For the US Marines Commandant, see James L. Jones.
James Earl Jones
Jones in 2013
Born
(1931-01-17) January 17, 1931 (age 93)
Arkabutla, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma mater
University of Michigan (BA)
Occupation
Actor
Years active
1953–present
Works
Full list
Spouses
Julienne Marie
(m. 1968; div. 1972)
Cecilia Hart
(m. 1982; died 2016)
Children
1
Parent
Robert Earl Jones (father)
Awards
Full list
James Earl Jones' voice
Recorded December 2009 from the BBC Radio 4 program Front Row
James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances on stage and screen,[1] and "one of the greatest actors in American history".[2] Over his career, he has received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985. He was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 1992, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009 and the Honorary Academy Award in 2011.[3][2] His deep voice has been praised as a "a stirring basso profondo that has lent gravel and gravitas" to his projects.[4][5]
Having had a stutter since childhood, Jones has said that poetry and acting helped him overcome the challenges of his disability. A pre-med major in college, he served in the United States Army during the Korean War before pursuing a career in acting. Since his Broadway debut in 1957, he has performed in several Shakespeare plays including Othello, Hamlet, Coriolanus, and King Lear.[6] Jones worked steadily in theater winning his first Tony Award in 1968 for his role in The Great White Hope, which he reprised in the 1970 film adaptation earning him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
Jones won his second Tony Award in 1987 for his role in August Wilson's Fences. He was further Tony nominated for his roles in On Golden Pond (2005), and The Best Man (2012). Other Broadway performances include
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008), Driving Miss Daisy (2010–2011), You Can't Take It with You (2014), and The Gin Game (2015–2016). He received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017.[7][8]
Jones made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964). He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Claudine (1974). Jones gained international fame for his voice role as Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, beginning with the original 1977 film. Jones' other notable roles include in Conan the Barbarian (1982), Matewan (1987), Coming to America (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Sandlot (1993), and The Lion King (1994). Jones has reprised his roles in Star Wars media, The Lion King (2019), and Coming 2 America (2021).
^Marx, Rebecca Flint. "James Earl Jones Biography". All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
^ abSperling, Nicole; Susan King (November 12, 2011). "Oprah shines, Ratner controversy fades at honorary Oscars gala". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
^"SAG to honor James Earl Jones". The Hollywood Reporter. October 2, 2008. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
^Hornaday, Ann (September 25, 2014). "James Earl Jones: A voice for the ages, aging gracefully". Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2016 – via washingtonpost.com.
^Moore, Caitlin (September 25, 2014). "James Earl Jones might have the most recognizable voice in film and television". Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016 – via washingtonpost.com.
^"About James Earl Jones". americantheatrewing.org. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
^"Acceptance Speech: James Earl Jones (2017)". Tony Awards. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
^"James Earl Jones Will Receive a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
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