William Friedkin, Director of 'The Exorcist,' 'The French Connection,' Dies at 87

William Friedkin, who directed some of the most exciting and successful films of the 1970s, died Monday at 87.

Deadline reports his causes of death were heart failure and pneumonia, confirming details with his wife of more than 30 years, former studio chief Sherry Lansing.

Ellen Burstyn, star of "The Exorcist," remembered Friedkin as "an original," telling the outlet he was, "Smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented. On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius.”

Friedkin's passing comes a month before the release of his final film, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" (2023), and just about two months before the October 13 release of the first in a trilogy of new "Exorcist" films, all featuring Burstyn and all directed by David Gordon Green.

Friedkin was born August 29, 1935, in Chicago. A cinephile who admired auteur works like "Citizen Kane" by Orson Welles, he worked at WGN out of school and there began directing live TV and documentaries.

One of his earliest breaks was directing an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," 1965's "Off Season." It starred John Gavin, who had appeared in another work that influenced Friedkin, Hitchcock's "Psycho."

His feature film-directing debut was inauspicious — the goofy Sonny & Cher film "Good Times" (1967). Next, he directed passion project "The Birthday Party" (1968) and the well-received "The Night They Raided Minsky's" (1968).

In 1970, he directed the film adaptation of Mart Crowley's groundbreaking gay play "The Boys in the Band," a daring work that was almost unique in centering on the lives of a group of gay men, who were depicted sympathetically.

His next endeavor could not have been less alike his earlier films, the 1971 neo-noir thriller "The French Connection," adapted from a best-selling book and starring Gene Hackman as the instantly iconic Popeye Doyle. The gritty film contains one of the greatest car chases ever filmed, and is regarded as an American classic, winning five Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director.

With 1973's "The Exorcist," Friedkin made a new kind of horror film, one that conquered the box office, was nominated for 10 Oscars, and became a permanent part of the conversation regarding moviemaking and scare scenes.

Friedkin's luck ran out with the poorly received films "Sorcerer" (1977) — his personal favorite of his films — and "The Brink's Job" (1978), and he endured picketing over his 1980 film "Cruising," which gay activists argued painted the LGBTQ community in a negative light.

After a major heart attack in 1981, he resumed filmmaking, but never duplicated his early success, helming "Deal of the Century" (1983), "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985), "Rampage" (1987), "The Guardian" (1990), "Blue Chips" (1994), "Jade" (1995), "Rules of Engagement" (2000), "The Hunted" (2003), "Bug" (2007), "Killer Joe" (2011), and the upcoming "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" (2023), starring Kiefer Sutherland.

He also directed a number of documentaries, episodes of TV, TV movies (notably the 1997 version of "12 Angry Men"), and music videos.

Friedkin was married and divorced three times before he wed Lansing, to actress Jeanne Moreau, to actress Lesley-Anne Down, and to Emmy-winning TV anchor Kelly Lange.

Along with Lansing, Friedkin is survived by his son Cedric, from a relationship with dancer-choreographer Jennifer Nairn-Smith, and by his son Jack, from his marriage to Down.