Some Background

A few years back I worked in recording studios, and one of the things I had to do was find sound effects. We had a large library of CDs, containing recordings of things such as typewriters, cars, elevators etc. In some areas, this library was remarkably comprehensive. There would, for example, be a variety of different 1970's telephones including push-button, dials, bells and the more contemporary "trim phone". The sleeve notes would often go into remarkable detail about the exact circumstances of the recording, such as:

Track 12:
Underground train station. St Pancras. June 15th. 9:13am. Train arrives. Doors open. Cadbury's Wispa wrapper blows past.

However, in other areas the library was sorely lacking. Really useful effects like explosions, or lions, or people being hit over the head with banjos, were mysteriously absent. Sometimes, we found ourselves using the same effects time and time again, because there was little to choose from.

One category which was always pretty thin was that of child effects. Whether the job called for laughing, crying or sicking up milk, we often found ourselves desperate for decent sounds. I remember one effect that was frequently used. It was the sound of a giggling child (or possibly two children), aged about 8 or 9. I remember it because it cropped up in a video game I used to play called Diddy Kong Racing on the Nintendo 64. After that, I noticed it appearing in lots of TV shows, adverts and a few Hollywood films. I realised that my problems were not unique, and that sound engineers around the world seem to have the same trouble finding original effects.

Then I read about the Wilhelm Scream, which is an old effect that has become famous for its ubiquity in movies. I thought it was about time I started cataloguing the times I hear MY favourite effect (which I now call the Diddy Laugh) wherever it may be. Over the years my obsession has faded, but I may still add one now and again, when it next catches my attention.

First of all, acquaint yourself with the sound:

Now to the list:

Where:	Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64 game)
When:	As the game first loads, prior to opening screen.
Comment:	When the publisher logos are being displayed, that soon-to-be familiar giggle is heard. Click here (Youtube link)
Date heard:	December 1997 (approx)
Where:	Terminator 2
When:	1 hour 26 Minutes
Comment:	As Sarah Connor dreams a nuclear nightmare, children play in the background. I'm not 100% certain this is the same laugh, but it sounds a lot like it. It doesn't have the trademark up-and-down segment, but I think this is from a little-used part of the same effect track.
Date heard:	1992 (approx)
Where:	The Big Red Flower Pot (TV Commercial)
When:	Some time during commercial (It's not long!)
Comment:	This is one of the "sightings" which used to bug me the most. It was on Channel 5 every morning, and I had to listen to it time and time again as it was during my daughter's favourite shows. "Down in the garden where nobody roams, Is the Big Red Flower Pot, the Buttercup's home!"	No Image Available
Date heard:	2003 (approx)
Where:	Home On The Range (2004)
When:	DVD Edition. During "Tell a Joke" bonus feature.
Comment:	In this lame Disney DVD, there is a feature where viewers are invited to tell a joke, then press a button on their remote control to hear a response. This might be a foghorn, an audience applauding or, you guessed it, a child laughing.
Date heard:	13/1/2005
Where:	The Bourne Identity
When:	1 hour 19 Minutes
Comment:	As the authorities try to track down Matt Damon, contact is made with one of their assassins in the field (Clive Owen). The location for the meeting is a fairground, complete with laughing child who is clearly up too late.
Date heard:	6/2/2005
Where:	Barker and Stonehouse TV Commercial
When:	Under the end announcer.
Comment:	What better way to depict a happy home than a giggling child? Click here to hear for yourself.
Date heard:	20/2/2005
Where:	Disney's Mulan
When:	7 minutes, 28 seconds
Comment:	During the song "Honor to Us All", as the line "We all must serve our Emperor" is sung, some children play with wooden swords. In the background, you can hear that familiar laugh.
Date heard:	25/2/2005
Where:	Nathan Barley (BBC TV series)
When	When Nathan and Dajve are in a coffee bar.
Comment	In a series which regularly makes fun of the ridiculous ringtones, one episode had Nathan Barley meet up with sexy female VJ, Dajve Bikinus. Her mobile had a ringtone featuring a giggling girl!
Date heard:	14/3/2005
Where:	Midsomer Murders (TV Series, 2001)
When	Episode title: "Destroying Angel". Approx 1 hour into show.
Comment	A Punch and Judy show holds clues to the identity of a murderer. And wherever one finds a Punch and Judy show, one finds giggling children!   Click here for a clip.
Date heard:	16/4/2005
Where:	Trailer for Nanny McPhee Movie
When:	At the very start of the trailer
Comment:	Click on the image to the right to see and hear the laugh.
Date heard:	9/10/2005
Where:	Episode of children's cartoon "Binka"
When:	Dunno, to be honest. I definitely heard the laugh while my daughter was watching this, but TiVo deleted it before I could save it for posterity.
Comment:	It was the full-on Diddy Laugh, too. Damn!
Date heard :	12/10/2005

To be continued...