Some movies leave a lasting impression on its viewers, and the Exorcist, released in 1973, was no exception. But it wasn't just the vile and shocking nature of the scenes that made this movie so historic. It was the fact that the tormented young girl depicted in the movie was based on an actual person. With Hollywood having turned this tale into a cult classic, most assume that the movie is far worse than what could have transpired in real life. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. The real life case had chilling claims of supernatural phenomena, malevolent spirits, and witnesses to corroborate it all. One final plot twist? Unlike in the movie, it wasn't a girl who had these experiences, but a boy.
This is the possession of Ronald Hunkeler.
Sources
“Exorcism Exposé”
https://www.slu.edu/universitas/archive/2014/exorcism.php
“The Entire Case History of Robbie Mannheim: The Real-life Story that Inspired “The Exorcist” Movie”
https://diabolicalconfusions.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/the-story-of-r-the-real-life-story-that-inspired-the-exorcist/
Unknown Bishop’s Diary Account of the St. Louis Exorcism
https://fox4kc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/10/Bishop-Diary-Of-Stl-Exorcism.pdf
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.