What every horror film loves to boast, if possible, is the claim
of "Based on a True Story." Because if the story is not just from
some writer's imagination, if there is a thread to an actual
event with real people, no matter how thin, then the fear becomes
more real. William Friedkin's 1973 motion picture The Exorcist is
considered one of, if not the scariest horror film of all time.
At that time, no audience had seen a case of demonic possession
dramatized so deftly and explicitly, and the resulting shock left
a lasting mark on popular culture and our collective psyche. Not
as widely known is that William Peter Blatty adapted his
Oscar-winning screenplay for the movie from his novel of the same
name. And perhaps even lesser-known to most is that Blatty based
his book on a real-life case, what is more commonly known as the
"1949 Exorcism," or "The Exorcism of Roland Doe," or of "Robbie
Mannheim." The Jesuits of the Catholic Church who examined the
13-year-old boy exhibiting either severe mental and emotional
disturbances or authentic spiritual possession referred to him at
the time only as "R" in their journal about the investigation.
This report, known informally as the "Exorcist's Diary," is the
only complete documented account of the events, and it kept the
boy's identity anonymous out of respect. Guiding our examination
of the story is the exhaustive work of our friend and guest for
the Villisca Axe Murder series, investigative author Troy Taylor.
Troy's updated version of his book, The Devil Came to St. Louis –
UNCENSORED," is the culmination of over 20 years of research and
interviews with surviving witnesses to the incredible
occurrences. Troy had kept a promise not to reveal "R's" real
name and sensitive details until after his death. Now that
"Roland Doe" had passed away in May of 2020, Troy was free to
publish the 4th edition of his book in 2021, revealing previously
unpublicized information, including his name. Troy's book and our
presentation aim at getting to the facts behind an actual,
largely forgotten case that haunted the mindset of a generation.
But don't think that separating the myths from the facts will
make this tale any less frightening. For if even the slightest
supernatural happening in this record is accurate, and there is
plenty of testimony to support that it is, it's enough to
unsettle your beliefs. If the wildest and worst accounts are
true, and you're unsure what to believe, then most disturbing may
be the adage that not believing in the Devil won't protect you
from him.
Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.
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