Ben Burtt
Sound
Born: July 12, 1948 (age 78) · Jamesville, New York, USA
Highest Rated
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
Star Wars
1977
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015
WALL·E
2008
The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Return of the Jedi
1983
Alien
1979
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
2002
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1981
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989
Star Trek
2009
Photos (2)
Movies (7)
WALL·E
WALL·E / M-O (voice)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Naboo Courier (uncredited)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Wat Tambor (uncredited)
Return of the Jedi
'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
BURN·E
WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets
WALL·E / M-O (voice)
Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up
2008
Self / Appearances (34)
LIGHT & MAGIC
Self - Sound Designer and Editor · 1 eps
LIGHT & MAGIC
Self - Editor · 3 eps
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
Self
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
Self
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Self - Sound Designer
Fog City Mavericks
Self
Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode III
Self
Films Are Not Released, They Escape
Self
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
Self
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
Self
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
Self
From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II
Self
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
Self
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self - Interviewee
I Am Your Father
Himself
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
Self
Lincoln: An American Journey
Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Self
When Star Wars Ruled the World
Self
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Self
George Lucas: Creating an Empire
Self
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
Self
The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Self
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Self
Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001
Self
Star Wars: Music by John Williams
Self
The Force of Sound
Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Self
The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'
Self
State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'
Self
Wings: Grandeur in the Sky
Self
EditDroid: Rise and Fall
Self
Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of
Self
Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of CHAIN LIGHTNING ('50)
Self
Upcoming (1)
Directing (13)
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
Second Unit Director
Manassas: End of Innocence
Director
Destiny in Space
Director
Blue Planet
Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of Doom
Second Unit Director
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen
Director
The True Story of Glory Continues
Director
The American Gangster
Director
Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects
Director
Writing (5)
Producing (1)
Other Crew (58)
WALL·E
Supervising Sound Editor
WALL·E
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
WALL·E
Sound Designer
Star Wars
Sound Designer
Alien
Sound Designer
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Sound Designer
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Sound Designer
The Empire Strikes Back
Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Sound Designer
Star Trek Into Darkness
Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Sound Designer
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Editor
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Supervising Sound Editor
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Sound Designer
John Carter
Sound Designer
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Editor
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Supervising Sound Editor
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Sound Designer
Star Trek
Special Sound Effects
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Editor
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Sound Designer
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Supervising Sound Editor
Return of the Jedi
Sound Designer
Super 8
Sound Designer
Super 8
Supervising Sound Editor
Lincoln
Sound Designer
Munich
Sound Designer
Munich
Supervising Sound Editor
Willow
Sound Designer
Escape from Planet Earth
Sound Designer
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Sound Effects Designer
The Signal
Sound Designer
Howard the Duck
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Howard the Duck
Sound Effects Editor
Star Wars: Droids
Creator
Red Tails
Sound Designer
Red Tails
Editor
Death Race 2000
Sound Designer
Always
Sound Designer
BURN·E
Sound Designer
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Sound Effects
009 Re:Cyborg
Sound Designer
More American Graffiti
Supervising Sound Editor
The Adventures of André and Wally B.
Sound Designer
Star Wars Galaxy of Sounds
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of Innocence
Sound Designer
Recorded Live
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception
Editor
listen...
Sound Effects
Porklips Now
Military Consultant