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The Wilhelm Scream sound effect was best known for its usage in lots of movies. This was originally a Warner Bros sound effect. Vocal effect of a man yelling, composed of 6 yells. The 4th yell is most often used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, thrown from an explosion, or kicked by some people. Debuted in Distant Drums in 1951. It shouldn't be confused with Voices - Male Assorted Screams. Very Wilhelm Like.

Info[]

Info
  • First recorded: 1951
  • Creator: Sheb Wooley
  • Owner: Warner Bros. (1951-1977); Skywalker Sound and Weddington Productions/Technicolor Sound Services (1977-present)
  • Origin: United States
  • Year debut: December 22, 1951
  • First heard: Distant Drums
  • Area used: Worldwide

This is a common sound effect compilation of a man yelling, which debuted in the 1951 Warner Bros. film Distant Drums. The fourth yell is perhaps the best known around the world, and many films, TV shows, and video games are fond of using this sound; this scream is used mainly for whenever someone is shot, dropped from a great height, thrown from an explosion, or attacked by someone.

The voice actor of these screams is Sheb Wooley, who also sung the Purple People Eater song, but it was rumored performed by Ben Burtt, though he uses it fairly often and imitates the 4th scream well. Matthew Wood also does a convincing imitation of the 4th scream.

In 1977, Ben Burtt, who have worked at Skywalker Sound (formerly known as Sprocket Systems), took over its said sound department's library for the 20th Century Fox film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

On February 15, 2023, the entire recording session, digitized by craigsmith, was released to the public on Freesound.

Clean, Full Length and Unedited Link to the Sound Effect[]

Clean, Full Length and Unedited Link to the Sound Effect

Used In[]

Used In

TV Shows[]

TV Shows

TV Specials[]

TV Specials

Movies[]

Movies

Shorts[]

Shorts

Video Games[]

Video Games

3DS:

Arcade:

  • Bionic Commando
  • H2Overdrive (Heard in the prototype version.)
  • Terminator Salvation: The Arcade Game
  • The Shocker (4th scream; heard when inserting coins)

Atari 5200:

  • Danger Mouse

GameCube:

Mobile:

Nintendo Switch:

Online:

  • Agent P: Rebel Spy (Sometimes it plays when a Normtrooper is destroyed.)
  • Club Penguin (Sometimes it plays when a Stormtropper is defeated or shot in mid-air in the exclusive Blaster Game of the Star Wars Takeover.)
  • Medieval Shark (low pitched)
  • Monster Truck Destroyer (Heard when the player runs over people in some levels.)
  • Stealing the Diamond

PC:

PlayStation:

PlayStation 2:

PlayStation 3:

PlayStation 4:

PlayStation 5:

PlayStation Vita:

VR:

  • Beat Saber (Heard once in "Spooky Beat".)
  • Pistol Whip Smoke & Thunder

Wii:

Wii U:

Xbox:

Xbox 360:

Xbox One:

Xbox Series X/S:

Videos/DVDs[]

Videos/DVDs

Theme Parks[]

Theme Parks

Commercials[]

Commercials

Logos[]

Logos
  • Njutafilms (Logos)
  • Five Screws Inc. (Heard at the end of the logo.)
  • Swelltone (Logos)

Promos[]

Promos
  • AMC: Don't Mess With Mother Nature (2017) (Promos)
  • Cartoon Network - Har Har Tharsdays - Chowder (2008) (Promos) (Heard in a episode "The Rat Sandwich" When they show Truffles laughing like a maniac.)
  • Disney Channel: Amphibia: Mid-Season 3 Promo (2022) (Promos) (The 4th scream can be heard once from a clip showing an episode "Commander Anne", when Anne hears one-eyed Wally screaming behind her.)
  • Disney Channel: Yadirf (March 2020) (Promos) (4th scream)
  • NBC The Voice (2011) (Promos)
  • Nicktoons Creepin' Weekends (2015) (Promos)
  • United Airlines Safety Video - Fly Like a Superhero (#SpiderManFarFromHome 7.2) (2019)

Bumpers[]

Promos

Trailers[]

Trailers

TV Spots[]

TV Spots

Music[]

Music
  • BOSSFIGHT - Plocka Svamp (2011)
  • The Living Tombstone - My Ordinary Life (2017)
  • Pop Will Eat Itself - Not Now James, We're Busy (1989)

Radio Programming[]

Radio Programming

Newgrounds Videos[]

Newgrounds Videos

Twitter Videos[]

Twitter Videos
  • RealAnonTheAnon

YouTube Videos[]

YouTube Videos

Other Media[]

Other Media

Special Features[]

Special Features
  • Toy Story of Terror! DVD and Blu-Ray: Transitron (2014)

Web Originals[]

Web Originals
  • Doodle Toons
  • RWBY (4th scream; heard once in "No Brakes" when Blake punches a White Fang goon. Also faintly heard in another episode.)

Abridged Anime[]

Abridged Anime

Anime[]

Anime

Image Gallery[]

Wilhelm Scream/Image Gallery

Audio Samples[]

Wilhelm Scream/Audio Samples

External Links[]

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