William Peter Blatty

Date of Birth: January 7, 1928

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: January 12, 2017

Place of Death: Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.

Ethnicity: Lebanese

William Peter Blatty was an American writer, director, and producer. He wrote the novel The Exorcist, and the script for its film version, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He directed and wrote the films The Ninth Configuration and The Exorcist III: Legion, both based on his novels. He also wrote the films John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!, also based on his book; Promise Her Anything, What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, and The Great Bank Robbery, and co-wrote the films The Man from the Diners’ Club, A Shot in the Dark, Gunn, Darling Lili, and Mastermind. His other novels included I, Billy Shakespeare; Elsewhere, Dimiter, and Crazy. He was also billed as Terence Clyne.

William was the son of Mary (Mouakad), who sold homemade quince jelly, and Peter Blatty, a cloth cutter. His parents were Lebanese immigrants. His great-uncle was Melkite priest, and bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baalbek, Germanos Mouakkad. He was mostly raised by his mother, who was devoutly religious in the Melkite faith. William served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s, as a member of its Psychological Warfare Division; he attained the rank first lieutenant. He subsequently worked for the U.S. Information Agency in Beirut.

He was married to Julie Alicia Witbrodt, until his death. William had three children with his former wife Mary Margaret Rigard; two children, restaurant entrepreneur Billy and photojournalist, army captain, and college athlete J. T. Blatty, with his former wife, tennis professional Linda Tuero; and two children with Julie.

William’s paternal grandfather was named Michael Blatty.

William’s paternal grandmother was named Selma Monkad.

William’s maternal grandfather was Abdo Mouakad (the son of Issa/Essa Mouakkad and Marie/Mary Kayata).

William’s maternal grandmother was named Zehar.

Source: Genealogy of William Peter Blatty – https://www.geni.com