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.
Movies & TV Shows
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WALL·E (2008) — WALL·E / M-O (voice)
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Return of the Jedi (1983) — 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
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Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) — Naboo Courier (uncredited)
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Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) — Wat Tambor (uncredited)
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BURN·E (2008) — WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
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Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004) — Self - Sound Designer
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Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019) — Self
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And the Oscar Goes To... (2014) — Self - Interviewee
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LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) — Self - Sound Designer and Editor
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I Am Your Father (2015) — Himself
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Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett (2021) — Self
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From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga (1983) — Self
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R2-D2: Beneath the Dome (2001) — Self
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Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode III (2005) — Self
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The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1996) — Self
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SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) — Self
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From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II (2002) — Self
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When Star Wars Ruled the World (2004) — Self
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Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 (2007) — Self
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Star Wars: Music by John Williams (1980) — Self
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WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets (2008) — WALL·E / M-O (voice)
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Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema (2005) — Self
- The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk (2007) — Self
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The Sound of 'Indiana Jones' (2003) — Self
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The Force of Sound (2018) — Self
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Lincoln: An American Journey (2013) — Self
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The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) — Self
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Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of (2012) — Self
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Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet (2006) — Self
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Films Are Not Released, They Escape (2002) — Self
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The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2013) — Self
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State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II' (2002) — Self
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Fog City Mavericks (2007) — Self
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Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery (1997) — Self
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Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up (2008)
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Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon (2006) — Self
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George Lucas: Creating an Empire (2005) — Self
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Wings: Grandeur in the Sky (2012) — Self
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RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World” (2008) — Self
- A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matte
Directed
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Blue Planet (1990) — Director
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The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen (1995) — Director
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Destiny in Space (1994) — Director
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The True Story of Glory Continues (1991) — Director
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The American Gangster (1992) — Director
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Manassas: End of Innocence (2002) — Director
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Special Effects: Anything Can Happen (1996) — Director
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Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects (1996) — Director