Tribute 74: William Friedkin

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of a very culturally edgy producer, screenwriter, and director of film, television, and opera who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s... William Friedkin! Inspired by Citizen Cane as a child, he threw away his "bad boy" ways from high school and began his career in media by working for his local news station at 16, moving onto directing a live television series and docuseries, The People versus Paul Crump (1962). From there he went on to direct an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and then his first feature, Good Times (1967) staring Sonny Bono and Cher. Friedkin would go on to make a fantastic crime thriller, The French Connection (1971), which would then win him five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He is also well known for his Academy Award nominated film The Exorcist (1973) and other films spanning multiple other genres like The Boys in the Band (1970), Sorcerer (1977), The Brink's Job (1978), Cruising (1980), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). To learn more about this episode and others, visit the official Cinema Sounds & Secrets website!