Ever wonder why that same scream pops up in every action movie? Meet the Wilhelm Scream, the sound effect that refuses to die—literally. It all started in 1951 when an actor was told, “Scream like you’re being eaten by an alligator!” And boy, did he deliver. That scream has since been tossed into everything from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings. It’s the scream that never quits—kinda like your neighbor’s lawnmower at 7 AM. Now, you can hear the original recording session and marvel at how one man’s pain became Hollywood’s favorite punchline!

And here is a compilaition of the scream used throughout the years:

[Via MF]