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Ben Burtt

A legendary figure in the history of motion picture sound effects, Ben Burtt virtually invented the job of sound designer by his innovative creations for such films as "Star Wars" (1977) and its five sequels, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1982), "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) and "WALL-E" (2008). Though Burtt worked frequently in fantasy and adventure genres for directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, his creations were largely borne from organic sources - animal cries, found objects ranging from power lines to shopping carts, and even his own voice - which added startling levels of reality to the films' array of fantastical creatures and technology. His work was richly rewarded by the motion picture industry, and his talent placed him at the highest level of respect by a legion of fans and fellow moviemakers alike.