Ben Burtt
- Known for
- Sound
- Born
- July 12, 1948
- Birthplace
- Jamesville, New York, USA
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.
Filmography
- A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matte
A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matte TBA
Actor
Ray Gunn 2026
Sound Designer
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett 2021
as Self
Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of CHAIN LIGHTNING ('50) 2021
as Self
- Movie Archaeologists: The visual and sound effects of War of The Worlds
Movie Archaeologists: The visual and sound effects of War of The Worlds 2020
as Self, Creator
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound 2019
as Self
The Force of Sound 2018
as Self
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2015
Sound Designer
I Am Your Father 2015
as Himself
The Signal 2014
Sound Designer
And the Oscar Goes To... 2014
as Self - Interviewee
EditDroid: Rise and Fall 2014
as Self
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz 2013
as Self
Star Trek Into Darkness 2013
Sound Designer
Escape from Planet Earth 2013
Sound Designer
Lincoln: An American Journey 2013
as Self
Lincoln 2012
Sound Designer
009 Re:Cyborg 2012
Sound Designer
John Carter 2012
Sound Designer
Wings: Grandeur in the Sky 2012
as Self
Red Tails 2012
Sound Designer, Editor
Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of 2012
as Self
Super 8 2011
Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
Star Trek 2009
Special Sound Effects
Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up 2008
Actor
WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets 2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice)
BURN·E 2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited), Sound Designer
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World” 2008
as Self
WALL·E 2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice), Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008
Sound Designer
Fog City Mavericks 2007
as Self
Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 2007
as Self
- The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk 2007
as Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet 2006
as Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon 2006
as Self
Munich 2005
Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode III 2005
as Self
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema 2005
as Self
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 2005
Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
Star Wars: Droids - Treasure of the Hidden Planet 2004
Story
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy 2004
as Self - Sound Designer
When Star Wars Ruled the World 2004
as Self
The Sound of 'Indiana Jones' 2003
as Self
From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II 2002
as Self
State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II' 2002
as Self
Films Are Not Released, They Escape 2002
as Self
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones 2002
as Wat Tambor (uncredited), Editor, Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
Manassas: End of Innocence 2002
Director
George Lucas: Creating an Empire 2002
as Self
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome 2001
as Self
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades 2000
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception 1999
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil 1999
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of Doom 1999
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure 1999
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues 1999
Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of Innocence 1999
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert 1999
Editor
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life 1999
Editor, Second Unit Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell 1999
Editor, Second Unit Director
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 1999
as Naboo Courier (uncredited), Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery 1997
as Self
Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects 1996
Director
The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' 1996
as Self
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen 1996
Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father 1996
Sound Designer
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen 1995
Writer, Director, Editor
Destiny in Space 1994
Director
The American Gangster 1992
Director
The True Story of Glory Continues 1991
Director
Blue Planet 1990
Director
Always 1989
Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989
Sound Designer
Willow 1988
Sound Designer
Howard the Duck 1986
Sound Effects Editor, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Star Wars: Droids - The Great Heep 1986
Associate Producer, Writer
The Adventures of André and Wally B. 1984
Sound Designer
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984
Sound Designer
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga 1983
as Self
Return of the Jedi 1983
as 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice), Sound Designer, Lyricist
listen... 1982
Sound Effects
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981
Sound Designer
Porklips Now 1980
Military Consultant
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back 1980
as Self
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back 1980
as Self
The Empire Strikes Back 1980
Sound Designer
Star Wars: Music by John Williams 1980
as Self
More American Graffiti 1979
Supervising Sound Editor
Alien 1979
Sound Designer
Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978
Sound Effects Designer
The Star Wars Holiday Special 1978
Sound Effects
The Making of Star Wars 1977
Additional Photography
Star Wars 1977
Sound Designer
Death Race 2000 1975
Sound Designer
Recorded Live 1975
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Credits from TMDB.