William Friedkin

Director
Writer
Producer

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Fellini degli spiriti (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 Hitchcock esittää (1962); Hitchcock infamously chastised him for not wearing a tie.

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Won 1 Oscar
- 22 wins & 16 nominations total

Photos73

Gene Hackman and William Friedkin in Kovaotteiset miehet (1971)

Gene Hackman, William Friedkin, Roy Scheider, Eddie Egan, and Bill Hickman in Kovaotteiset miehet (1971)

William Friedkin and Max von Sydow in Manaaja (1973)

Gene Hackman, William Friedkin, Roy Scheider, Eddie Egan, and Randy Jurgensen in Kovaotteiset miehet (1971)

William Friedkin in Friedkin Uncut (2018)

William Friedkin in Oscars, Actors and The Exorcist (1974)

William Friedkin in The Devil and Father Amorth (2017)

William Friedkin and Gabriele Amorth in The Devil and Father Amorth (2017)

Gene Hackman, William Friedkin, and Roy Scheider in arinoita Poughkeepsiestä - Kovaotteisten miesten historia (2000)

William Friedkin in A Fuller Life (2013)

Known for:

Elää ja kuolla L.A.:ssa

7.3

Director

1985

Kovaotteiset miehet

7.7

Director

1971

Manaaja

8.1

Director

1973

Killer Joe

6.7

Director

2011

Credits

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Director

The Devil and Father Amorth
- Director
- 2017
Killer Joe
- Director
- 2011
C.S.I.
- Director
- TV Series
- 2007–2009
The Painter's Voice
- Director
- Video
- 2007
Bug
- Director
- 2006
The Hunted
- Director
- 2003
Rules of Engagement
- Director
- 2000
12 Angry Men
- Director
- TV Movie
- 1997
Jade
- Director
- 1995
Rebel Highway
- Director
- TV Series
- 1994
Blue Chips
- Director (directed by)
- 1994
Tales from the Crypt
- Director
- TV Series
- 1992
Paholaisen lapsenvahti
- Director
- 1990
C.A.T. - kuoleman partio 2
- Director
- TV Movie
- 1988
Rampage
- Director
- 1987

Writer

Official site
- Twitter
Alternative names
- Billy Friedkin
Height
- 1.83 m
Born
- August 29, 1935
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Spouses
Children
Parents
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 Manaaja (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.