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Awards and nominations

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	'''William David Friedkin''' ({{IPAc-en\|ˈ\|f\|r\|iː\|d\|k\|ɪ\|n}}; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "[[New Hollywood]]" movement of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/139759/american-new-wave-retrospective\|title=The American New Wave: A Retrospective {{!}} H-Announce {{!}} H-Net\|website=networks.h-net.org\|language=en\|access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|last=O'Connell \|first=Michelle \|date=June 21, 2017 \|title=June 1977: When New Hollywood Got Weird \|url=https://thefilmstage.com/features/june-1977-when-new-hollywood-got-weird/ \|access-date=February 19, 2018 \|work=The Film Stage \|language=en-US}}</ref> Beginning his career in documentaries in the early 1960s, he is best known for his crime thriller film ''[[The French Connection (film)\|The French Connection]]'' (1971), which won five [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture\|Best Picture]] and [[Academy Award for Best Director\|Best Director]], and the horror film ''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973), which earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Director.		'''William David Friedkin''' ({{IPAc-en\|ˈ\|f\|r\|iː\|d\|k\|ɪ\|n}}; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "[[New Hollywood]]" movement of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/139759/american-new-wave-retrospective\|title=The American New Wave: A Retrospective {{!}} H-Announce {{!}} H-Net\|website=networks.h-net.org\|language=en\|access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news \|last=O'Connell \|first=Michelle \|date=June 21, 2017 \|title=June 1977: When New Hollywood Got Weird \|url=https://thefilmstage.com/features/june-1977-when-new-hollywood-got-weird/ \|access-date=February 19, 2018 \|work=The Film Stage \|language=en-US}}</ref> Beginning his career in documentaries in the early 1960s, he is best known for his crime thriller film ''[[The French Connection (film)\|The French Connection]]'' (1971), which won five [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture\|Best Picture]] and [[Academy Award for Best Director\|Best Director]], and the horror film ''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973), which earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

	Friedkin's other films in the 1970s and 1980s include the drama ''[[The Boys in the Band (1970 film)\|The Boys in the Band]]'' (1970), considered a milestone of [[queer cinema]]; the originally deprecated, now lauded thriller ''[[Sorcerer (film)\|Sorcerer]]'' (1977); the crime comedy drama ''[[The Brink's Job]]'' (1978); the controversial thriller ''[[Cruising (film)\|Cruising]]'' (1980);<ref>{{cite web \|title=The Controversy of CRUISING {{!}} Cinematheque \|url=http://cinema.wisc.edu/blog/2017/04/14/controversy-cruising \|url-status=dead \|access-date=February 19, 2018 \|website=cinema.wisc.edu \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Guthmann\|first=Edward\|date=1980\|title=THE CRUISING CONTROVERSY: William Friedkin vs. the Gay Community\|jstor=41685938\|journal=Cinéaste\|volume=10\|issue=3\|pages=2–8}}</ref> and the neo-noir thriller ''[[To Live and Die in L.A. (film)\|To Live and Die in L.A.]]'' (1985). Although Friedkin's works suffered an overall commercial and critical decline in the late 1980s, his last three feature films, all based on plays, were positively received by critics: the psychological horror film ''[[Bug (2006 film)\|Bug]]'' (2006), the crime film ''[[Killer Joe (film)\|Killer Joe]]'' (2011), and the legal drama film ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023 film)\|The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial]]'' (2023), released two months after his death. He also worked extensively as an opera director from 1998 until his death, and directed various television films and series episodes for television.		Friedkin's other films in the 1970s and 1980s include the drama ''[[The Boys in the Band (1970 film)\|The Boys in the Band]]'' (1970), considered a milestone of [[queer cinema]]; the religious horror thriller once receiving an [[X rating]] ''[[The Exorcist]]'' (1973); the originally deprecated, now lauded thriller ''[[Sorcerer (film)\|Sorcerer]]'' (1977); the crime comedy drama ''[[The Brink's Job]]'' (1978); the controversial thriller ''[[Cruising (film)\|Cruising]]'' (1980);<ref>{{cite web \|title=The Controversy of CRUISING {{!}} Cinematheque \|url=http://cinema.wisc.edu/blog/2017/04/14/controversy-cruising \|url-status=dead \|access-date=February 19, 2018 \|website=cinema.wisc.edu \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Guthmann\|first=Edward\|date=1980\|title=THE CRUISING CONTROVERSY: William Friedkin vs. the Gay Community\|jstor=41685938\|journal=Cinéaste\|volume=10\|issue=3\|pages=2–8}}</ref> and the neo-noir thriller ''[[To Live and Die in L.A. (film)\|To Live and Die in L.A.]]'' (1985). Although Friedkin's works suffered an overall commercial and critical decline in the late 1980s, his last three feature films, all based on plays, were positively received by critics: the psychological horror film ''[[Bug (2006 film)\|Bug]]'' (2006), the crime film ''[[Killer Joe (film)\|Killer Joe]]'' (2011), and the legal drama film ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023 film)\|The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial]]'' (2023), released two months after his death. He also worked extensively as an opera director from 1998 until his death, and directed various television films and series episodes for television.

	==Early life and education ==		==Early life and education ==
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	After attending public schools in Chicago, Friedkin enrolled at [[Senn High School]], where he played basketball well enough to consider turning professional.<ref name="Biskind201">Biskind, p. 201.</ref> He was not a serious student and barely received grades good enough to graduate,<ref>Segaloff, p. 25.</ref> which he did at the age of 16.<ref>Wakeman, p. 372.</ref> He said this was because of [[social promotion]] and not because he was bright.<ref>Friedkin, ''Conversations at the American Film Institute...'', p. 186.</ref>		After attending public schools in Chicago, Friedkin enrolled at [[Senn High School]], where he played basketball well enough to consider turning professional.<ref name="Biskind201">Biskind, p. 201.</ref> He was not a serious student and barely received grades good enough to graduate,<ref>Segaloff, p. 25.</ref> which he did at the age of 16.<ref>Wakeman, p. 372.</ref> He said this was because of [[social promotion]] and not because he was bright.<ref>Friedkin, ''Conversations at the American Film Institute...'', p. 186.</ref>

	Friedkin began going to movies as a teenager,<ref name="Biskind201" /> and cited ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' as one of his key influences. Several sources claim that Friedkin saw this motion picture as a teenager,<ref>Emery, p. 237; Claggett, p. 3.</ref> but Friedkin himself said that he did not see the film until 1960, when he was 25 years old. Only then, Friedkin said, did he become a true [[Cinephilia\|cineaste]].<ref>Friedkin, ''The Friedkin Connection'', p. 9.</ref> Among the movies that he also saw as a teenager and young adult were ''[[Les Diaboliques (film)\|Les Diaboliques]]'', ''[[The Wages of Fear]]'' (which ~~many consider~~ he remade as ''[[Sorcerer (film)\|Sorcerer]]''), and ''[[Psycho (1960 film)\|Psycho]]'' (which he viewed repeatedly, like ''Citizen Kane''). Televised documentaries such as 1960's ''[[Harvest of Shame]]'' were also important to his developing sense of cinema.<ref name="Biskind201" />		Friedkin began going to movies as a teenager,<ref name="Biskind201" /> and cited ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' as one of his key influences. Several sources claim that Friedkin saw this motion picture as a teenager,<ref>Emery, p. 237; Claggett, p. 3.</ref> but Friedkin himself said that he did not see the film until 1960, when he was 25 years old. Only then, Friedkin said, did he become a true [[Cinephilia\|cineaste]].<ref>Friedkin, ''The Friedkin Connection'', p. 9.</ref> Among the movies that he also saw as a teenager and young adult were ''[[Les Diaboliques (film)\|Les Diaboliques]]'', ''[[The Wages of Fear]]'' (which he remade as ''[[Sorcerer (film)\|Sorcerer]]''), and ''[[Psycho (1960 film)\|Psycho]]'' (which he viewed repeatedly, like ''Citizen Kane''). Televised documentaries such as 1960's ''[[Harvest of Shame]]'' were also important to his developing sense of cinema.<ref name="Biskind201" />

	Friedkin began working in the mail room at [[WBKB-TV]] immediately after high school.<ref>Stevens, p. 184.</ref> Within two years (at the age of 18),<ref name="LitFilmQ">Walker and Johnson, p. 15.</ref> he started his [[television director\|directorial]] career doing live television shows and documentaries.<ref>Derry, p. 361; Edmonds and Mimura, p. 211.</ref> His efforts included ''[[The People vs. Paul Crump]]'' (1962), which won an award {{which\|date=March 2025}} at the [[San Francisco International Film Festival]] and contributed to the commutation of [[Paul Crump\|Crump's]] [[death sentence]].<ref name="LitFilmQ" /><ref>Hamm, p. 86-87.</ref> Its success helped Friedkin get a job with producer [[David L. Wolper]].<ref name="LitFilmQ" /> He also made the football-themed documentary ''[[Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon]]'' (1965).<ref>Charles Champlin, "Friedkin Damns the Torpedoes", ''The Los Angeles Times'', March 24, 1967. Retrieved via Newspapers.com.</ref>		Friedkin began working in the mail room at [[WBKB-TV]] immediately after high school.<ref>Stevens, p. 184.</ref> Within two years (at the age of 18),<ref name="LitFilmQ">Walker and Johnson, p. 15.</ref> he started his [[television director\|directorial]] career doing live television shows and documentaries.<ref>Derry, p. 361; Edmonds and Mimura, p. 211.</ref> His efforts included ''[[The People vs. Paul Crump]]'' (1962), which won an award {{which\|date=March 2025}} at the [[San Francisco International Film Festival]] and contributed to the commutation of [[Paul Crump\|Crump's]] [[death sentence]].<ref name="LitFilmQ" /><ref>Hamm, p. 86-87.</ref> Its success helped Friedkin get a job with producer [[David L. Wolper]].<ref name="LitFilmQ" /> He also made the football-themed documentary ''[[Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon]]'' (1965).<ref>Charles Champlin, "Friedkin Damns the Torpedoes", ''The Los Angeles Times'', March 24, 1967. Retrieved via Newspapers.com.</ref>
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	In 1980, Friedkin directed an adaptation of the [[Gerald Walker (writer)\|Gerald Walker]] crime thriller ''[[Cruising (film)\|Cruising]]'', starring [[Al Pacino]], which was protested during production and remains the subject of heated debate. It was critically assailed but performed moderately at the box office.<ref>{{Cite book \| title = Hurricane Billy: The Stormy Life and Films of William Friedkin \| publisher = William Morrow & Co \| date = January 1, 1990 \| location = New York \| isbn = 9780688078522 \| first = Nat \| last = Segaloff}}</ref>		In 1980, Friedkin directed an adaptation of the [[Gerald Walker (writer)\|Gerald Walker]] crime thriller ''[[Cruising (film)\|Cruising]]'', starring [[Al Pacino]], which was protested during production and remains the subject of heated debate. It was critically assailed but performed moderately at the box office.<ref>{{Cite book \| title = Hurricane Billy: The Stormy Life and Films of William Friedkin \| publisher = William Morrow & Co \| date = January 1, 1990 \| location = New York \| isbn = 9780688078522 \| first = Nat \| last = Segaloff}}</ref>

	Friedkin had a heart attack on March 6, 1981, due to a genetic defect in his [[Circumflex branch of left coronary artery\|circumflex left coronary artery]], and nearly died. He spent months in rehabilitation.<ref>Biskind, p. 413.</ref> His next picture was 1983's ''[[Deal of the Century]]'', a satire about [[Arms trafficking\|arms dealing]] starring [[Chevy Chase]], [[Gregory Hines]], and [[Sigourney Weaver]].		Friedkin had a heart attack on March 6, 1981, due to a genetic defect in his [[Circumflex branch of left coronary artery\|circumflex left coronary artery]], and nearly died. He spent months in rehabilitation.<ref>Biskind, p. 413.</ref> His next picture was 1983's ''[[Deal of the Century]]'', a satire about [[Arms trafficking\|arms dealing]] starring [[Chevy Chase]], [[Gregory Hines]], and [[Sigourney Weaver]]. In 1984, he became one of the first Academy Award-winning directors to direct a music video, directing [[Laura Branigan]]'s [[Self Control (Raf song)#Laura Branigan version\|Self Control]].

	In 1985, Friedkin directed the music video for [[Barbra Streisand]]'s rendition of the ''[[West Side Story]]'' song "[[Somewhere (song)\|Somewhere]]",<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Howe \|first1=Matthew \|title=Streisand Music Videos - "Somewhere" (1985) \|url=https://www.barbra-archives.info/somewhere-1985-music-video \|website=Barbra Archives \|access-date=August 8, 2023 \|date=2023}}</ref> which she recorded for her twenty-fourth studio LP, ''[[The Broadway Album]]''. He later appears as Streisand's interviewer (uncredited) on the television special, "Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album".<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Howe \|first1=Matthew \|title=Streisand/Television - "Putting It Together: The Making Of The Broadway Album" (1986) \|url=https://www.barbra-archives.info/putting-it-together-making-the-broadway-album \|website=Barbra Archives \|access-date=August 8, 2023}}</ref>		In 1985, Friedkin directed the music video for [[Barbra Streisand]]'s rendition of the ''[[West Side Story]]'' song "[[Somewhere (song)\|Somewhere]]",<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Howe \|first1=Matthew \|title=Streisand Music Videos - "Somewhere" (1985) \|url=https://www.barbra-archives.info/somewhere-1985-music-video \|website=Barbra Archives \|access-date=August 8, 2023 \|date=2023}}</ref> which she recorded for her twenty-fourth studio LP, ''[[The Broadway Album]]''. He later appears as Streisand's interviewer (uncredited) on the television special, "Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album".<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Howe \|first1=Matthew \|title=Streisand/Television - "Putting It Together: The Making Of The Broadway Album" (1986) \|url=https://www.barbra-archives.info/putting-it-together-making-the-broadway-album \|website=Barbra Archives \|access-date=August 8, 2023}}</ref>
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	[[Category:American agnostics]]		[[Category:American agnostics]]
	[[Category:Jewish agnostics]]		[[Category:Jewish agnostics]]
	[[Category:American people of ~~Ukrainian~~-Jewish descent]]		[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
	[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in California]]		[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in California]]
	[[Category:Deaths from congestive heart failure in the United States]]		[[Category:Deaths from congestive heart failure in the United States]]
	[[Category:Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement recipients]]		[[Category:Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement recipients]]
	[[Category:Directors of Best Picture Academy Award winners]]		[[Category:Directors of Best Picture Academy Award winners]]

William Friedkin - Revision history

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