Scream

Being the movie geek I am, I was explaining the "Wilhelm Scream" in the Star Wars saga and other movies to some co-workers and looked to the Net for some background.

Oops, found out that the scream long pre-dates Star Wars soundmaster Ben Burtt's use of it in the Star Wars movies. According to hollywoodlostandfound.net, the scream originated in the 1951 Gary Cooper movie "Distant Drums" (which when I read the synopsis, I remembered seeing it long ago on cable) and a poor soldier being eaten by a gator. Burtt, looking for effects for the first Star Wars movie (Ep. IV), came across the sound in the archives and called it the Wilhelm for Pvt. Wilhelm, who lets out the scream when he's shot in the leg by an Indian in the 1953 movie "The Charge At Feather River."

The source of the classic scream, heard in more than 70 movies, is the singer of the #1 novelty classic from 1958, "Purple People Eater," Sheb Wooley, who had an uncredited role in "Distant Drums."

And the rest is fascinating movie history. Now start looking for Wilhelm screams in your favorite movies.

The Wilhelm Scream [hollywoodlostandfound.net]