Have you ever heard the Wilhelm scream?

You probably have, but without even knowing…

You may never have noticed whilst watching a movie, but the `Wilhelm scream’ might be the most famous: “Aaaaaaoouuuuh!” in the world.

Seventy years ago, this sound was recorded for the making of the movie `Distant Drums’ (1951) and was probably voiced by the actor / Voice Over artist Sheb Wooly in a scene where his character is bitten and dragged underwater by an alligator.

This famous sound effect was then entitled: “Man getting bit by an alligator, and he screamed” and eventually became the iconic: `Wilhelm scream’ after it was added in the post-production in the movie `The Charge at Feather River’ (1953) when Private Wilhelm was shot by an arrow.

The sound finally broke out into popular culture thanks to Ben Burt who incorporated the scream in the media franchise Star Wars.

Since then, `Wilhelm’s scream’ has been used in more than 3,000 films of all cultures, locales and languages, such as: Indiana Jones, Toy Story, Cars, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules, Game of Thrones and many others – as well as in many videos games. It is usually used when someone is shot, falls from great height, or is thrown from an explosion.

You can listen to the very first Wilhelm’s scream from this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc5F2C0CYlA

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