Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Benjamin "Ben" Burtt, Jr. (born July 12, 1948) is an American sound designer for the films Star Wars (1977), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and WALL-E (2008). He is also a film editor and director, screenwriter, and voice actor. He is most notable for creating many of the iconic sound effects heard in the Star Wars film franchise, including...
Known For
Complete Filmography

Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
2021
as Self
A special celebrating the origins and legacy of Star Wars' legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett.

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
2019
as Self
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.

The Force of Sound
2018
as Self
Go inside the sound design of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. From the ignition of a lightsaber to the chirp of a porg, Star Wars would not be the same with...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015
Sound Designer
Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.

I Am Your Father
2015
as Himself
David Prowse is an eighty years old actor, who has lived behind Darth Vader's mask during three decades. A group of Star Wars fans find out why he has...

The Signal
2014
Sound Designer
On a road trip, Nic and two friends are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius. When everything suddenly goes dark, Nic regains consciousness ...

And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self - Interviewee
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy ...

EditDroid: Rise and Fall
2014
as Self
Filmmaker George Lucas, spiritual father of the successful Star Wars series decided to invest 40 million dollars to develop a new editing system. From...

The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
2013
as Self
Actor Martin Sheen narrates this newly produced, feature-length high definition documentary, touching on the film's timelessness and legacy before div...

Star Trek Into Darkness
2013
Sound Designer
When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fle...

Escape from Planet Earth
2013
Sound Designer
Astronaut Scorch Supernova finds himself caught in a trap when he responds to an SOS from a notoriously dangerous alien planet.

Lincoln: An American Journey
2013
as Self
Documentary on the making of Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2012).

Lincoln
2012
Sound Designer
The revealing story of the 16th US President's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln p...

009 Re:Cyborg
2012
Sound Designer
009 Re:Cyborg follows a group of nine cyborgs, each of them created by a shadowy organization for use as weapons against humanity. The group turns on ...

John Carter
2012
Sound Designer
John Carter is a war-weary, former military captain who's inexplicably transported to the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars) and reluctant...

Wings: Grandeur in the Sky
2012
as Self
A making-of featurette for the first Academy Award winning film "Wings" (1927), with plenty of rare photographs and the participation of William Wellm...

Red Tails
2012
Sound Designer, Editor
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.

Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of
2012
as Self
Documentary about the work of film director Michael Curtiz.

Super 8
2011
Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
In 1979 Ohio, several youngsters are making a zombie movie with a Super-8 camera. In the midst of filming, the friends witness a horrifying train dera...

Pixar Short Films
2009
as WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
A collection of 20 computer-animated short films including "Rescue Squad Mater", "Jack-Jack Attack", and Oscar-winners "For The Birds", "Geri's Game",...

Pixar Short Films
2009
Sound Designer
A collection of 20 computer-animated short films including "Rescue Squad Mater", "Jack-Jack Attack", and Oscar-winners "For The Birds", "Geri's Game",...

Star Trek
2009
Special Sound Effects
The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, a Vulcan...

WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets
2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice)
Short vignettes featured as a DVD Extra Short.

Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up
2008
Building Worlds From the Sound Up

BURN·E
2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
What lengths will a robot undergo to do his job? BURN·E is a dedicated hard working robot who finds himself locked out of his ship. BURN·E quickly lea...

BURN·E
2008
Sound Designer
What lengths will a robot undergo to do his job? BURN·E is a dedicated hard working robot who finds himself locked out of his ship. BURN·E quickly lea...

RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
2008
as Self
The astonishing story of the genesis, production, worldwide success, and legacy of King Kong (1933), directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoed...

WALL·E
2008
as WALL·E / M-O (voice)
What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E discove...

WALL·E
2008
Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E discove...

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
2008
Sound Designer
Set during the Cold War, the Soviets—led by sword-wielding Irina Spalko—are in search of a crystal skull which has supernatural powers related to a my...

Fog City Mavericks
2007
as Self
Fog City Mavericks: The Filmmakers of San Francisco is a compelling exploration of the legendary filmmakers who call the San Francisco Bay Area home i...
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
2007
as Self
Film historians, and survivors from the nearly 30-year struggle to bring sound to motion pictures take the audience from the early failed attempts by ...

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
as Self
A short documentary about Robby the Robot.

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
as Self
A documentary about the making of, and legacy of, the Forbidden Planet movie.

Munich
2005
Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black Septem...

Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode III
2005
as Self
This documentary offers a glimpse into all the people, departments, and work that went into creating the film, specifically, the fight between Anakin ...

Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
2005
as Self
Current filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and George Lucas reflect on the importance and influence of the epic classic "Ben-Hur".

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
The evil Darth Sidious enacts his final plan for unlimited power – and the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker must choose a side.

George Lucas: Creating an Empire
2005
as Self
A Biography of George Lucas.

Star Wars: Droids - Treasure of the Hidden Planet
2004
Story
Mungo Baobab and his droids, Threepio and Artoo, are trailing the Rainbow comets of Manda in search of the fabled Roon system. Before they get there, ...

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
2004
as Self - Sound Designer
From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.

When Star Wars Ruled the World
2004
as Self
A VH1 television special wherein the cast discuss the making of the films and what made the franchise a phenomenon.

The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'
2003
as Self
Ben Burtt reveals which sounds he and his team at Skywalker Sound recorded to incorporate into the Indiana Jones trilogy.

Films Are Not Released, They Escape
2002
as Self
Ben Burtt and his team explain the process of creating the sound for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) in the all-new documentary "F...

State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'
2002
as Self
Documentary breaking down the planning of the film's set pieces particularly the aerial car chase, conveyor-belt fight and climactic Clone War battle.

From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II'
2002
as Self
For Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), there were to be many more visual effects than in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (...

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
2002
Editor, Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot that could...

Manassas: End of Innocence
2002
Director
As the first major land battle of the American Civil War, the First Battle of Manassas, fought on July 21, 1861, shocked a nation expecting a short an...

R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
2001
as Self
Mockumentary telling the never before told life story of the fictional robot R2-D2 from the Star Wars film series. The movie was made as a fun project...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades
2000
Sound Designer
Posing as a dancer for the Ballets Russes in Barcelona, Indy meets old friend Pablo Picasso, and narrowly outwits inept German spies. Dashing off to P...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception
1999
Editor
Indy's work with the Belgian Army takes him to the front lines of Verdun in 1916, where officers' callous stupidity sends thousands of men to their de...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life
1999
Editor, Second Unit Director
On a vital military mission for the Allies, Indy comes across a disease-ravaged African village and is able to rescue one small child from certain dea...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Tales of Innocence
1999
Sound Designer
In Italy, Indy's espionage work takes him behind enemy lines where he embarks on an important propaganda assignment that he hopes will bring a swift e...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil
1999
Sound Designer
A top secret mission for French Intelligence brings Indy to Istanbul during the first world war. Exploring the city's dark and dangerous streets, he i...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Trenches of Hell
1999
Editor, Second Unit Director
As a young soldier in the Belgian Army, Indy learns firsthand the savagery of warfare while participating in the Battle of the Somme. Almost succumbin...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure
1999
Second Unit Director
Indy and his girlfriend, Nancy Stratemeyer, whose father created the Nancy Drew mystery series, visit the laboratory of inventor Thomas Edison. The tw...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert
1999
Editor
Receiving orders to assist the British in an attack on the ancient Middle Eastern desert town of Beersheba, Indy goes undercover with a beautiful lady...

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999
as Naboo Courier (uncredited)
Anakin Skywalker, a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for reve...

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999
Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
Anakin Skywalker, a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for reve...

Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
1997
as Self
Host Howie Long takes viewers on a tour of the "Star Wars" universe, as Fox TV celebrates the re-release of the original three legendary films in this...

Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects
1996
Director
Making of documentary for the King Kong segment of the in the 1996 IMAX movie 'Special Effects: Anything Can Happen', featuring stop-motion animation ...

The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
1996
as Self
A behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Steven Spielberg's 1982 film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."

Special Effects: Anything Can Happen
1996
Director
An IMAX production that explores the ground-breaking special effects portrayed in Hollywood films from the very originals to the breathtaking special ...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father
1996
Sound Designer
While visiting Russia on his father’s lecture tour, Indy runs off on his own and meets Leo Tolstoy. Later, on a trip to Athens, Indy and his father ar...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
1995
Director, Writer, Editor
Working with the French Secret Service, Indy joins the legendary Lafayette Escadrille flying unit and embarks on dangerous airborne reconnaissance mis...

Destiny in Space
1994
Director
Travel alongside the astronauts as they deploy and repair the Hubble Space Telescope, soar above Venus and Mars, and find proof of new planets and the...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Phantom Train of Doom
1993
Second Unit Director
Indy is ordered to locate and destroy a powerful German artillery gun that is mysteriously able to appear and disappear at will, leaving death and des...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues
1993
Second Unit Director
Going to college and working in a seedy speakeasy bring Indy into contact with jazz great Sidney Bechet, who teaches him how to play the blues. Unfort...

The American Gangster
1992
Director
They fixed the World Series. They built Las Vegas. They terrorized America with their vicious murders and fearless robberies. They are men named Bugsy...

The True Story of Glory Continues
1991
Director
Morgan Freeman narrates this documentary that explores the 54th Massachusetts regiment that is the basis of the motion picture, "Glory".

Blue Planet
1990
Director
From the unique vantage point of 200 miles above Earth's surface, we see how natural forces - volcanoes, earthquakes and hurricanes - affect our world...

Always
1989
Sound Designer
The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989
Sound Designer
In 1938, an art collector appeals to eminent archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones to embark on a search for the Holy Grail. Indy learns that a medieval his...

Willow
1988
Sound Designer
The evil Queen Bavmorda hunts the newborn princess Elora Danan, a child prophesied to bring about her downfall. When the royal infant is found by Will...

Howard the Duck
1986
Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Sound Effects Editor
A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar-smoking drake, Howard, fr...

Star Wars: Droids - The Great Heep
1986
Associate Producer, Writer
C-3PO and R2-D2 are on their way to Biitu to meet their new master, Mungo Baobab, when their ship is attacked and they are taken prisoner. Biitu has b...

The Adventures of André and Wally B.
1984
Sound Designer
There's nothing like a restful nap in a pleasant wooded valley. But when André awakens and is greeted by a pesky yellow-and-black striped insect with ...

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1984
Sound Designer
After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees – and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting ...

From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
1983
as Self
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga is a 1983 television documentary special that originally aired on PBS. It is a behind-the-scenes look at ...

Return of the Jedi
1983
as 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, while the Emperor seeks to destroy the Rebellion onc...

Return of the Jedi
1983
Sound Designer
Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, while the Emperor seeks to destroy the Rebellion onc...

Raiders of the Lost Ark
1981
Sound Designer
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legen...

Porklips Now
1980
Military Consultant
This spoof of 'Apocalypse Now' has health inspector Will Dullard travelling by car "uptown" with two friends to have a meeting with a certain Mertz, t...

The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
1980
as Self
Even the most devout Star Wars fan might not know that filmmaker and journalist Michel Parbot was once given unprecedented access to the set, stars, a...

The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Sound Designer
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Dar...

Star Wars: Music by John Williams
1980
as Self
BBC documentary. Witness John Williams composing the legendary score for The Empire Strikes Back and conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.

More American Graffiti
1979
Supervising Sound Editor
College graduates deal with Vietnam and other issues of the late '60s.

Alien
1979
Sound Designer
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew...

Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1978
Sound Effects Designer
The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers...

The Star Wars Holiday Special
1978
Sound Effects
Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, the...

Star Wars
1977
Sound Designer
Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker an...

Death Race 2000
1975
Sound Designer
In a boorish future, the government sponsors a popular, but bloody, cross-country race in which points are scored by mowing down pedestrians. Five tea...

Recorded Live
1975
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
A young man at the University of Southern California, called only Mr. Aaines, goes to a job interview at a television studio, where he is told over th...
A Bucket of Water and a Glass Matte
N/A
In this 2010 program, Craig Barron and Ben Burtt, leading experts in the fields of visual and sound effects, respectively, discuss the techniques used...