The last of the Jesuit priests who were involved in the 1949 incident that formed the basis of the film "The Exorcist" has recently died. (Read about the Rev. Walter H. Halloran, S.J., here and here.)
Like a lot of people I have always found this particular story fascinating. My interest only increased when I learned that part of the real-life exorcism actually took place in the neighborhood I grew up in St. Louis called Bel-Nor. It's kind of eerie that it took place just a couple of streets over from where I spent my childhood. I've often wondered if, as a kid, I had trick-or-treated at that very house some Halloween. It certainly would have been appropriate.
Coincidentally, during my years in Washington D.C. I lived for a short time a couple of blocks from the location they used to film "The Exorcist" in Georgetown. That's not so eerie, just interesting. (And not ironic!)
3 comments:
One of my high school teachers at SLUH was involved in the exorcism. He was very reluctant to talk about it with students but he had told some things to the other Jebbies (which they repeated to us) that would curl your hair.
You got more out of your teachers then we ever could with those at the seminary. Maybe we should have pressed the guys in the college seminary for the hair raising stuff.
Iconic,
This is strange...I almost bought a house in Mount Rainer, MD outside DC, that was close to the lot where the family the Exorcist is based on lived. Supposedly, the neighbors actually burned the house to the ground. The lot it is now a park. Our paths seem to cross many times without actually meeting. Also, I was unaware of the St. Louis connection.
David
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