Dork Side of the Force
Fansided

21 Star Wars legends who are also accomplished authors

By Jason Ivey

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Carrie Fisher signs copies of her new book "The Princess Diarist" at Waterstones, Piccadilly, on December 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 11: Carrie Fisher signs copies of her new book "The Princess Diarist" at Waterstones, Piccadilly, on December 11, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) /
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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: (L-R) Special Guests Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and Ben Burtt attend the screening of ‘Star Wars – Episode IV, A New Hope (Special Edition)’ at the 2019 TCM 10th Annual Classic Film Festival on April 13, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TCM)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: (L-R) Special Guests Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and Ben Burtt attend the screening of ‘Star Wars – Episode IV, A New Hope (Special Edition)’ at the 2019 TCM 10th Annual Classic Film Festival on April 13, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TCM) /

19. Ben Burtt

If you’ve ever been curious about who was the guy that created all of those awesome sound effects that Star Wars is famous for, then wonder no more. Ben Burtt worked as the foley artist for Lucasfilms’ original Star Wars trilogy as well as the prequel films crafting the beeps of droids like R2-D2, the hum and clashing of lightsabers, and the distinct whining sounds of ships like the Tie-Fighter. Burtt also helped to craft the alien languages used in Star Wars, most notably the growls and huffs of Chewbacca’s species, the Wookies.

In his book Star Wars: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide (2001), Burtt teaches readers how to speak in the various alien tongues of the Star Wars films, including the aforementioned Shyriiwook.

More than just learning to insult someone in Huttese, this book also goes deeper into the culture and history that helped shape each of these fictional languages. Besides this, readers also learn the behind-the-scenes details of how some of these languages were created.

Furthermore, Burtt also includes a section at the end that translates what the aliens were saying in famous scenes from the Star Wars films, including the much-debated one between Greedo and Han Solo in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Finally, adding to the lighthearted nature of this book are the illustrations by legendary Mad magazine cartoonist Sergio Argonés.

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