James Earl Jones
![James Earl Jones](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/oqMPIsXrl9SZkRfIKN08eFROmH6.jpg)
Known For: Acting
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: January 17, 1931 (94 years old)
Place of Birth: Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is a multi-award-winning American actor of theater and film, well known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership. He is known for providing the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and the tagline for CNN. James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, the son of Ruth (née Connolly) and Robert Earl Jones. At the age of five, he moved to Jackson, Michigan, to be raised by his maternal grandparents, but the adoption was traumatic and he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak aloud. When he moved to Brethren, Michigan in later years a teacher at the Brethren schools started to help him with his stutter. He remained functionally mute for eight years until he reached high school. He credits his high school teacher, Donald Crouch, who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry, with helping him out of his silence. Jones attended the University of Michigan where he was a pre-med major. While there, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and excelled. During the course of his studies, Jones discovered he was not cut out to be a doctor. Instead he focused himself on drama, with the thought of doing something he enjoyed, before, he assumed, he would have to go off to fight in the Korean War. After four years of college, Jones left without his degree. In 1953 he found a part-time stage crew job at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan, which marked the beginning of his acting career. During the 1955–1957 seasons he was an actor and stage manager. He performed his first portrayal of Shakespeare’s Othello in this theater in 1955. After his discharge from the Military, Jones moved to New York, where he attended the American Theatre Wing to further his training and worked as a janitor to earn a living. His first film role was as a young and trim Lt. Lothar Zogg, the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in 1964. His first big role came with his portrayal of boxer Jack Jefferson in the film version of the Broadway play The Great White Hope, which was based on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. For his role, Jones was nominated Best Actor by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, making him the second African-American male performer (following Sidney Poitier) to receive a nomination. In 1969, Jones participated in making test films for a proposed children's television series; these shorts, combined with animated segments were the beginnings of the Sesame Street format. The next year, in the early 1970s, James appeared with Diahann Carroll in the film called Claudine. While he has appeared in many roles, he is well known as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. Darth Vader was portrayed in costume by David Prowse in the original trilogy, with Jones dubbing Vader's dialogue in postproduction due to Prowse's strong West Country accent being unsuitable for the role. At his own request, he was originally uncredited for the release of the first two films (he would later be credited for the two in the 1997 re-release). His other voice roles include Mufasa in the 1994 film Disney animated blockbuster The Lion King, and its direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He also has done the CNN tagline, "This is CNN", as well as "This is CNN International", and the Bell Atlantic tagline, "Bell Atlantic: The heart of communication". When Bell Atlantic became Verizon, Jones used the tagline greeting of "Welcome to Verizon" or "Verizon 411" right before a phone call would go through. The opening for NBC's coverage of the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics; "the Big PI in the Sky" (God) in the computer game Under a Killing Moon; a Claymation film about The Creation; and several guest spots on The Simpsons. In addition to his film and voice over work, Jones is an accomplished stage actor as well; he has won Tony awards in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences. Othello, King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet are Shakespearean roles he has played. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2002. Jones has been married to actress Cecilia Hart since 1982. They have one child, Flynn Earl Jones. He was previously married to American actress/singer Julienne Marie (born March 21, 1933, Toledo, Ohio); they had no children. Jones is a registered Republican.
2024
2021
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
![Fantasia 2000](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/5rwAtUaKEK48CPUijVfVU0IPKPZ.jpg)
Actor Self - Host
Fantasia 2000
Actor Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely
Summer's End
![Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/iWKui79bDPffyv57uT8gGqgLzNl.jpg)
Actor Self
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'
![Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/atV2c2BseV2hrg2J44C4NjE9K9f.jpg)
Actor Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg'
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'
![The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/7QH4nN29txyY3PNQiYX8347KzAA.jpg)
Actor Self
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove
![Antietam: A Documentary Film](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/1IeutyR0ij1iU7xVEz52cZd1IGg.jpg)
Actor Narrator
Antietam: A Documentary Film
![Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/nfZ4aJHrNS1ZIzo0idDx4y3Zvwn.jpg)
Actor
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
1999
1998
1997
![Gang Related](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/zvl4RYK5OHo2d9V1aUkHkxhh9Zv.jpg)
Actor Arthur Baylor
Gang Related
![What the Deaf Man Heard](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/mEhTcoBQ7cbmX6OkZJ8kIIYojWo.jpg)
Actor Archibald Thacker
What the Deaf Man Heard
![The Second Civil War](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/aVdrnRbP38f2R0u9OxqRUC8Wr09.jpg)
Actor Jim Kalla
The Second Civil War
Actor Grey
Alone
Actor Self (archive footage)
Afro Promo
![Casper: A Spirited Beginning](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/qq3K8HnVa8VEdFWUun0ngvfa19h.jpg)
Actor Kibosh (voice)
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
![Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/8TKZNYSI62UxBxhrhDeFaiYbQki.jpg)
Actor Self
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Actor Self (archive footage)
Sports on the Silver Screen
Actor Narrator (voice) (DVD version)
Hitler's Forgotten Victims
1996
1995
![Cry, the Beloved Country](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/kGPsBswFOCjiGzXq4OZwzEAAODa.jpg)
Actor Rev. Stephen Kumalo
Cry, the Beloved Country
![The Making of 'Jurassic Park'](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/kYVJCtAOhkIbz4MWulx0N17ZNTQ.jpg)
Actor Host
The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
![The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/antXwsgOHONG7A1glEVE5oEjA96.jpg)
Actor Self
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
![Jefferson in Paris](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/vcZCvsm920LoNDb7pMibJkxIE4n.jpg)
Actor Madison Hemings
Jefferson in Paris
![Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/huuP0OUuJQt3StOnNyYCEtnFVPH.jpg)
Actor Mufasa (voice)
Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable
![Judge Dredd](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/cfSnKn8NDU3m8UxihjVcYprA0Aq.jpg)
Actor Narrator (uncredited)
Judge Dredd
![People: A Musical Celebration](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/lWcTir4r9bIAvp39aYzz0ZFhJef.jpg)
Actor The Storyteller (voice)
People: A Musical Celebration
![Who's in Rabbit's House?](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/5r0PNeRCNWUUvXACRK99koew49P.jpg)
Actor Narrator (voice)
Who's in Rabbit's House?
1994
![The Lion King](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/sKCr78MXSLixwmZ8DyJLrpMsd15.jpg)
Actor Mufasa (voice)
The Lion King
![Clear and Present Danger](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/6xTM8FPxrLRYwz6I3fqtwh7xybs.jpg)
Actor Admiral James Greer
Clear and Present Danger
![Africa: The Serengeti](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/3q9clV4RuFW5N6oZSkqWEGbcjnD.jpg)
Actor Narrator
Africa: The Serengeti
![Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/kP63L0E7Ftesqq8npKDQV4v078L.jpg)
Actor Host
Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics
![Clean Slate](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/kAYsvQvBVshLHGTIDGHcj9jTJq0.jpg)
Actor John Dolby
Clean Slate
![The Vernon Johns Story](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/feBspBoyeN4qEcrNL0fHEhhLGCR.jpg)
Actor Vernon Johns
The Vernon Johns Story
![Confessions: Two Faces of Evil](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/gNAeomnBWlwHfItD5uTPg4DqnIc.jpg)
Actor Charles Lloyd
Confessions: Two Faces of Evil
![Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/p0AYsdgkudR9P5fNV5AjzbwQt8W.jpg)
Actor James Earl Jones (uncredited)
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
![The Making of the Lion King](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/9gyZQ9ARQHQvZ9ad9w4KJttaVqG.jpg)
Actor Self
The Making of the Lion King
![Gangs: Turning the Corner](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/xB0egRmOOpu29C21J9yONJtXd1d.jpg)
Actor Self
Gangs: Turning the Corner
Actor Narrator
Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'
1993
![Sommersby](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/tAgQKLv0GK97Tr0bvdI66oXlEVb.jpg)
Actor Judge Barry Conrad Issacs
Sommersby
![The Meteor Man](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/yU4iGGvG51mHj8MOQICdw6ABXzQ.jpg)
Actor Earnest Moses
The Meteor Man
![The Sandlot](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/7PYqz0viEuW8qTvuGinUMjDWMnj.jpg)
Actor Mr. Mertle
The Sandlot
![Excessive Force](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/vX4ogFlyNCfl2yox3MG0PYDKcR4.jpg)
Actor Jake
Excessive Force
![Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/5wqvRs93dk8knxUbuKKOFBVwf4q.jpg)
Actor Self [Superbowl Heal The World] (voice)
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films
Actor Old Man Taylor
Hallelujah
![Percy & Thunder](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/4MBkwVbOOyEqgsgh5hOweGPQMUo.jpg)
Actor Percy Banks
Percy & Thunder
![Dreamrider](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/60i10cJ9Fh6UbiTRWHhFCPNun1r.jpg)
Actor Bill Perry
Dreamrider
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
![A Piece of the Action](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/25MMJiTb9KPmINm8XN1LXyuZOG0.jpg)
Actor Joshua Burke
A Piece of the Action
![The Last Remake of Beau Geste](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/6GwMgIuOKxf1TCdgZGDQ56Kvyt.jpg)
Actor Sheikh
The Last Remake of Beau Geste
![Exorcist II: The Heretic](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/g9i3LTMYLRHvCYSKimZEfd1Vqy7.jpg)
Actor Older Kokumo
Exorcist II: The Heretic
![The Greatest](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/dkPVN51q9hbzkN5zmwybsLMhCej.jpg)
Actor Malcolm X
The Greatest
![Star Wars](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/6FfCtAuVAW8XJjZ7eWeLibRLWTw.jpg)
Actor Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Star Wars
![The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/3uKAA5LGCn7DtojUFkup6M5Yw80.jpg)
Actor Morris Bird, Jr.
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
![The Making of Star Wars](http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w185/SUuNG1l918uBNMZZRDrUQMvwzt.jpg)
Actor Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
The Making of Star Wars