Demonic possession and exorcism month continues with the exorcism of Roland Doe – or the exorcism of Robbie Mannheim if you prefer – the real life exorcism story behind the book and film The Exorcist. For the sake of simplicity, this article will use the name Roland Doe.
(Like demonic possession and exorcism stories? I do, too. I’d be honored for the chance to scare the hell out of you with one of mine. Click the friendly little skull at the right to join the tribe so it can happen. Now back to the devil and Roland Doe. <evil grin>)
Synopsis of the Roland Doe Exorcism Case:
It’s important to note that The Exorcist fueled many investigations. A number of documentaries, article and books have tackled the subject. One notable is Thomas B. Allen’s Possessed – The True Story of an Exorcism*. In any case, the accounts offer information that is contradictory according to some and blatantly erroneous according to others. I am not speaking as an authority on the case. I’m a fan of – and contributor to – the horror genre and this interest includes actual events. Now let’s sink our teeth into this grisly tale of demonic possession.
We know that Roland Doe was the only child of devout parents. We also know that he was especially close to an aunt who fancied herself a spiritualist. This aunt introduced young Roland to the spirit world and showed him how to use the Talking Board, better known as the Ouija Board.
In January of 1949 Roland Doe’s aunt died in St. Louis. The grieving boy attempted to contact his beloved aunt via his Ouija Board and, wouldn’t you know it, strange happenings began.
- The family heard the sound of marching feet
- Furniture moved on its own
- Ordinary objects levitated or flew across rooms
- Scratches appeared on the boy’s body
- Blessed objects such as vials of holy water smashed to the ground on their own accord
- Religious pictures vibrated on the wall
The troubles seemed to center on poor Roland and even followed him to school. According to one source I found, it was reported that his desk moved on its own in front of several witnesses.** Apparently, this alleviated any concerns that the problem was an ordinary haunting or simple poltergeist activity.
Roland Doe’s dutiful parents had their boy examined by medical and psychiatric professionals. With no explanation found, they turned to their clergyman. The pastor arranged for the boy to spend the night with him for observation. That night, the minister heard vibrating sounds from Roland’s bed and inexplicable scratching sounds coming from the walls. Likewise, he witnessed a heavy armchair topple over. Satisfied by his observations, he began the exorcism of Roland Doe without hesitation. The ritual was unsuccessful.
The case was then referred to a Roman Catholic priest who attempted to exorcise the demon. This time, the boy tore a bed spring from his mattress and inflicted a punishing wound upon the pastor. The cut required stitches and the exorcism was put on hold. Roland went home with his family. While there, family members observed the words Saint Louis appear across Roland’s chest in blood. They immediately took the train to St. Louis and wound up in the capable hands of Rev. William S. Bowdern. The real battle began.
Over a period of two months, Bowdern performed the exorcism thirty times with Walter Halloran assisting and acting as witness. Roland spat in the eyes of his rescuers, spoke in a deep, unnatural voice and broke Halloran’s nose. His bed shook violently. The words evil and hell appeared on his body. As dramatic as these events surely, good ultimately triumphed over evil. The demonic forces relinquished control over the boy.
What Happened to Roland Doe?
Perhaps the most curious question about the exorcism of the Roland Doe is what became Roland Doe himself. The available accounts seem to agree that he reached adulthood without further incident and became a well-adjusted, family man. One source claims that he took a job working for the government. Most sources agree that Roland Doe remembered nothing of the possession or subsequent exorcism.
If he’s ever talked about the experience, I wasn’t able found it. It seems that none of the aforementioned writers or documentarians spoke directly to him or his family members. That’s a shame.
The Exorcist Phenomena
Later that same year (1949) a young William Peter Blatty, a student at Georgetown University, read an article in the Washington Post, “Priest Frees Mt. Rainer Boy Reportedly Held in Devil’s Grip” by Bill Brinkely. Obviously, the subject matter stuck with him. While writing the novel, Blatty changed the victimized character from a teen boy to a twelve year old girl. The Exorcist’ first printing came in 1971, became a runaway bestseller and then the scariest movie of its time. Incidentally, Blatty shed some light on the two version in his non-fiction piece On The Exorcist – From Book to Film. I haven’t read it so I have no idea if he shared any of his research into the real story.
In any case, it’s a macabre and interesting tale, isn’t it?
The documentary below features Bowdern and Blatty in the telling of this story. It’s worth viewing.
This documentary ends with a bit of video footage from The Haunted Boy, another documentary, showing the room where the exorcism took place. (See if you can watch it without anticipating a good scare.) In spite of the bad reviews, I’ll have a copy of The Haunted Boy on my DVD shelf soon.
*Showtime made a movie based on Allen’s work – Possessed. Part I is below. **This movies portrays the desk-moving scene quite well, by the way.
Thanks for visiting The Scary Story. If you like this sort of subject matter, subscribe to the newsletter. You might also enjoy this article about Daniel Lutz, one of the children who experience the Amityville Horror house – The Boy From Amityville. Pleasant dreams… LL
