James Earl Jones


Actor
James Earl Jones

About

Also Known As
Todd Jones
Birth Place
Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
Born
January 17, 1931

Biography

One of the preeminent stage and screen performers of his generation, award-winning actor James Earl Jones primarily functioned as a high-quality supporting player after a brief run in the 1970s as a leading man. But more famous than any onscreen role was his deep, resonant voice that first gave authority and menace to Darth Vader in "Star Wars" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) an...

Photos & Videos

Biography

One of the preeminent stage and screen performers of his generation, award-winning actor James Earl Jones primarily functioned as a high-quality supporting player after a brief run in the 1970s as a leading man. But more famous than any onscreen role was his deep, resonant voice that first gave authority and menace to Darth Vader in "Star Wars" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983) - a startling achievement due to his overcoming a debilitating childhood stutter that remained with him throughout his career. Prior to his iconic voice performance in "Star Wars," he made a name for himself on the stage, especially in Shakespearean roles not normally associated with being played by African-Americans. Once his voice became famous, it was only a matter of time until his face became renowned as well, which happened after appearing in a range of movies, from John Sayles' small independent "Matewan" (1987) to "Field of Dreams" (1989) to a trio of blockbusters based on the novels of Tom Clancy, "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), "Patriot Games" (1992) and "Clear and Present Danger" (1994).

Born on Jan. 17, 1931 in Arkabutla, MS, Jones was raised by his mother, Ruth, a tailor and teacher, and his grandparents, John and Maggie, both farmers, after his father, Robert Earl, left the family before his birth. When he was five, the family uprooted itself to his grandparents' farm in rural Jackson, MI - a move he later credited to causing his debilitating childhood stutter, in which he barely spoke to anyone but his family from ages 6-14. In fact, his stutter was so bad that he left his church because he was unable to read Sunday school recitations without the other kids laughing at him. When Jones reached high school in Brethren, MI, he overcame his stutter with the help of his English teacher, Donald Crouch. Crouch read a poem Jones had written, but challenged its authenticity by claiming he plagiarized it. Shocked by the accusation, Jones was further challenged to prove he wrote it by reciting the poem by heart in front of the class. Jones did, taking his first tentative steps toward overcoming his stutter, which remained with him throughout his career.

Meanwhile, in 1949, Jones earned a scholarship and enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he initially majored in pre-med. But Jones felt the lure of the stage and made his acting debut in a university production of "Deep Are the Roots" (1949). Soon he found himself enrolled in the drama program, while also eventually becoming a second lieutenant in the school's Reserve Officer's Training Program. After graduating in 1953, he spent two years in the Army Rangers, then left the service to pursue acting fulltime. He landed his first paying job as the understudy to Ivan Dixon in "Wedding in Japan" (1957), then debuted on Broadway as an understudy for the roll of Perry Hall in "The Egghead" (1957). Jones was back on Broadway the following year in "Sunrise at Campobello" (1958) and began his long affiliation with the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1959, with which he honed his craft in the title roles of "Othello," "Macbeth" and King Lear." He appeared off-Broadway in the seminal and acclaimed production of Jean Genet's "The Blacks" (1961), then made his feature debut as the dedicated bombardier on Major King Kong's B-52 in Stanley Kubrick's classic satire, "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964).

Jones had his real breakthrough with a Tony-winning turn as first black heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson in "The Great White Hope" (1968), a role he reprised for the 1970 movie of the same name, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In 1969, Jones filmed several short segments for the fledgling kids' show, "Sesame Street" (PBS/HBO, 1969- ), which were used to test whether or not children would be receptive to the show. The test audience responded most favorably to Jones slowly counting from 1-10. The segments were used when the show later aired. Meanwhile, he began taking leading features roles, including "The Man" (1972), in which he was the first black president; "Claudine" (1974), playing the garbage man-love interest of a ghetto mother (Diahann Carroll), "The River Niger" (1975) opposite Cicely Tyson; and "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings" (1976), where he portrayed a fictional character based on Hall of Fame Negro League catcher, Josh Gibson.

Though working consistently on screen, his star burned brightest on the boards where - in addition to his celebrated work in Shakespeare plays - he inaugurated a long-standing collaboration with South African playwright Athol Fugard, acting in "The Blood Knot," "Boseman and Lena" (1974) and "'Master Harold'...and the Boys," among others. He also portrayed Lennie in a 1974 Broadway revival of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," then performed the controversial one-man show "Paul Robeson" on Broadway (1977), which caused an uproar with Robeson's son, who mounted a campaign to stop the production on the grounds that the story was "grossly distorted." Nonetheless, Jones reprised the show in London the following year. That same year, Jones - or rather his voice - became unwittingly famous when "Star Wars" was released and became not only the highest-grossing movie at the time, but also a cultural phenomenon that would stretch far into subsequent generations. Though director George Lucas hired actor David Prowse to play Dark Vader on screen due to his towering 6'8" height, he wanted a different, more imposing voice. So he found Jones and paid him $9,000 for less than three hours of work. But because he was only a voice actor, Jones did not receive points on the gross - a luxury given to the other actors by Lucas. When "Star Wars" made tons of money, Jones missed a big payday. Lucas did, however, make up for most of it with a generous Christmas bonus.

Back to appearing on screen, Jones was Balthazar in "Jesus of Nazareth" (NBC, 1977), then starred opposite Robert Duvall as Malcolm X in "The Greatest" (1977), starring Muhammad Ali as himself in this biopic about how he overcame obstacles to become the greatest boxer of all time. Jones then had great success on television in the groundbreaking roles of Dr. Jerry Turner on "As the World Turns" (CBS, 1956-2010) and Dr. Jim Frazier on "The Guiding Light" (CBS, 1951-2007), becoming one of the first African-American regulars featured on the networks' daytime dramas. He ventured into primetime series as the titular star of "Paris" (CBS, 1979-80), playing the erudite police captain of a special detective unit of the Los Angeles Police Department, then portrayed author Alex Haley in the acclaimed miniseries sequel "Roots: The Next Generation" (ABC, 1979). After starring in two miniseries - "The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story" (NBC, 1980) and "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones" (CBS, 1980) - Jones once again provided the rich, menacing voice to Darth Vader in "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), including immortalizing the famous line, "Luke, I am your father."

That same year, Jones made a return to the stage, appearing in Athol Fugard's "A Lesson From Aloes" (1980) before delivering an acclaimed performance as "Othello" (1982) on Broadway in a production where he starred opposite future wife Cecilia Hart. Following a third turn as Darth Vader for "Return of the Jedi" (1983), he appeared in two forgettable features, "City Limits" (1985) and "Soul Man" (1986), before playing a former Negro League baseball player-turned-bitter garbage man in August Wilson's "Fences" (1987), for which Jones earned his second Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. Also that year, he appeared in "Matewan" (1987), John Sayles' compelling drama depicting a violent labor dispute in 1920s rural West Virginia. Following a co-starring turn in the antiwar drama "Gardens of Stone" (1987), Jones was the picture of patriarchal kingship in "Coming to America" (1988), playing the regal father of Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy), the heir to the thrown of the fictional African country of Zamunda, who refuses to enter into an arranged marriage and instead sets off to find his true love in America. He next delivered a fine performance both comic and moving in "Field of Dreams" (1989), playing a reclusive author kidnapped by an Iowa farmer (Kevin Costner) who is building a baseball field instead of planting corn.

After playing a CIA official in "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), Jones turned to the small screen, where he delivered an Emmy-winning performance as Junius Johnson in "Heat Wave" (TNT, 1990), a compelling drama about the 1965 Watts riots. He earned a second Emmy Award that year playing a disgraced cop-turned-private investigator in "Gabriel's Fire" (ABC, 1990-92). Though a hit with critics, the series failed to generate an audience and was soon cancelled. Jones next starred opposite Robert Duvall in the period western, "Convicts" (1991), written by Horton Foote, then played Police Inspector Nkuru in "The Ivory Hunters" (TNT, 1992). Following his portrayal of the judge in "Sommersby" (1993), two rare starring turns came his way; first as the South African preacher searching for his son in the remake of "Cry, the Beloved Country" (1995), and then as Robert Duvall's half-brother in "A Family Thing" (1996). Though he brought his usual majesty to both roles, in each case, his acting was grander than the material itself, but at least his fans were able to savor his extended minutes before the camera. Prior to both films, Jones' distinct baritone was put to excellent use in "The Lion King" (1994), when he voiced the powerful Mufasa, king of the pride and father of the cub, Simba.

Around the time of "The Lion King," Jones made another stab at series television with the family drama "Under One Roof" (CBS, 1995), but once again, he saw a worthwhile project cut short. After playing Hume Cronyn's best friend in "Horton Foote's Alone" (Showtime, 1997), Jones voiced Mufasa for the direct-to-video sequel, "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride" (1998), then hosted segments on the Kennedys and Somalia for "CNN Perspectives" (CNN, 1998), for whom he also intoned the words "This is CNN" for their cable network ID. Jones also starred as a retired physician whose friendship with a young white boy sparks a racial conflict in a small town in the Showtime movie "Summer's End" (1999), a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special. Meanwhile, he enjoyed a series of recurring roles on several series, including "Homicide: Life on the Street" (NBC, 1993-99). Meanwhile, throughout his career, Jones put his voice to good use in numerous commercials, including spots for Chrysler, Goodyear, Reuben's dinners, coverage for the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, and The Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages.

As his career entered its fifth decade, Jones found himself performing less in films and more on the small screen, including an appearance in the miniseries "Feast of All Saints" (CBS, 2001), based on the Anne Rice bestseller, and a guest-starring role on "Everwood" (The WB, 2002-06), for which he earned an Emmy Award nomination. In 2005, he enjoyed tremendous reviews for his high-profile turn playing crotchety Norman Thayer opposite Leslie Uggams in an all African-American interpretation of Ernest Thompson's play "On Golden Pond" at Broadway's Court Theater. For the third time in his career, Jones was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play, though a bout with pneumonia forced him to quit the show, which caused the show itself to close prematurely. That same year, Jones revisited his most iconic role, once again voicing Darth Vader for George Lucas' final prequel film "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" (2005). A few years later, he joined Debbie Allen's all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams' classic "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (2008), which was produced on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. In 2009, Jones received a Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

The Lion King (2019)
Voice
Warning Shot (2018)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Voice
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014)
Gimme Shelter (2014)
Quantum Quest (2012)
Voice
Jack and the Beanstalk (2010)
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
Earth (2007)
Narrator
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Himself
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Self
The Benchwarmers (2006)
Searching for Orson (2006)
2004: A Light Knight's Odyssey (To Be Deleted) (2005)
Cast
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Actor (Uncredited)
Reading Room (2005)
Robots (2005)
Voice
Santa and Pete (1999)
Our Friend, Martin (1999)
Voice
The Annihilation of Fish (1999)
Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Undercover Angel (1999)
Summer's End (1999)
Dreamrider (1999)
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
Voice
MERLIN (1998)
Voice
Primary Colors (1998)
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (1998)
Horton Foote's Alone (1997)
Gang Related (1997)
Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997)
Voice
The Second Civil War (1997)
What the Deaf Man Heard (1997)
A Family Thing (1996)
Timepiece (1996)
Good Luck (1996)
Looking for Richard (1996)
Himself
Rebound: The Legend of Earl the Goat (1996)
Jefferson in Paris (1995)
Making of Jurassic Park (1995)
Cry, The Beloved Country (1995)
Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics (1994)
The Lion King (1994)
Voice
Clean Slate (1994)
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Countdown to Freedom: Ten Days That Changed South Africa (1994)
Narrator
Confessions: Two Faces of Evil (1994)
Conversations (1994)
Percy and Thunder (1993)
The Sandlot (1993)
Percy and Thunder - Part 1 (1993)
Excessive Force (1993)
Sommersby (1993)
The Meteor Man (1993)
Percy and Thunder - Part 2 (1993)
Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992)
Narrator
Patriot Games (1992)
Sneakers (1992)
True Identity (1991)
Himself
The Ambulance (1991)
Scorchers (1991)
Convicts (1991)
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Heat Wave Part 2 (1990)
Heat Wave Part 1 (1990)
Terrorgram (1990)
Voice
Last Flight Out (1990)
The Ivory Hunters (1990)
By Dawn's Early Light (1990)
Grim Prairie Tales (1990)
Heat Wave (1990)
Best of the Best (1989)
Three Fugitives (1989)
Field Of Dreams (1989)
Coming to America (1988)
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987)
Voice
Allan Quatermain And The Lost City Of Gold (1987)
Gardens Of Stone (1987)
My Little Girl (1986)
Soul Man (1986)
City Limits (1985)
The Vegas Strip War (1984)
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
Voice
Blood Tide (1982)
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
The Bushido Blade (1982)
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Voice
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1977)
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Voice
A Piece Of The Action (1977)
The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977)
The Greatest (1977)
Swashbuckler (1976)
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars And Motor Kings (1976)
Deadly Hero (1976)
The Ufo Incident (1975)
The River Niger (1975)
Claudine (1974)
Malcolm X (1972)
Biographical narration
The Man (1972)
Douglass Dilman
King: A Filmed Record ... Montgomery to Memphis (1970)
End of the Road (1970)
Doctor D
The Great White Hope (1970)
Jack Jefferson
The Comedians (1967)
Dr. Magiot
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Lieut. Lothar Zogg

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Other
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Other
Looking for Richard (1996)
Other
True Identity (1991)
Other

Cast (Special)

Ennis' Gift: A Film About Learning Differences (2002)
Brilliant But Cancelled (2002)
The 25th Anniversary Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (2002)
Gloria: The Life of Christ (2000)
The 27th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2000)
Presenter
The Washington Monument: It Stands for All (2000)
Narrator
Intimate Portrait: Jane Alexander (1999)
Grow Old Along With Me (1999)
In Search of Liberty Bell 7 (1999)
Narrator
The Kennedys in Crisis (1998)
Somalia: Blackhawk Down (1998)
GQ Men of the Year Awards (1998)
Presenter
Border Patrol (1998)
Dark Religions (1998)
Forces of the Wild (1998)
Narrator
Hollywood & Vinyl: Disney's 101 Greatest Musical Moments (1998)
The 23rd Annual People's Choice Awards (1997)
Presenter
Sports on the Silver Screen (1997)
NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT (1997)
Nickelodeon's 10th Annual Kids' Choice Awards (1997)
Performer
Star Wars: The Magic and the Mystery (1997)
The 50th Annual Tony Awards (1996)
Performer
The 1996 Essence Awards (1996)
Performer
Signs and Wonders (1996)
The Second Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (1996)
Presenter
The Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary Celebration (1996)
James Earl Jones (1995)
Water (1995)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995)
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (1995)
Performer
Movie News Hot Summer Sneak Preview (1994)
Bah! Humbug! (1994)
The Living Cathedral: Saint John the Divine (1994)
Narrator
The Making of the Lion King (1994)
Great American Music: A Salute to Fast Cars (1994)
Outcry L.A.: Riots, Trials, Recovery (1993)
The Parsley Garden (1993)
Narrator
Race For Life: Africa's Great Migration (1993)
Narrator
The 47th Annual Tony Awards (1993)
Performer
An American Reunion: New Beginnings, Renewed Hope (1993)
An American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala (1993)
Baseball Relief: An All-Star Comedy Salute (1993)
George Lucas: Heroes, Myths and Magic (1993)
Narrator
NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT (1993)
The 24th Annual NAACP Image Awards (1992)
Performer
Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards (1992)
Presenter
Michael Jackson... The Legend Continues (1992)
Narrator
AFI Salute to Sidney Poitier (1992)
Performer
The Magic of David Copperfield XIV: Flying... Live the Dream (1992)
Muhammad Ali's 50th Birthday Celebration (1992)
Lincoln (1992)
Narrator
JFK Conspiracy (1992)
19th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame (1992)
Performer
Diamonds on the Silver Screen (1992)
The Creative Spirit (1992)
The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1992)
Presenter
The 12th Annual ACE Awards (1991)
Performer
Visitors From the Unknown (1991)
Narrator
1991 Emmy Awards (1991)
Performer
Great Lakes, Bitter Legacy (1991)
Narrator
The 23rd Annual NAACP Image Awards (1991)
Performer
A Party for Richard Pryor (1991)
The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards (1991)
Performer
Muhammad Ali (1991)
When It Was a Game (1991)
Voice
Teach 109 (1990)
National Memorial Day Concert (1990)
The 44th Annual Tony Awards (1990)
Performer
America's All-Star Tribute to Oprah Winfrey (1990)
Performer
42nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Presentation (1990)
Presenter
2 Years... Later (1990)
The 43rd Annual Tony Awards (1989)
Performer
Third and Oak: The Pool Hall (1989)
47th Annual Golden Globes (1989)
Performer
World Series (1989)
Narrator
Michael Jackson (1988)
Narrator
The Way We Wear (1988)
Narrator
A Hard Road to Glory: The Black Athlete 1988 (1988)
Narrator
Who Lives, Who Dies (1988)
Narrator
America Picks the All-Time Favorite Movies (1988)
Soldier Boys (1987)
The 41st Annual Tony Awards (1987)
Performer
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1986)
The Lone Star Kid (1986)
Lions of Etosha -- King of the Beasts (1986)
Narrator
Amy and the Angel (1982)
Sojourner (1975)
Narrator
Happy Endings (1975)
King Lear (1974)

Cast (Short)

The Comedians in Africa (1967)
Himself

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

The Magic 7 (2004)
Voice
The Feast of All Saints (2001)
People: A Musical Celebration (1995)
Voice
The Valiant Little Tailor (1995)
Voice
The Vernon Johns Story (1994)
Hallelujah (1993)
The Atlanta Child Murders (1985)
Guyana Tragedy: Story of Jim Jones (1980)
Roots: The Next Generations (1979)
Jesus of Nazareth (Do Not Use) (1977)

Life Events

1949

Made his acting debut in a college production of "Deep Are the Roots" at the University of Michigan

1957

Made his Broadway debut as understudy for the role of Perry Hall in "The Egghead"

1957

Had his first paying acting job as Ivan Dixon's understudy in "Wedding in Japan"

1958

Appeared on Broadway in "Sunrise at Campobello"

1959

Began his long association with the New York Shakespeare Festival

1961

Acted in acclaimed NYC production of Jean Genet's "The Blacks"

1963

Received an Emmy nomination for guest starring on the series "East Side, West Side" (CBS), starring George C. Scott and Cicely Tyson

1964

Appeared in South African playwright Athol Fugard's "The Blood Knot" (NYC)

1964

Made his feature debut as Lieutenant Jimmy Zogg in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove"

1966

Appeared as Dr. Jerry Turner on the daytime drama "As the World Turns" (CBS), one of the first black regulars on a daytime drama

1967

Second feature, "The Comedians"; once again cast opposite Tyson

1968

Won his first Tony Award for his role as boxer Jack Johnson in the Broadway production "The Great White Hope"

1970

Starred in Fugard's "Boseman and Lena" at NYC's Circle in the Square

1970

Received Best Actor Academy Award nomination for reprising Johnson in the film version of "The Great White Hope"

1974

Appeared as Diahann Carroll's love interest in the feature "Claudine"

1974

Played Lennie in the Broadway production of "Of Mice and Men"

1975

Reteamed with Tyson for "The River Niger" the film version of the award-winning play

1977

First film with actor Robert Duvall, "The Greatest"; played Malcolm X

1977

Provided the uncredited voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars" and subsequent sequels

1978

Made his London stage debut, bringing the one-man show "Paul Robeson" from Broadway

1979

Was cast on TV series "Paris" (CBS), playing titular role of erudite black police captain

1979

Portrayed Alex Haley in ABC miniseries sequel "Roots: The Next Generations"

1980

Appeared on stage in Fugard's "A Lesson from Aloes"

1982

Acted in the Broadway production of "Othello" playing the title role; co-starred opposite future wife Cecilia Hart

1987

Acted in John Sayles' "Matewan" and in Francis Ford Coppola's "Gardens of Stone"

1987

Played the Tony Award-winning leading role in August Wilson's "Fences"

1989

Portrayed skeptical and reclusive writer Terrence Mann in "Field of Dreams"

1990

Was cast as the title character in the ABC drama "Gabriel's Fire" (later retitled "Pros and Cons")

1990

Reteamed with Cicely Tyson for the TNT miniseries "Heat Wave," based on the 1965 Watts riots

1990

Was cast as a CIA official in "The Hunt for Red October," the first of three films based on Tom Clancy novels (also "Patriot Games" in 1992 and "Clear and Present Danger" in 1994)

1991

Acted with Duvall in Peter Masterson's "Convicts"

1994

Returned to series TV in short-lived "Under One Roof" (CBS)

1994

Spoke with leonine authority as King Mustafa in Disney's animated feature "The Lion King"

1995

Movingly portrayed the South African minister in film remake of Alan Paton's famed classic "Cry the Beloved Country"

1996

Co-starred with Duvall in "A Family Thing"; pair played half-brothers in a script by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson

1997

Portrayed the best friend of Hume Cronyn in the Showtime movie "Horton Foote's Alone"

1998

Reprised the voice of Mufasa in the direct-to-video sequel "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride"

1999

Starred as Dr. William Blakely in Showtime movie "Summer's End"; earned Daytime Emmy Award

2003

Guest starred on The WB's "Everwood" as a jazz pianist and Ephram's mentor; received an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series

2005

Returned as the voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith"

2005

Lead the cast in an African-American Broadway revival version of "On Golden Pond," directed by Leonard Foglia; earned a Tony nomination; production closed early due to Jones' illness

2008

Starred in Debbie Allen's revival of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

2010

Returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's "Driving Miss Daisy" along with Vanessa Redgrave

2011

Received an honorary Academy Award

2012

Joined an all-star cast for "Gore Vidal's The Best Man" on Broadway

2013

Appeared in family drama "Gimme Shelter"

2014

Appeared in Robin Williams vehicle "The Angriest Man in Brooklyn"

2014

Reprised role of Darth Vader for Disney's "Star Wars: Rebels" series

2016

Voiced Vader once again in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"

Photo Collections

The Man - Movie Poster
Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for The Man (1972), starring James Earl Jones. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

Videos

Movie Clip

Dr. Strangelove (1964) -- (Movie Clip) Wing Attack Plan R Major "King" Kong (Slim Pickens) on his strategic bomber gets word from radio-man Goldberg (Paul Tamarin) of unexpected orders, Lt. Zogg (James Earl Jones) voicing the crews' concerns, in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, 1964.
Claudine (1974) -- (Movie Clip) You Gonna Tell Me What's Heavy? Continuing from the opening into what must be some location in Westchester County, NY, title character Diahann Carroll arrives at her workplace and meets garbage-man "Roop" (James Earl Jones) clearly not for the first time, Bernie Barrow and Joan Kaye her employers, John Berry directing, in Claudine, 1974.
Claudine (1974) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Vitamin F With all six kids (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs the tallest, eldest) Bronx native Diahann Carroll (title role, in her Academy Award-nominated performance) in Upper Manhattan, then on the Riverdale bus with friends (Judy Mills et al), in the first and only feature from Ossie Davis’ Third World Cinema Corp., Claudine, 1974.
Claudine (1974) -- (Movie Clip) I've Actually Avoided Success Westchester County garbage man Roop (James Earl Jones) has evacuated household worker Diahann Carroll (title character) from her bustling Manhattan apartment and six kids for their first date, his own place in Harlem not 100% ready for a guest, early in Claudine, 1974.
Claudine (1974) -- (Movie Clip) Every Tear My Mother Sheds The second visit of James Earl Jones as stable suburban garbage-man “Roop” Marshall to the Upper Manhattan home of single-mom Diahann Carroll (title character), getting a little more engaged with her kids, Yvette Curtis as second-eldest Patrice, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as protective Charles, in Claudine, 1974.
Great White Hope, The (1970) -- (Movie Clip) When They Start Hating You More Than That First scene for James Earl Jones as boxer Jack Jefferson, modeled on the real Jack Johnson, and Jane Alexander, in her first movie, as his girlfriend Eleanor, reprising their stage roles, Lou Gilbert as manager Goldie, Joel Fluellen trainer Tick, with crude language, in The Great White Hope, 1970.
Great White Hope, The (1970) -- (Movie Clip) How White You Wanna Be? Celebrating in Chicago after winning the heavyweight championship, Jack Jefferson (James Earl Jones) unconcerned with racial tensions, with his now-fianceè Eleanor (Jane Alexander), confronted by Scipio (Moses Gunn), with more foul language, in director Martin Ritt’s The Great White Hope 1970.

Trailer

Bibliography