Gary Hecker – Veteran Foley Artist

Award-winning Foley artist Gary Hecker recently joined CSS Studios’ Todd-AO in late 2009. One of the most accomplished Foley artists in Hollywood, Hecker has contributed to more than 200 films in a career spanning almost three decades. Among his recent credits are 2012,The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Angel & Demons, Watchmen and the Spiderman trilogy.

At Todd-AO, Hecker will serve as Supervising Foley Artist, and while continuing to work on films, will also seek to grow the facility’s Foley department. “Gary Hecker is synonymous with Foley and enjoys universal respect in the Hollywood sound community,” said CSS Studios President Robert C. Rosenthal. “He is an exceptional talent, one who has helped to define his craft, and he makes a wonderful addition to our team.”

Hecker, who spent the past 16 years at Sony Pictures Entertainment, likened his move to Todd-AO to a reunion. “There are several artists at Todd-AO and its sister company Soundelux—including Lon Bender, Wylie Stateman, Per Hallberg, Karen Baker Landers and Mark Stoeckinger—with whom I worked early in my career,” he said. “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with them again and to ensure that Todd-AO has the best Foley stage in the industry.”

Hecker became enamored with Foley while still in high school and has worked in the field his entire career. He is the recipient of three Golden Reel Awards, most recently in 2006 for War of the Worlds, to go with more than 20 Golden Reel nominations. He has also contributed to several films that have garnered Academy Awards or Academy Award nominations for sound, including Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, War of the Worlds, Road to Perdition and Memoirs of a Geisha. In 1998, Entertainment Weekly named Hecker to its list of the “100 Most Creative People in Entertainment.”

Hecker is also well known for creating special voices for films. He helped create the “voice” of Godzilla in the 1998 remake of the film of that name and did voice work for the aliens featured in the 1996 filmIndependence Day. He also supplied vocal elements for Seabiscuit,300, Shrek and Mighty Joe Young.

“I’m a creative guy and it’s the creative aspects of Foley that have always appealed to me,” Hecker said. “I also like working with other sound artists and making my clients happy.”

For more information, visit www.toddao.com.