Although best known as the author of "The Exorcist", the best-selling 1971 novel about a teenage girl's demonic possession which opened the door for a new generation of horrormeisters like Stephen King and Peter Straub, William Peter Blatty actually focused on writing comedy early in his career. All of his work prior to "The Exorcist" was in that genre, beginning with his 1960 novel, Which Way to Mecca, Jack?". His first screenplay credit came for "The Man From the Diner's Club" (1963), and he was working on a script ("What Did You Do in the War, Daddy" 1966) for director Blake Edwards when