Known for mixing horror with deeper questions of faith and morality. š Influenced generations of horror and thriller creators. š Curious: once pretended to be a millionaire to win a TV quiz show. š Funny: joked that he aimed to write āa romance,ā but instead terrified the world.