Wilhelm Scream, Flying Purple People Eater?
Written by Joe D on June 2nd, 2010Harry Bromley Davenport, an independent filmmaker and friend wrote in with an idea, a post about the Wilhelm scream. The infamous sound effect used in countless movies as sort of an in-joke among sound editors. Harry forwarded me a link to an article that claims to identify the famous but till now unidentified screamer. The article names Sheb Wooley as the Wilhelm screamer! A Western type cowboy actor and author of the big hit song Flying Purple Eater.
Here’s the very first use of the Wilhelm scream. From a movie called Charge At Feather River.
And here’s a compilation of many Wilhelm’s.
Was it Sheb Wooley? Who knows for sure, maybe it’s destined to be an eternal mystery like who really killed the Black Dahlia.