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Ben Burtt

Known For
Sound

Known Credits
43

Gender
Male

Birthday
July 12, 1948 (77 years old)

Place of Birth
Jamesville, New York, USA

Ben Burtt

Biography

Benjamin "Ben" Burtt, Jr. is a sound designer, film editor, director, screenwriter, and voice actor. He has worked as sound designer on various films, including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film series, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, WALL-E, and Star Trek. He is responsible for creating many of the iconic sound effects heard in the Star Wars film franchise, including the binary speech of R2-D2, the lightsaber hum, the sound of the blaster guns, and the heavy-breathing sound of Darth Vader, which he made by breathing into a scuba regulator. Burtt has a reputation for popularizing a sound effect dubbed the "Wilhelm scream", which was taken from a character named Wilhelm in the 1953 film The Charge at Feather River.

Known For

Sound

2026Ray Gunn...Sound Designer
2021Star Wars Galaxy of Sounds...Sound Designer
2015Star Wars: The Force Awakens...Sound Designer
2014The Signal...Sound Designer
2013Star Trek Into Darkness...Sound Designer
2013Escape from Planet Earth...Sound Designer
2012Lincoln...Sound Designer
2012009 Re:Cyborg...Sound Designer
2012John Carter...Sound Designer
2012Red Tails...Sound Designer
2011Super 8...Sound Designer
2011Super 8...Supervising Sound Editor
2008BURN·E...Sound Designer
2008WALL·E...Sound Re-Recording Mixer
2008WALL·E...Supervising Sound Editor
2008WALL·E...Sound Designer
2008Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull...Sound Designer
2005Munich...Sound Designer
2005Munich...Supervising Sound Editor
2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith...Sound Designer
2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith...Supervising Sound Editor
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones...Sound Designer
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones...Supervising Sound Editor
2000The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades...Sound Designer
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil...Sound Designer
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of Innocence...Sound Designer
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace...Sound Designer
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace...Supervising Sound Editor
1996The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father...Sound Designer
1989Always...Sound Designer
1989Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade...Sound Designer
1988Willow...Sound Designer
1986Howard the Duck...Sound Re-Recording Mixer
1986Howard the Duck...Sound Effects Editor
1984The Adventures of André and Wally B....Sound Designer
1984Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom...Sound Designer
1983Return of the Jedi...Sound Designer
1982listen......Sound Effects
1981Raiders of the Lost Ark...Sound Designer
1980The Empire Strikes Back...Sound Designer
1979More American Graffiti...Supervising Sound Editor
1979Alien...Sound Designer
1978Invasion of the Body Snatchers...Sound Effects Designer
1978The Star Wars Holiday Special...Sound Effects
1977Star Wars...Sound Designer
1975Death Race 2000...Sound Designer
1975Recorded Live...Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Editing

2012Red Tails...Editor
2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith...Editor
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones...Editor
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception...Editor
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life...Editor
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert...Editor
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell...Editor
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace...Editor
1995The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen...Editor

Crew

2009Star Trek...Special Sound Effects
1980Porklips Now...Military Consultant

Writing

2004Star Wars: Droids - Treasure of the Hidden Planet...Story
1995The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen...Writer
1986Star Wars: Droids - The Great Heep...Writer
1985Star Wars: Droids...Story
1983Return of the Jedi...Lyricist

Directing

2002Manassas: End of Innocence...Director
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure...Second Unit Director
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life...Second Unit Director
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues...Second Unit Director
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of Doom...Second Unit Director
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell...Second Unit Director
1996Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects...Director
1996Special Effects: Anything Can Happen...Director
1995The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen...Director
1994Destiny in Space...Director
1992The American Gangster...Director
1991The True Story of Glory Continues...Director
1990Blue Planet...Director

Production

1986Star Wars: Droids - The Great Heep...Associate Producer

Creator

1985Star Wars: Droids...Creator

Acting

2022LIGHT & MAGICas Self - Editor
2022LIGHT & MAGICas Self - Sound Designer and Editor
2021Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fettas Self
2021Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of CHAIN LIGHTNING ('50)as Self
2019Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Soundas Self
2018The Force of Soundas Self
2015I Am Your Fatheras Himself
2014And the Oscar Goes To...as Self - Interviewee
2014EditDroid: Rise and Fallas Self
2013The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Ozas Self
2013Lincoln: An American Journeyas Self
2012Wings: Grandeur in the Skyas Self
2012Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Ofas Self
2008WALL·E's Treasures & Trinketsas WALL·E / M-O (voice)
2008Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Upas
2008BURN·Eas WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
2008RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”as Self
2008WALL·Eas WALL·E / M-O (voice)
2007Fog City Mavericksas Self
2007Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001as Self
2007The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talkas Self
2006Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Iconas Self
2006Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planetas Self
2005Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode IIIas Self
2005Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinemaas Self
2005George Lucas: Creating an Empireas Self
2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogyas Self - Sound Designer
2004When Star Wars Ruled the Worldas Self
2003The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'as Self
2002Films Are Not Released, They Escapeas Self
2002State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'as Self
2002From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II'as Self
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clonesas Wat Tambor (uncredited)
2001R2-D2: Beneath the Domeas Self
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menaceas Naboo Courier (uncredited)
1997Star Wars: The Magic & the Mysteryas Self
1996The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'as Self
1983From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Sagaas Self
1983Return of the Jedias 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
1980The Making of The Empire Strikes Backas Self
1980SP FX: The Empire Strikes Backas Self
1980Star Wars: Music by John Williamsas Self
A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matteas