The Exorcist (film) shot that obscured his face, as Friedkin felt that Vandis's face would be connected with his previous role in the Woody Allen film "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)". Vandis had previously played Milos Stavros, an Armenian shepherd who was in love with a sheep. Warners had approached Arthur Penn, Stanley Kubrick, and Mike Nichols, to direct, all of whom turned the project down. Originally Mark Rydell was hired to direct, but William Peter Blatty insisted on Friedkin instead, because he wanted his film to have the same energy as Friedkin's previous film,
Burt Reynolds reuniting him with Welch, and made a cameo in "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*(*But Were Afraid to Ask)" (1972). He also returned to the stage, appearing in "The Rainmaker" at the Arlington. Reynolds played the title role in "Shamus" (1973), a modern-day private eye, which was a solid box office success. Reynolds described it as "not a bad film, kind of cute." He was in "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing" (1973) co-starring Sarah Miles. The film is best remembered for the scandal during filming where Miles' lover committed suicide; it was a minor hit. He was