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Director William Friedkin Died at 88! Details on His Family and Net Worth; Movies and Documentary

Director William Friedkin Died at 88! Details on His Family and Net Worth; Movies and Documentary

Facts of William Friedkin

Full Name:William Friedkin
Birth Date:August 29, 1935
Age:88 years
Death Date:August 7, 2023
Gender:Male
Profession:Producer
Country:United States
Horoscope:Virgo
Height: 6 feet 1 inches (1.85m)
WifeSherry Lansing
MarriedSherry Lansing
Break UpFrances FitzGerald, Jennifer Nairn-Smith, Kitty Hawks, Brandy Alexandre
DivorceJeanne Moreau, Lesley-Anne Down, Kelly Lange
Net Worth$70 Million
Salary$6 million
Eye ColorBrown
Hair ColorBrown
Body Size40-13-33 inches
Birth PlaceChicago, Illinois
StatusMarried
GrandparentsDavid Friedkin and Lena Cohen while Morris Green and Eva Lovenberg
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityAshkenazi Jewish
ReligionJewish
EducationNicholas Senn High School
FatherLouis Friedkin
MotherRachael Rae
KidsJackson Friedkin, Cedric Friedkin
Twitter William Friedkin Twitter
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An American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter, William Friedkin received the spotlight after directing the crime thriller film The French Connection in 1971. His work as a director in the movie, The Exorcist made him receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

He is renowned for his works like The Boys in the Band, Sorcerer, The Brink’s Job, and Cruising. He directed the movie, The Devil and Father Amorth in 2017.

Early Life of William Friedkin

On August 29, 1935, William Friedkin was born William David Friedkin in Chicago, Illinois, United States. At the time of his death, he was only 88 years old. His horoscope was Virgo. He used to celebrate his birthday on the 29th of August. He was the son of Rachael Rae (mother) and Louis Friedkin (father). His mother was a registered nurse while his father was a semi-professional softball player.

William in his early years
Caption: William in his early years (Source: Thedistin)

His paternal grandparents are David Friedkin and Lena Cohen while Morris Green and Eva Lovenberg were his maternal grandparents. William had citizenship in America and belongs to an Ashkenazi Jewish ethnic background. He used to follow the Jewish religion. He joined Nicholas Senn High School and graduated when he was 18 years old.

William Friedkin’s Wives

He was married at the time of his death. During his lifetime, he married four times with different women. His fourth wife is a studio head and former producer, Sherry Lansing. Sherry and William tied the knot on July 6, 1991. They were married until William’s death.

William with his wife
Caption: William with his wife (Source: Flickr)

His first wife is a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite, Jeanne Moreau. They exchanged wedding vows on February 8, 1977, and officially divorced in 1979. After that, he married an actress, Lesley-Anne Down in 1982. He divorced Anne in 1985. His third wife is Kelly Lange, an American journalist. They married on June 7, 1987, but divorced in 1990.

His Past Relationships

He dated Frances FitzGerald, a journalist in 1979. William was in a relationship with a dancer, and choreographer, Jennifer Nairn-Smith from 1972 to 1977. They announced their engagement two times but couldn’t take their things to marriage.

William was engaged to Kitty Hawks from 1971 to 1972. They dated each other while filming, The Boys in the Band in 1970. William was also rumored to be dating Brandy Alexandre.

William Friedkin, Father of Two

He was a father of two sons. He gave birth to Cedric Friedkin with Jennifer on November 27, 1976. William welcomed Jack Friedkin with his second wife, Lesley in 1982. Jack is an alumnus of the New York Film Academy’s School of Cinematography while Cedric is a film editor.

William with his son and wife
Caption: William with his son and wife (Source: Thedistin)

William Friedkin’s Net Worth

As of 2023, William had an estimated net worth of $70 Million. Friedkin collected this fortune from his successful career as an American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. His annual salary was $6 million.

William infront of the car
Caption: William in front of the car (Source: Thedistin)

William Friedkin Died at 88

William died on August 7, 2023, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. at his home. He was only 88 years old at the time of his death. The reason behind his death is pneumonia and heart failure and his death was announced by his family and friends:

“William Friedkin, the groundbreaking US director of “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection,” died on Monday, a family friend told AFP. He was 87. Friedkin passed away in Los Angeles after suffering unspecified health issues in recent years.”

Professional Career of William Friedkin

  • Before stepping into the movie industry, he worked at WGN-TV in the mail room.
  • Then, he directed the documentary movie,  The People vs. Paul Crump in 1962.
  • He and David L. Wolper made a documentary named, Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon.
  • In 1967, he wrote a movie, Good Times while he directed the movie, The Night They Raided Minsky’s.
William posing on the frame
Caption: William posing on the frame (Source: Thedistin)
  • William directed Fritz Lang Interviewed by William Friedkin in 1974.
  • He starred Sonny and Cher in his movie, Good Times in 1965.
  • He directed, wrote, and produced a movie named, C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf in 1988.

Movies & TV Shows

His hit movies are The Night They Raided Minsky’s, The Birthday Party, Deal of the Century, To Live and Die in L.A., Killer Joe, The Hunted, and many more. He appeared in tv shows like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Tales from the Crypt, and C.A.T. Squad.

Books

He wrote books like The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir and Conversations at the American Film Institute With the Great Moviemakers: The Next Generation.

Awards & Nominations

  • In 1972, he won Academy Award as Best Director for The French Connection.
  • He received Venice Film Festival for Golden Mouse in 2011.
  • In 2009, he received the nomination for Leopard of Honor at the Locarno International Film Festival.

FAQs of William Friedkin

What is William Friedkin’s Height?

William had a tall height of 6 feet 1 inch and a body weight of 78 kg. 40-13-33 inches was his body measurement. He had a beautiful pair of brown color eyes and hair. 9 (US) was the size of his shoe.

Did William Friedkin direct any documentary?

Yes, he directs documentaries. Some of the documentaries he directed are The Painter’s Voice, Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album, The Devil, and Father Amorth.

Was William Friedkin retired?

No, William wasn’t retired. He continued directing until his last breath. William didn’t leave his studio and movie passion.

Was William Friedkin related to Dan Friedkin?

No, William wasn’t related to Dan. Dan is the president of Roma while William is an American movie director.