'The Exorcist's Ron Faber Dead at 90
Actor Ron Faber has died. He was 90.
The Obie Award-winning performer–best known for his brief scene in the cult classic '70s horror film The Exorcist–died on March 26 of lung cancer, but the sad news of his passing was only recently announced by Faber's longtime friend and colleague, actor David Patrick Kelly, in a Facebook post.
"Ron Faber has passed," Kelly shared on April 26.
Kelly's statement continued: "First met him when I was a dishwasher/sub-bartender at the Mercer Arts Center ...he was performing Arrabal's AND THEY PUT HANDCUFFS ON THE FLOWERS about political prisoners in fascist Spain for which he won an OBIE...we worked together a few years later in a workshop of Rado and Ragni's cartoon musical Tarzan in New York City...one of the true knights of American avant theatre as a founding member of Joe Chaikin's OPEN THEATRE which greatly influenced me and so many others...a great artist and gentleman with a wonderful voice and laugh...he is seated below on the right back to back with another luminary Peter Maloney."
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Feb. 16, 1933, Faber began his show business career in radio and later earned a scholarship to the famed Lucille Lortel White Barn Theater in Westport, Connecticut.
He went on perform in multiple Off-Broadway productions, including, Lucky Stiff at Playwrights Horizons, Troilus and Cressida at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Woyzeck at the Public Theatre, and, at the Mercer Arts Center, And They Put Handcuffs on Flowers.
After filming The Exorcist, the actor appeared in several TV shows, like Kojak, The Edge of Night, Law & Order, Third Watch and Hope & Faith.
Faber is survived by wife, Kathleen Moore Faber; children, Hart, Raymond, Elise Manuel, Anthony; and other extended relatives. He was pre-deceased by his son Eric. Information regarding plans for a memorial was not immediately available.