Larry Ward


Larry A. Ward, in addition to being an actor, was a linguist who, in collaboration with Ben Burtt, created the Huttese language for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Moreover, he lent his voice to Greedo (in A New Hope) and Jabba the Hutt (in Return of the Jedi).

Biography

Around 1976, Larry Ward had graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in linguistics and possessed knowledge of eleven different languages.

Ben Burtt, the Star Wars sound designer, initially intended to utilize Quechua sounds for Greedo's dialogue in the film. After an unsuccessful search for a Quechua speaker, he found Ward. Ward's linguistic expertise enabled him to analyze sound samples, create transcriptions, and become acquainted with the sounds of Quechua. Consequently, he could comfortably replicate or recite Quechua, resembling a fluent speaker.

During their collaborative sessions, they selected their preferred sounds and developed original "words" and sounds inspired by the unique musicality and "clicks" of Quechua, which they then recorded. Burtt then composed "fake Quechua" phrases based on Greedo's snout movements in the scene, synchronizing the phrases with the character's actions.

Sources

  • Much to Learn You Still Have: 9 Things You Might Not Know About Rodians on StarWars.com (backup link)
  • Jedi at 40 | Ben Burtt and Randy Thom on Crafting Ewokese, Jabba's Voice, and the Rancor's Roar on StarWars.com (backup link)
  • Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide
  • The Strange and Familiar Sounds of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

  • Larry Ward at the Internet Movie Database

Appearances