Actor
Ben Burtt
Born 12 July 1948 · Jamesville, New York, USA
Ben Burtt (born 1948) is an American sound designer, editor, director and voice performer. He created many of cinema's best-known sounds, including R2-D2's beeps, the lightsaber hum and Darth Vader's breathing. His work on Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T. and WALL·E reshaped how film sound is conceived.
Key films
WALL·E (2008)
Burtt created the voice and sound world of the nearly wordless robot hero, a landmark of sound design in animation.
Return of the Jedi (1983)
Concluded the original Star Wars trilogy, whose creature voices, droid sounds and effects made up much of his signature work.
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004)
Documentary on the original trilogy in which Burtt appears to discuss how its sounds were made.
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen (1995)
An episode he directed, showing his work beyond sound, within the Lucasfilm family.
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)
Documentary on film sound in which Burtt appears as a leading voice of the craft.
Key awards
- 1978 Academy Award (Special Achievement) for Star Wars, for its alien, creature and robot voices
- 1982 Academy Award (Special Achievement) for Raiders of the Lost Ark, for sound effects editing
- 1983 Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- 1990 Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 48
- 1980SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back · as SelfActor
- 1980Star Wars: Music by John Williams · as SelfActor
- 1980The Making of The Empire Strikes Back · as SelfActor
- 1983Return of the Jedi · as 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)Actor
- 1983From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga · as SelfActor
- 1990Blue PlanetDirector
- 1991The True Story of Glory ContinuesDirector
- 1992The American GangsterDirector
- 1994Destiny in SpaceDirector
- 1995The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the HawkmenDirector
- 1996The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' · as SelfActor
- 1996Special Effects: Anything Can HappenDirector
- 1996Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special EffectsDirector
- 1997Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery · as SelfActor
- 1999Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace · as Naboo Courier (uncredited)Actor
- 2001R2-D2: Beneath the Dome · as SelfActor
- 2002Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones · as Wat Tambor (uncredited)Actor
- 2002From Puppets to Pixels: The Making of Star Wars Episode II · as SelfActor
- 2002Films Are Not Released, They Escape · as SelfActor
- 2002State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II' · as SelfActor
- 2002George Lucas: Creating an Empire · as SelfActor
- 2002Manassas: End of InnocenceDirector
- 2003The Sound of 'Indiana Jones' · as SelfActor
- 2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy · as Self - Sound DesignerActor
- 2004When Star Wars Ruled the World · as SelfActor
- 2005Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode III · as SelfActor
- 2005Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema · as SelfActor
- 2006Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet · as SelfActor
- 2006Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon · as SelfActor
- 2007Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 · as SelfActor
- 2007The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk · as SelfActor
- 2007Fog City Mavericks · as SelfActor
- 2008WALL·E · as WALL·E / M-O (voice)Actor
- 2008BURN·E · as WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 2008WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets · as WALL·E / M-O (voice)Actor
- 2008RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World” · as SelfActor
- 2008Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound UpActor
- 2012Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of · as SelfActor
- 2012Wings: Grandeur in the Sky · as SelfActor
- 2013Lincoln: An American Journey · as SelfActor
- 2013The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz · as SelfActor
- 2014And the Oscar Goes To... · as Self - IntervieweeActor
- 2014EditDroid: Rise and Fall · as SelfActor
- 2015I Am Your Father · as HimselfActor
- 2018The Force of Sound · as SelfActor
- 2019Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound · as SelfActor
- 2021Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett · as SelfActor
- 2021Jet Jockeys in Love: The Making of CHAIN LIGHTNING ('50) · as SelfActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.