# The "Howie Scream" is far superior to the "Wilhelm" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912 "2009-09-13T14:47:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/1 "2009-09-13T14:47:19Z")
I respectfully submit that the scream colloquially referred to as the [“Howie Scream” (named for Howie Long’s scene in Broken Arrow) or "Youraaghh!"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6_hok4-lo&feature=related)is far superior to the classic "[Wilhelm".](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio&feature=related) [Although his is pretty funny.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHXRyTwsTQc&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/2 "2009-09-13T16:48:34Z")
I wonder if that is even Howie’s actual voice-it’s been heavily resampled in any event. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/3 "2009-09-13T18:18:07Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I wonder if that is even Howie’s actual voice-it’s been heavily resampled in any event. Probably not. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that scream before Broken Arrow was released. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/4 "2009-09-13T18:56:55Z")
They both sound incredibly fake and jarring. Howie sounds like a velociraptor. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/5 "2009-09-14T01:03:47Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Probably not. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that scream before Broken Arrow was released. As the video itself shows, the official name of the scream is “Gut-Wrenching With Fall.” (For that matter, the Wilhelm Scream’s official name is the wonderful “Man Being Eaten By Alligator.”) And I think both screams pale in comparison to the famous [Goofy Holler](http://www.forthebirdsblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooeeeyyyy.html). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/6 "2009-09-14T03:08:56Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > As the video itself shows, the official name of the scream is “Gut-Wrenching With Fall.” (For that matter, the Wilhelm Scream’s official name is the wonderful “Man Being Eaten By Alligator.”) > > And I think both screams pale in comparison to the famous [Goofy Holler](http://www.forthebirdsblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooeeeyyyy.html). I’ve always been partial to[Tom’s scream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1dKeeOipNY&feature=related)from Tom & Jerry. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/7 "2009-09-14T03:51:25Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’ve always been partial to[Tom’s scream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1dKeeOipNY&feature=related)from Tom & Jerry. This [Tom scream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2DZOpLbCmg&NR=1) is better. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/8 "2009-09-14T04:02:13Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > They both sound incredibly fake and jarring. Howie sounds like a velociraptor. Or a Tie Fighter. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/9 "2009-09-14T07:26:55Z")
The Howie scream was used as recently as a suspense effect in [the trailer for the Road](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY) (circa 2:02) It was not in the book. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/10 "2009-09-14T17:34:13Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’ve always been partial to[Tom’s scream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1dKeeOipNY&feature=related)from Tom & Jerry. [Goofy holler](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUi33CZK2_4) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/11 "2009-09-15T02:14:28Z")
Yep, I’ve always liked that one. Unlike Wilhelm, it sounds less like “yelping in alarmed surprise as you’re dashed away to your doom,” as it does “being physically wrenched from this life to the next one. Slowly.” Like if you said “Hastur” out loud too many times. I’m partial to [this old classic,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtfqOD6EaTo#t=0m13s) too. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/12 "2009-09-15T02:51:13Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > I’m partial to [this old classic,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtfqOD6EaTo#t=0m13s) too. Whoa! I never knew you could link to the \*middle \*of a YouTube video! That is so cool. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/13 "2009-09-15T03:23:16Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Like if you said “Hastur” out loud too many times. I miss-ur-him, but not enough to say his name a second time. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/14 "2009-09-15T03:26:19Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Whoa! I never knew you could link to the \*middle \*of a YouTube video! That is so cool. A local station has begun broadcasting TNG every night at nine. I hope they shift it to eight and bring in DS9 at the correct moment. TNG was often about politics. DS9 was about diplomacy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/15 "2009-09-15T10:51:22Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’ve always been partial to[Tom’s scream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1dKeeOipNY&feature=related)from Tom & Jerry. I think this is my favorite so far. The Howie scream is an interesting sound but it’s hard to imagine anyone actually making it for any reason. Having heard all these in one sitting- there’s something funny and disturbing about hearing different people scream the same scream over and over again. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/16 "2009-09-15T11:55:51Z")
The best thing about Tom’s scream is that it’s actually Bill Hanna doing it. ---
**Author:** ![ianjohnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ianjohnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianjohnson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-howie-scream-is-far-superior-to-the-wilhelm/509912/17 "2009-09-15T21:52:07Z")
Ha! I benefited from reading Straight Dope at work. I just downloaded the Wilhelm scream and used it in a TV promo where a guy gets chomped on the butt by a dog. Fits perfectly.