Ron Faber, an actor best remembered for his brief but unforgettable part in the horror classic “The Exorcist,” died of lung cancer on March 26 at the age of 90. He was also an Obie Award winner.
A friend and coworker named David Patrick Kelly paid him homage on Facebook after learning of his passing and referred to him as a “great artist and gentleman with a wonderful voice and laugh.”
For his work in the off-Broadway play “And They Put Handcuffs on Flowers,” Faber received an Obie Award in 1972. He was chosen by director William Friedkin to play Chuck in the 1973 film “The Exorcist” after he was spotted.
Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is the star of the movie-within-a-movie called “Crash Course,” and Chuck is its assistant director. What he remembers most is his connection with Burstyn’s character in the scene where he breaks the news of Burke Dennings’ (Jack MacGowran) demise.
Along with his work onscreen, Faber also provided Mercedes McCambridge with some of the demon’s guttural, deeper vocalizations, indicating that Regan (Linda Blair) was the residence of more than one entity.
To give the demon numerous voices, Friedkin assigned McCambridge the lead role. Faber acknowledged that he was upset about not receiving recognition for his contributions in a 2016 interview with ComingSoon.
The sound design team experimented with the voices, including Faber’s, to achieve the intended effect. McCambridge, the well-known asthmatic, was to blame for the devil’s wheezing.
Faber has made appearances on TV shows like Kojak, The Edge of Night, Law & Order, and Third Watch. Hart, Raymond, Elise Manuel, and Anthony are his living children, in addition to his wife Kathleen Moore Faber. Eric, his son, died before him.