David Yewdall Dies: ‘The Fifth Element’ & ‘The Thing’ Sound Editor Was 66
He was not on the list.
David Yewdall, a sound editor and teacher whose long career included work on such films as Escape From New York, The Thing, Twilight Zone: The Movie and The Fifth Element, has died. He was 66. His family confirmed to Deadline that Yewdall died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
Along with amassing more than 100 credits and being a trailblazer in “organic sound,” Yewdall was an educator and author. He wrote Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound, which was published in 1999 and had a fourth edition out in 2012. Examining sound from the point of view of the key figures in the sound department, the book was described in a review by Mix Online as “a must-read for all students of sound, whether in film school, recording school or already working in the craft.” Yewdall was working on the fifth edition at the time of his death.
Born on October 30, 1950, in Springfield, Mo., Yewdall moved to California with his musical family as a young boy. His first job was as a still photographer for the Coalinga Police Department’s Homicide unit, and he later moved into making documentaries, including one on the Hopi Indians.
Lisa Yewdall, his wife of more than 30 years, told Deadline he went on to do some stunt work in the 1977 Ron Howard cars-ploitation film Grand Theft Auto but rethought that career choice after stunt coordinator Vic Rivers was killed in an accident on set. After that, Yewdall joined the Army, where he was part of the original “coed experiment” in basic training. Having joined up at age 28, he was assigned to the staff and faculty at West Point, where he was put in charge of its motion picture division. There was one problem, his wife said: The unit had been shut down the year before. He was discharged in 1979.
His big break in the movie business came courtesy of Roger Corman, who produced Yewdall’s first films, Deathsport and Piranha (both 1978). Yewdall also was the sound man for the final season of Hawaii Five-O in 1979-80. His work caught the attention of filmmaker John Carpenter, who hired Yewdall for three consecutive films he helmed — Escape From New York (1981), The Thing (1982) and Christine (1981) — along with the 1981 sequel Halloween II, which Carpenter wrote and produced.
“The Thing is arguably his masterpiece,” said Steve Lee, a longtime friend and fellow sound man, told Deadline. “All those frightening creature sounds he created are just fantastic, and just as scary today as they were when the film opened 35 years ago — almost to the week.”
Yewdall — whose wife said he always strove for “the authentic, no matter how weird it was” — went on to work on multiple films every year into the new century, with sound credits on such film as Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Moscow on the Hudson (1983), Evil Dead II (1987), Predator 2 (1990), Jingle All the Way (1996), Dante’s Peak (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), Jackie Brown (1997) and Reindeer Games (2000).
“A handy and effective sound editor for the 30 years following 1978, he also supervised crews and was a gifted designer on some of the best-sounding action and science-fiction movies of the ’80s and ’90s,” his longtime friend David Stone, an Oscar-winning sound editor, teacher and author, told Deadline. “I think his strongest tracks are on the John Carpenter movies, such as Christine and Escape from New York, the masterpiece of their collaboration being The Thing.”
Yewdall was working as a sound editor on the 1985 period drama The Aviator, for which star Christopher Reeve insisted on doing his own flying. The story goes that the film’s insurer would go along with that only if the 1920s-era biplane had a second engine installed. The task for finding one fell to Yewdall, who scoured the pre-Internet landscape for a suitable original engine for the plane. He ended up locating — and using — the motor whose serial number was 00001.
“His own sound effects library he collected over his career was just amazing,” Lee said. “When you traded sounds with him, you always felt you were getting a better deal. He had one of everything, and it was all brilliantly recorded. That was one of the keys to his great success.”
In 1988, Yewdall was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story. Around that time he was the only American to work on Talvisota (The Wionter War), an epic Finnish film that told the story of how that country fought off the Russians in late 1939. Yewdall and his wife were tasked with doing the Oscar campaign for the film.
He also taught at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem during the 2000s, with more than 30 of his students eventually joining the Motion Picture Sound Editors, including some Oscar nominees. At SXSW in March, he took part in a panel titled “VR Film Production in Extreme Environments.”
Yewdall also served on the board of Utah-based sound production company NightPro Technologies; was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — former sound editor Robert Wise signed his AMPAS certificate — and Motion Picture Sound Editors for more than 30 years; and appeared in last year’s documentary short Sounds from the Cold.
“Yewdall could be a very serious man,” Stone said. “He had a great interest in making the best recordings of vehicles and of military equipment, and he cataloged these with the precision of a museum curator. But what friends and coworkers saw around his cutting rooms and dub stages was the playful artist. Making new sounds for the imaginary worlds which audiences would inhabit was Yewdall’s profession, but he turned work into recreation, energized by his boyish enthusiasm and humor.”
Yewdall is survived by his wife Lisa, whom he married in 1984, and his mother, Mary Frances Lander. Plans for a memorial service are pending.
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Robert De Niro, Samuel L. Jackson, Bridget Fonda, Pam Grier, Michael Keaton, and Robert Forster in Jackie Brown (1997)
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Robby Benson and Paige O'Hara in Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
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5.9
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Dina Meyer and Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997)
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Peter Cullen, Jim Cummings, John Fiedler, Ken Sansom, and Paul Winchell in Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997)
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin
7.0
Video
sound effects editor
1997
Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, and Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element (1997)
The Fifth Element
7.6
sound effects editor (as David Yewdall)
1997
Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton in Dante's Peak (1997)
Dante's Peak
6.1
sound effects editor
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Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad in Jingle All the Way (1996)
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5.8
sound effects editor
1996
Hugh Grant and Gene Hackman in Extreme Measures (1996)
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6.2
sound effects editor
1996
Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves in Chain Reaction (1996)
Chain Reaction
5.7
sound effects editor
1996
Chuck Norris and Betty in Top Dog (1995)
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4.3
supervising sound editor
1995
Cassidy Rae and Ethan Embry in Evolver (1995)
Evolver
5.5
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Spitfire (1995)
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Hong Kong 97 (1994)
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4.6
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Bill Paxton and Rob Lowe in Frank & Jesse (1994)
Frank & Jesse
5.8
supervising sound editor
1994
Renée Zellweger and Gil Bellows in Love and a .45 (1994)
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6.0
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1994
Sasha Mitchell in Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor (1994)
Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor
4.1
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1994
Blythe Danner, Frank Whaley, and Sheryl Lee in Homage (1994)
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5.6
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1994
Philadelphia Experiment II (1993)
Philadelphia Experiment II
4.5
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1993
Kenn Scott, Billy Blanks, and Ken McLeod in Showdown (1993)
Showdown
5.2
supervising sound editor
1993
Elisabeth Moss, Ellen Blain, Michael Crawford, Paige Gosney, Benji Gregory, and Ben Vereen in Once Upon a Forest (1993)
Once Upon a Forest
6.5
supervising sound editor
1993
Melinda Clarke in Return of the Living Dead III (1993)
Return of the Living Dead III
5.9
supervising sound editor
1993
Lance Henriksen, Kris Kristofferson, and Kathy Long in Knights (1993)
Knights
4.7
co-supervising sound editor
1993
Teri Hatcher and Andrew Dice Clay in Brain Smasher... A Love Story (1993)
Brain Smasher... A Love Story
5.3
Video
supervising sound editor
1993
Cuba Gooding Jr. and Moira Kelly in Daybreak (1993)
Daybreak
5.0
TV Movie
co-supervising sound editor (as David L. Yewdall)
1993
Olivier Gruner in Nemesis (1992)
Nemesis
5.4
supervising sound editor
1992
Ray Liotta and Kiefer Sutherland in Article 99 (1992)
Article 99
6.1
dialogue editor
1992
December (1991)
December
5.9
supervising sound editor
1991
One False Move (1991)
One False Move
7.1
supervising sound editor
1991
Bobcat Goldthwait and Julie Brown in Shakes the Clown (1991)
Shakes the Clown
5.6
supervising sound editor
1991
Journey of Honor (1991)
Journey of Honor
5.4
sound effects editor
1991
Moonlight Sonata II: The Street Sweepers (1991)
Moonlight Sonata II: The Street Sweepers
4.6
sound effects
1991
Kiljusen herrasväen uudet seikkailut (1990)
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4.2
sound effects editor
1990
Predator 2 (1990)
Predator 2
6.3
sound effects editor (as David Yewdall)
1990
Jean-Claude Van Damme in Lionheart (1990)
Lionheart
6.2
supervising sound editor
1990
The Winter War (1989)
The Winter War
7.6
co-supervising sound editor
1989
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
4.9
co-supervising sound editor
1989
Dolph Lundgren in The Punisher (1989)
The Punisher
5.6
supervising sound editor
1989
Andrew Stevens in Fine Gold (1989)
Fine Gold
5.4
sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1989
Purple People Eater (1988)
Purple People Eater
4.6
sound designer
1988
Cassandra Peterson and Edie McClurg in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
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6.6
sound designer
1988
Out of the Dark (1988)
Out of the Dark
5.4
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1988
The Perfect Match (1988)
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4.9
sound designer (as David Yewdall)
1988
Ben Cross and Nicole Fortier in The Unholy (1988)
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sound designer
1988
Kristy Swanson, Victoria Tennant, Ben Ryan Ganger, and Lindsay Parker in Flowers in the Attic (1987)
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sound designer
1987
Morgan Fairchild, Billy Dee Williams, John Beck, Joe Spinell, and Vanity in Deadly Illusion (1987)
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sound
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Sister, Sister (1987)
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1987
Bill Paxton in Near Dark (1987)
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1987
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1987
Hot Pursuit (1987)
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1987
Campus Man (1987)
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1987
Kay Lenz in Stripped to Kill (1987)
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sound designer (as David Yewdall)
1987
Evil Dead II (1987)
Evil Dead II
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additional sound effects (as David Yewdall)
1987
Munchies (1987)
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3.9
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1987
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sound designer
1987
Hour of the Assassin (1987)
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4.5
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1987
Rutger Hauer in Wanted: Dead or Alive (1986)
Wanted: Dead or Alive
5.9
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1986
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1986
James Remar in Quiet Cool (1986)
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1986
April Fool's Day (1986)
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6.1
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1986
James Woods in Salvador (1986)
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sound designersupervising sound editor
1986
Getting Even (1986)
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sound designer
1986
Uphill All the Way (1986)
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4.2
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1986
Black Moon Rising (1986)
Black Moon Rising
5.5
sound designer
1986
Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr., Carol Kane, Joseph Bologna, John Byner, and Teresa Ganzel in Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)
Transylvania 6-5000
5.0
sound designer
1985
Brion James, Reed Birney, Louise Lasser, Paul L. Smith, and Sheree J. Wilson in Crimewave (1985)
Crimewave
5.5
sound designer
1985
The Aviator (1985)
The Aviator
5.6
sound effects editor
1985
Gimme an 'F' (1984)
Gimme an 'F'
4.0
supervising sound editor
1984
Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, Christopher Plummer, Cory 'Bumper' Yothers, Larry Cedar, Redmond Gleeson, Peter Jason, David Patrick Kelly, and Chris Mulkey in Dreamscape (1984)
Dreamscape
6.3
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1984
Nancy Allen and Michael Paré in The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
The Philadelphia Experiment
6.1
sound designer
1984
Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Cleavant Derricks in Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
Moscow on the Hudson
6.5
supervising sound editor: Hollywood
1984
Stella Stevens and Tamara Dobson in Amazons (1984)
Amazons
4.4
TV Movie
sound editor
1984
Christine (1983)
Christine
6.8
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1983
The Dead Zone (1983)
The Dead Zone
7.2
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1983
Flicks (1983)
Flicks
4.9
sound editor (as Dave Yewdall)
1983
Wavelength (1983)
Wavelength
5.6
supervising sound editor
1983
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Twilight Zone: The Movie
6.5
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1983
David Carradine and Chuck Norris in Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
Lone Wolf McQuade
6.3
sound effects designer (as David Yewdall)
1983
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
5.2
supervising sound editor
1982
The Thing (1982)
The Thing
8.2
supervising sound editor
1982
Safari 3000 (1982)
Safari 3000
4.7
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1982
Lovely But Deadly (1981)
Lovely But Deadly
4.1
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1981
Halloween II (1981)
Halloween II
6.5
supervising sound editor
1981
Robert Englund, Edward Albert, Bernard Behrens, Jack Blessing, Zalman King, Erin Moran, Taaffe O'Connell, and Grace Zabriskie in Galaxy of Terror (1981)
Galaxy of Terror
5.0
supervising sound editor
1981
Smokey Bites the Dust (1981)
Smokey Bites the Dust
3.6
sound effects (as David Yewdall)
1981
Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, and Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
Escape from New York
7.1
sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1981
The Georgia Peaches (1980)
The Georgia Peaches
5.8
TV Movie
supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1980
Sybil Danning, George Peppard, Richard Thomas, Lara Cody, Darlanne Fluegel, Lawrence Steven Meyers, and Morgan Woodward in Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Battle Beyond the Stars
5.5
supervising sound editor
1980
Humanoids from the Deep (1980)
Humanoids from the Deep
5.7
sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1980
Fyre (1979)
Fyre
4.6
sound effects (as Dave Yewdall)
1979
Richard Kiel, Tim Conway, Fred Covington, Joe Dorsey, Chuck McCann, Reni Santoni, Sonny Shroyer, and Hank Worden in They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way (1978)
They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way
5.1
sound effects editor (as David Yewdall)
1978
The Hitter (1978)
The Hitter
5.5
sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1978
Piranha (1978)
Piranha
5.9
sound effectssound effects editor (as Dave Yewdall, uncredited)
1978
Deathsport (1978)
Deathsport
4.1
sound editor (as David Yewdall)
1978
Additional Crew
Out of the Wilderness (1998)
Out of the Wilderness
4.1
TV Movie
special production consultant
1998
Thanks
Married Young (2019)
Married Young
5.5
in memory ofspecial thanks
2019
Hammer Jackson (2018)
Hammer Jackson
Short
Dedicated to
2018
Sprinkles (2010)
Sprinkles
5.8
Short
thanks
2010
Nightlights
Short
special thanks
2009
Hey José!
Short
special thanks
2008
The Sheriff
Short
special thanks
2007
Bruce Campbell in My Name Is Bruce (2007)
My Name Is Bruce
6.1
special thanks (as David Yewdall)
2007
The Dog Days of Summer
4.7
Short
special thanks
2004
Fallout (2003)
Fallout
7.6
Short
special thanks
2003
Self
Sounds from the Cold (2016)
Sounds from the Cold
6.9
Video
Self
2016
Jussi-juhlat
TV Special
Self (as David Yewdall, credit only)
1990

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