James Earl Jones was the acclaimed actor whose deep, rich voice was featured as Darth Vader in several “Star Wars” films and as Mufasa in “The Lion King.”
- Died: September 9, 2024 (Who else died on September 9?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Dutchess County, New York at the age of 93.
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James Earl Jones’ legacy
A prolific character actor, Jones had notable roles in decades of films. His movie debut came in “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” and he was Oscar nominated for his first starring role, in “The Great White Hope.” He became best known for his portrayal of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and in several more recent installments on both film and television. His stately voice perfectly suited the great cinematic villain, but it was equally ideal for the regal and kindly Mufasa in “The Lion King.” After voicing Mufasa in the original animated movie and “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,” Jones returned for the 2019 live action adaptation. His many other movies included “Conan the Barbarian,” “Coming to America” and its recent sequel, “The Hunt for Red October,” “Field of Dreams,” and “The Sandlot.”
On television, Jones starred in “Roots: The Next Generations” and “An American Moment” and made appearances on many more shows, including being the first celebrity guest on “Sesame Street.” His highly recognizable voice was heard in Verizon ads, Summer Olympics coverage in 2000 and 2004, and on CNN as he voiced the tagline, “This is CNN.”
Jones was a Tony Award winner for his performances in “The Great White Hope” and “Fences,” and he was honored with a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017 after a career that included Broadway roles in “On Golden Pond,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” and many others. Having won Emmy Awards for “Heat Wave” and “Gabriel’s Fire;” a Grammy Award for his reading of “Great American Documents;” and an Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, Jones was one of the elite group of actors known as EGOTs.
Overcoming a childhood stutter
Jones talked extensively about the severe stutter he had as a child, prompted by a traumatic family move from Mississippi to Michigan. So debilitating was Jones’ stutter that he stopped talking almost entirely, remaining mostly mute for his first eight years of school. It was a high school English teacher who helped Jones find what would become one of the world’s most recognizable voices. The teacher discovered that Jones had a gift for writing poetry, and he encouraged him to read his work aloud to the class, as well as nudging him toward debate and dramatic reading. By the time Jones began studying drama at the University of Michigan, the stutter was under control.
Taking credit for his voice
Jones was already an award-winning actor when George Lucas asked him to provide the voice of Darth Vader. Jones didn’t play the actor onscreen – the man in the dark robes was British actor David Prowse (1935–2020), but Lucas didn’t feel Prowse’s voice was right for the iconic villain. He tapped Jones to overdub Vader’s lines, but Jones specified that he shouldn’t receive credit for the role, later telling Newsday, “I’m just special effects.” But so memorable was Vader’s voice that by the time the third film, “Return of the Jedi,” was released, he was given credit for his work, and a later rerelease of the first film included a credit to Jones.
Jones on the secret to his longevity as an actor
“The secret is never forgetting that you’re a journeyman actor and that nothing is your final thing, nothing is your greatest thing, nothing is your worst thing. I still consider myself a novice.” —from a 2014 interview with The New York Times Magazine
Tributes to James Earl Jones
Full obituary: Deadline
