22 Facts You May Not Know About 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'9 of 22
Finding E.T.'s Voice
Pat Welsh, an elderly woman from Marin County, Calif., provided the voice of E.T. Sound effects creator Ben Burtt found that her gravelly voice, coarsened by nearly two packs of cigarettes a day, was perfect for the part. Welsh earned $380 for her nine-and-a-half hours of recording work. Early on in the process, Burtt relied on the voices of 16 other people and various animals to create the voice of E.T. Among this group were Debra Winger as well as raccoons, sea otters, and horses.
Pat Welsh, an elderly woman from Marin County, Calif., provided the voice of E.T. Sound effects creator Ben Burtt found that her gravelly voice, coarsened by nearly two packs of cigarettes a day, was perfect for the part. Welsh earned $380 for her nine-and-a-half hours of recording work. Early on in the process, Burtt relied on the voices of 16 other people and various animals to create the voice of E.T. Among this group were Debra Winger as well as raccoons, sea otters, and horses.