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Linda Blair

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Linda Blair
Born
Linda Denise Blair

Linda Denise Blair (born January 22, 1959) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress most famous for her role as the possessed child in the 1973 The Exorcist, and its sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic.

Child actress

Blair was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Elinore (née Leitch), a real estate agent, and James Frederick Blair, an executive recruiter.[1] She moved with her parents to Westport, Connecticut when she was two years old. As a young child, Blair began her career by modeling, then acting in commercials, including a long-running one for Gulden's Mustard. Blair had originally planned to become a veterinarian, but instead accepted a role in The Exorcist because the money would allow her to pursue horsemanship. She was chosen over the very similar-looking Pamelyn Ferdin since the director wanted an unknown, and Ferdin had already gained notoriety after appearing in Star Trek, The Odd Couple and Night Gallery.

The Exorcist

Based on William Peter Blatty's best-selling novel, The Exorcist was directed by William Friedkin, who had recently won an Oscar for directing The French Connection. The cast included Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Max Von Sydow and Kitty Winn. Blatty produced the film and wrote the screenplay.

Blair gave a strong, credible performance as a young girl possessed by the devil, and was an integral part of the film's phenomenal success soon after opening in December 1973. Lines at theaters extended around blocks, with people standing in line for hours. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Blair received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, as well as Golden Globe and People's Choice Award wins. Blair received a Golden Globe nomination for the now defunct "most promising female star" category.

Despite the film's several nominations, the Best Picture Oscar went to George Roy Hill's film The Sting. The Exorcist was virtually shut out, although it won for Blatty's screenplay and for Best Sound. Blair's chances for an Oscar were undeniably hurt when Mercedes McCambridge revealed to the press that she had provided the (initially) uncredited demonic voice, though Linda's voice was underlaid in the track, and another woman claimed to have body-doubled for Blair in several scenes, though the director dismissed the contributions of the double as insignificant. The Best Supporting Actress Oscar instead went to 10-year old Tatum O'Neal for her performance in Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon.

After The Exorcist

At age 15, Blair dated and co-habitated with pop singer Rick Springfield, despite a ten year difference in their ages[2] and the fact that she was legally a minor.

1970s

Following the success of The Exorcist, Blair appeared in several controversial television films, including Born Innocent and Sarah T...Portrait Of a Teenage Alcoholic, which were the highest rated in their respective years. She was also featured in Airport 1975. Soon afterward, her role in the failed Exorcist sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic, nearly killed her career. She did, however, receive a Saturn Award Best Actress nomination for her performance in the film.

According to an interview with John McLaughlin on McLaughlin's One On One, Blair experienced an uncontrollable weight gain over the next few years after Exorcist II.

Adding to her troubles, Blair was arrested in December 1977 for conspiring to purchase and distribute cocaine and for possessing amphetamines. It was revealed that Blair's cohorts happened to be dog breeders; phone taps indicated that the word "dog" was a code word for "cocaine". Though there was an actual dog discussed in the phone tap recordings, Linda's legal team preferred to cop a guilty plea rather than deplete Blair's finances with a lengthy trial. She was fined for possession, sentenced to three years probation, instructed to appear in several anti-drug commercials, and ordered to enter a nine month drug rehabilitation program. Blair mentioned the legal woes on a October 1999 episode of E! True Hollywood Story, claiming that the 1977 arrest ruined her Hollywood career.

1980s

Throughout the 1980s, Blair's career deteriorated with her appearance in several minor films, often with a horror or slapstick comedy theme. Meanwhile, Blair returned to her love of horsemanship, where she competed under various pseudonyms in a number of showjumping events, winning several equestrian awards.

During the early 1980s, Blair had a relationship with singer Rick James, but left him when she could no longer handle his drug addiction.

1990s

In 1990, she spoofed her Exorcist character in the comedy film Repossessed, in addition to appearing in lower budget movies and on television, including a guest appearance on the 1992 season opener of the FOX series Married... with Children.

In 1996, Blair had a brief uncredited cameo appearance in the box office smash Scream, in addition to performing in the 1997 stage revival of Grease.

2000s

In 2000, she appeared in the British teen show L.A. 7 featuring the pop group S Club 7, while starring in several independent movies. She also hosted Fox Family's series Scariest Places On Earth.

One of Blair's latest appearances occurred in the Supernatural episode "The Usual Suspects", where a brief homage was paid to her Exorcist fame in the closing dialogue of the episode, when Dean Winchester says that she "looks familiar" and expresses a craving for pea soup.

Charity work

Blair has long been active in charities involving prevention of cruelty to animals with her own Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, and is a committed vegan. She received the City of Los Angeles Proclamation for her hard work with abandoned and abused animals.

  • It is rumored that Rick James' hit song "Cold Blooded" was inspired by Linda Blair.
  • The Canadian band Alexisonfire has a song called "That Girl Possessed" on their second album Watch Out! mainly about Blair and what her character from The Exorcist experienced during her possession.

Filmography

Features:

Template:S-awards Short Subjects:
  • Phone (1993)
  • Marina (1997)
  • Diva Dog: Pit Bull on Wheels (2005)
  • The Powder Puff Principle (2006)

Television work

References

  1. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/13/Linda-Blair.html
  2. ^ http://www.nndb.com/people/007/000024932
  3. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286513/
Preceded by Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1974
for The Exorcist 		Succeeded by
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