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,
Woody Allen and Run" in 1969, which received positive reviews. He later signed a deal with United Artists to produce several films. Those films eventually became "Bananas" (1971, co-written with Rose), "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*" (1972), "Sleeper" (1973), and "Love and Death" (1975). "Sleeper" was the first of four screenplays co-written by Allen and Marshall Brickman. In 1972, Allen wrote and starred in the film version of "Play It Again, Sam", directed by Herbert Ross and co-starring Diane Keaton. In 1976, he starred as cashier Howard Prince, in "The Front," directed by Martin Ritt. "The Front" was a