Ben Burtt
Known for sound · Born 12 July 1948 · 78 · Jamesville, New York, USA
101 credits
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
WALL·E
2008
BURN·E
2008
Star Wars: Droids
1985
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
2019
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
2021
Blue Planet
1990
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
1995
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of Doom
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
1999
Acting (42)
2022LIGHT & MAGICSelf - Sound Designer and Editor, Self - Editor · 3 episodesSeries
2021Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba FettSelfFilm
2021Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of CHAIN LIGHTNING ('50)SelfFilm
2019Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic SoundSelfFilm
2018The Force of SoundSelfFilm
2015I Am Your FatherHimselfFilm
2014And the Oscar Goes To...Self - IntervieweeFilm
2014EditDroid: Rise and FallSelfFilm
2013Lincoln: An American JourneySelfFilm
2013The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of OzSelfFilm
2012Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard OfSelfFilm
2012Wings: Grandeur in the SkySelfFilm
2008WALL·EWALL·E / M-O (voice)Film
2008BURN·EWALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)Film
2008WALL·E's Treasures & TrinketsWALL·E / M-O (voice)Film
2008Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound UpFilm
2008RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”SelfFilm
2007Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001SelfFilm
2007The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to TalkSelfFilm
2007Fog City MavericksSelfFilm
2006Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden PlanetSelfFilm
2006Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi IconSelfFilm
2005Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode IIISelfFilm
2005Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed CinemaSelfFilm
2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars TrilogySelf - Sound DesignerFilm
2004When Star Wars Ruled the WorldSelfFilm
2003The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'SelfFilm
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesWat Tambor (uncredited)Film
2002From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode IISelfFilm
2002Films Are Not Released, They EscapeSelfFilm
2002State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'SelfFilm
2002George Lucas: Creating an EmpireSelfFilm
2001R2-D2: Beneath the DomeSelfFilm
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceNaboo Courier (uncredited)Film
1997Star Wars: The Magic & the MysterySelfFilm
1996The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'SelfFilm
1983Return of the Jedi'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)Film
1983From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a SagaSelfFilm
1980SP FX: The Empire Strikes BackSelfFilm
1980Star Wars: Music by John WilliamsSelfFilm
1980The Making of The Empire Strikes BackSelfFilm
—A Bucket of Water and a Glass MatteFilm
Crew (2)
2009Star TrekSpecial Sound EffectsFilm
1980Porklips NowMilitary ConsultantFilm
Directing (11)
2002Manassas: End of InnocenceDirectorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break AdventureSecond Unit DirectorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the BluesSecond Unit DirectorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of DoomSecond Unit DirectorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of HellSecond Unit Director, EditorFilm
1996Special Effects: Anything Can HappenDirectorFilm
1996Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special EffectsDirectorFilm
1994Destiny in SpaceDirectorFilm
1992The American GangsterDirectorFilm
1991The True Story of Glory ContinuesDirectorFilm
1990Blue PlanetDirectorFilm
Editing (6)
2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the SithEditor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound DesignerFilm
2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the ClonesEditor, Sound Designer, Supervising Sound EditorFilm
1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenaceEditor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound DesignerFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the DesertEditorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of LifeEditor, Second Unit DirectorFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of DeceptionEditorFilm
Sound (36)
2026Ray GunnSound DesignerFilm
2021Star Wars Galaxy of SoundsSound DesignerSeries
2015Star Wars: The Force AwakensSound DesignerFilm
2014The SignalSound DesignerFilm
2013Star Trek Into DarknessSound DesignerFilm
2013Escape from Planet EarthSound DesignerFilm
2012John CarterSound DesignerFilm
2012LincolnSound DesignerFilm
2012Red TailsSound Designer, EditorFilm
2012009 Re:CyborgSound DesignerFilm
2011Super 8Sound Designer, Supervising Sound EditorFilm
2008WALL·ESupervising Sound Editor, Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Sound DesignerFilm
2008Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullSound DesignerFilm
2008BURN·ESound DesignerFilm
2005MunichSound Designer, Supervising Sound EditorFilm
2000The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage EscapadesSound DesignerFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of InnocenceSound DesignerFilm
1999The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of EvilSound DesignerFilm
1996The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with FatherSound DesignerFilm
1989Indiana Jones and the Last CrusadeSound DesignerFilm
1989AlwaysSound DesignerFilm
1988WillowSound DesignerFilm
1986Howard the DuckSound Re-Recording Mixer, Sound Effects EditorFilm
1984Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomSound DesignerFilm
1984The Adventures of André and Wally B.Sound DesignerFilm
1983Return of the JediSound Designer, LyricistFilm
1982listen...Sound EffectsFilm
1981Raiders of the Lost ArkSound DesignerFilm
1980The Empire Strikes BackSound DesignerFilm
1979AlienSound DesignerFilm
1979More American GraffitiSupervising Sound EditorFilm
1978Invasion of the Body SnatchersSound Effects DesignerFilm
1978The Star Wars Holiday SpecialSound EffectsFilm
1977Star WarsSound DesignerFilm
1975Death Race 2000Sound DesignerFilm
1975Recorded LiveSound Re-Recording MixerFilm
Writing (4)
2004Star Wars: Droids - Treasure of the Hidden PlanetStoryFilm
1995The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the HawkmenWriter, Director, EditorFilm
1986Star Wars: Droids - The Great HeepWriter, Associate ProducerFilm
1985Star Wars: DroidsStory, CreatorSeries