Horror Movie Set Photos From 1973

• Linda Blair in ‘The Exorcist’

  12-year-old Linda Blair as the possessed child in The Exorcist.

• William Friedkin

  William Friedkin in 1973 on the set of Exorcist, which, he recalls today, “I had to keep light. It was tough physically, but if it had got too deep, it would have been very disturbing.”

• Bill Blatty

  Bill Blatty, who had a cameo in the film, at New York’s Fordham University set.

• Billy Blatty, Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn

  Writer-producer Blatty (center), discussing a scene with Jason Miller and Ellen Burstyn. Although Miller, a playwright, had not previously acted on film, he reminded Friedkin of ’40s leading man John Garfield, a reference Blatty added to the script.

• Jack MacGowran

  Jack MacGowran (center) played a film director who meets a grim end in Exorcist.

• William Friedkin, Sherry Lansing

  Friedkin today with his wife Sherry Lansing. He most recently directed the 2012 crime tale Killer Joe.

   

   

• Max von Sydow

  Max von Sydow’s Father Merrin approaches the Georgetown home where the possession takes place as light from a window cuts through fog in an image inspired by a Magritte painting.

• ‘The Exorcist’

  After Friedkin objected to initial poster designs, Warners borrowed one of the film’s most iconic shots: Von Sydow’s Father Merrin approaches the Georgetown home where the possession takes place as light from a window cuts through fog in an image inspired by a Magritte painting.

• Linda Blair, Max von Sydrow, Jason Miller

  From left: Linda Blair, Max von Sydow and Jason Miller worked on a set that was kept refrigerated so their breath would register onscreen.

• Lee J. Cobb

  The casting of veteran Lee J. Cobb, who played Lt. William Kinderman, reassured the studio, which feared the movie lacked name actors.

• Ellen Burstyn

  Ellen Burstyn campaigned for her part, which in Blatty’s original novel was inspired by Shirley MacLaine.

• Linda Blair, William Friedkin

  "'There is a woman out here named Elinore Blair with her 12-year-old daughter. Doesn’t have an appointment, but wonders if you would see her.' It wasn’t my immediate reaction to say yes, but I said OK — something like fate comes in. The moment she walked in the door, I knew she was the one. She was bright, effervescent. She had never acted before, but she wasn’t afraid or intimidated," said Friedkin on casting 12-year-old Linda Blair.

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