William Peter Blatty was a writer, director and producer, best known for the 1971 novel The Exorcist and his screenplay for its 1973 film adaptation, which won him an Academy Award. Raised in New York City, he served in the United States Air Force's Psychological Warfare Division and later worked for the United States Information Agency in Beirut. He reworked his 1966 novel Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane! into The Ninth Configuration in 1978, then directed its 1980 film and The Exorcist III (1990), adapted from his 1983 novel Legion.
