James Earl Jones was born on January 17 1921 in Arkabutla, Mississippi. His father was boxer and actor Robert Earl Jones. From the age of five years old he was raised by his grandparents on a farm near Dublin, Michigan. As a child, James Earl Jones stuttered.It was after an English teacher in high school had him read a poem he had written in class that he found out his stutter vanished when he read words that he had memorized. He attended the University of Michigan, which was where he took an interest in acting. James Earl Jones served in the United States Army shortly after the end of the Korean War.
James Earl Jones had made his stage debut in 1953 at a community theatre production in Manistee, Michigan. Following his service in the military He moved to New York City to pursue acting. He made his debut on Broadway in Sunrise at Campobello in 1958. He appeared on Broadway in The Cool World in 1960. It was in the Sixties that James Earl Jones made his movie debut in Dr. Strangelove (1964) as Lt. Lothar Zogg. In the Sixties he appeared in the movies The Comedians (1967), The End of the Road (1970), and The Great White Hope (1970). He made his television debut in an episode of East Side/West Side in 1963. He guest starred on the shows Dr. Kildare, NY.PD., and Sesame Street. He appeared on Broadway in Infidel Caesar, Danton's Death, A Hand is on the Gate, The Great White Hope, and Les Blancs.
It was in the Seventies that James Earl Jones first provided the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars (1977). He would remain the voice of Darth Vader in movies, video games, and other media until 2022, when he announced his retirement for the role. James Earl Jones appeared in the movies The Man (1972), Claudine (1974), The River Niger (1976), The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), Swashbuckler (1976), Deadly Hero (1976), The Greatest (1977), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977), A Piece of the Action (1977), The Bushido Blade (1979). James Earl Jones played the title character on the short-lived television series Paris. He appeared in the mini-series Roots, Jesus of Nazareth, and Roots: The Next Generations. He guest starred on NBC Children's Theatre and Sesame Street. He appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh, Of Mice and Men, Paul Robeson, and A Lessson from Aloes.
In the Eighties James Earl Jones appeared in the movies Conan the Barbarian (1982), Blood Tide (1982), City Limits (1985), Soul Man (1986), Allen Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986), My Little Girl (1987), Matewan (1987), Coming to America (1988), Three Fugitives (1989), Field of Dreams (1989), Best of the Best (1989), Convicts (1990), The Hunt for Red October (1990)., The Ambulance (1990), and Grim Prairie Tales (1990). He did voice work for the films The Flight of Dragons (1982) and Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987). On television he was the host of Long Ago and Far Away. He was a regular on the short-lived show Me and Mom. On Square One Television he had recurring roles. He appeared in the mini-series The Atlanta Child Murders and guest starred on Faerie Tale Theatre, Highway to Heaven, L.A. Law, and The Simpsons. James Earl Jones appeared on Broadway in Othello, "MASTER HAROLD"…and the boys, and Fences.
In the Nineties James Earl Jones appeared in the movies Scorchers (1991), True Identity (1991),. Patriot Games (1992), Sneakers (1992), Dreamrider (1993), Sommersby (1993),. The Sandlot (1993), Excessive Force (1993), The Meteor Man (1993), Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult (1994),. Clean Slate (1994), Clear and Present Danger (1994), Jefferson in Paris (1995). Cry, the Beloved Country (1995), A Family Thing (1996), Good Luck (1996),. Gang-Related (1997), On the Q.T. (1999), Undercover Angel (1999), The Annihilation of Fish (1999)/ He did voice work on The Lion King (1994) and Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997). He played the leads on the television shows Gabriel's Fire, Pros and Cons Under One Roof and Signs and Wonders. He guest starred on The Simpsons, Shelley Duval's Bedtime Stories, ABC Weekend Special, Law & Order, American Playhouse, Picket Fences, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Mad About You, Touched by an Angel, Frasier, Stargate SG-1, and Homicide: Life on the Street. He appeared on the mini-series Merlin.
In the Naughts James Earl Jones appeared in the movies Finder's Fee (1991), The Sandlot 2 (2005), and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008),. He did voice work on the movies Robots (2005), Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (2009), and Jack and the Beanstalk (1995)/.He guest starred on the shows Will & Grace, Everwood, According to Jim, Sesame Street, Two and a Half Men, and House. He appeared on Broadway in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Driving Miss Daisy.
In the Teens he appeared in the movies Gimme Shelter (2013),. The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014). and Warning Shot (2018). He guest starred on The Big Bang Theory and Agent X. He final appearance was in Coming to America 2 (2021).
With his impressive voice, James Earl Jones was very much in demand as a narrator. He served as a narrator on everything from movies like Judge Dredd and Click to the TV series 3rd Rock form the Sun to documentaries like Malcolm (1972) and The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy (2006).
As great as he was in the roles, James Earl Jones was so much more than Darth Vader or Mufasa. He won Tony Awards for The Great White Hope and Fences, and was nominated for more. He was nominated for Academy Awards and Emmy Awards (two of which he won). James Earl Jones was more than a remarkable voice.He was a remarkable actor who played a wide variety of roles. He was incredible as "Few Clothes" Johnson, one of the organizers of a coal mining strike in Matewan. He gave a great performance as author, activist, and consummate baseball fan Terence Mann in Field of Dreams. He was impressive as Mr. Mertle, former baseball player and owner of a frightening mastiff. And, of course, he was fantastic in the Oscar-nominated role of boxer Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope. From Lt. Zogg in Dr. Strangelove to Admiral James Geer in The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games, James Earl Jones gave so many great performances, it would be hard to name them all. He was simply an enormous talent.
1 comment:
Hey Terrence. What about his most famous role of all time: "THIS IS CNN"
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