As a child, Linda Blair was raised in Westport, Connecticut and dreamed of becoming a “veterinarian.” She went to public school, while working in New York City as a model doing TV commercials starting at the young age of six! And her mom Eleanor, promised Linda that if she saved her money she could someday go to the school she chose and become a “Doctor to the Animals” as Linda called it. Linda did more in her childhood than most people accomplish in a lifetime. She had a successful modeling career and was featured in the “New York Times Magazine,” “Sears and Roebuck” (whose gigantic print catalogue could be found in almost every home in the US in those days), and many other prestigious magazines and catalogues for numerous advertising campaigns. She did over 75 TV commercials and planned for her retirement after making a few movies and soap operas. When Linda was just 12, the number one novel in the world called “The Exorcist,” was casting for the lead child role. Her mother told Linda they had the opportunity to try out for the role. The two of them discussed the details and set up a meeting with casting director Juliette Taylor in New York City. It was a match! Within a week, Linda met with the Academy Award winning director Billy Friedkin. The next three months were set into motion preparing for the film. From reading the book, discussions with Eleanor and Linda, acting out parts, make up tests, etc. The time passed quickly. Four months later Linda was cast in the demanding lead child role of “The Exorcist” and a Hollywood legend and cult icon was born. The film took a year and a half to make and Eleanor provided the stability needed for her daughter to shine in one of Hollywood’s Landmark films of all time. Linda got to ride her horses on the weekends. She raised a chicken and rooster as a school science project, so animals were always a part of her life. After “The Exorcist” was released, Linda was launched into the extreme controversy created by the unique content of the film. She made media appearances around the world just so people could see that she was normal. Linda was still “Linda”! After being nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe and People’s Choice Awards, Linda was cast in “Airport 75” with an incredible cast including: Charlton Heston, Gloria Swanson, George Kennedy, Karen Black, Myrna Loy, Helen Reddy, Dana Andrews, Sid Caesar and other amazing stars! At the same time, “new television” was blooming and the first television movie ever made for prime time called “Born
Innocent” was in creation and Linda Blair was cast as it’s star! It featured Linda as a runaway from child abuse and opened up a new dialogue about another controversial subject in America. A subject still very prevalent in our society and the media today. Linda was also cast in a second television movie called “Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic” directed by the now very famous Richard Donner, who went on to do the “Lethal Weapon” movies, “Superman” and many others. Some of the movies that followed included: “Victory at Entebbe,” another huge epic motion picture for television, “The Exorcist 2,” with Richard Burton, and “Stranger in Our House,” another television movie directed by the late great Director Wes Craven. But that wasn’t all... Linda went on to dance her way on roller skates in the now classic film role she played in “Ruckus” which also starred Academy Award winner Ben Johnson, Richard Farnsworth and Dirk Benedict. Linda followed her love of riding horses to add some reality, privacy and normalcy to her life after accomplishing all this by age 15. She also trained through the years with some of the Olympic Champions and worked her way to become one of the leading riders on the Circuit. Linda owned grand Champion horses, and finished her career in her early 30s. She became an amateur owner and rider from Lake Placid to South Hampton famous for shows on the Major Florida Circuit held in Palm Beach. She, like Paul Newman followed a sporting career along with their prestigious acting career’s. Linda rode under an “alias” as an athlete to pursue her dreams. But all along the way, she knew, something else tugged at her heart. She lived her life making films with her Jack Russell terrier by her side. Eventually as years past she traveled with one Jack Russell, one Whippet and one Queensland Heeler. In her 30s her Whippet fell ill to heart disease and collapsed on Linda’s movie project from two strokes. Upon completion of the movie, Linda was forced to make a decision that allowed her beloved dog to Cross Over the Rainbow Bridge peacefully. She and her Queensland Heeler “Peanut” still made the trek back and forth from Connecticut to Los Angeles or wherever the movies took her. She also traveled to Canada with the dogs and horses and made a movie called “Wild Horse Hank,” with Richard Crenna. 69
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