James Earl Jones dies at the age of 93
The Independent Artists Group has announced the death of acting legend James Earl Jones. Jones died at his home in Dutchess County, New York, at the age of 93, following a long and respected acting career. James Earl Jones starred in these movies Field of Dreams, The Sandlot, Conan the Barbarianand much more. His first onscreen role was Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombAnd he became famous for his voice work as Darth Vader Star Wars and in Mufasa's The Lion King. But James Earl Jones also had a strong career on Broadway, starring in shows like great white hope And fence. In some ways, acting on stage is even more impressive than film and TV acting; the performer has to perform a scene correctly over and over again rather than giving it multiple takes in one take. Jones was the first actor to win two Emmys in one year and is the holder of the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). Jones also received an honorary Oscar in 2011 and a Lifetime Achievement Tony in 2017. Always modest, this is what James Earl Jones said when accepting his 2011 Oscar: “You can't be a cinema actor and conduct your career the way I have and not be in some of the worst movies ever made on celluloid… Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you very honored, very grateful and absolutely shocked.”
Jones' countless accomplishments seem even more impressive, as he was raised by his grandparents and developed a stutter at age 5 after a traumatic move. Jones even pretended to be dumb as a child to avoid embarrassment. When in high school he was asked to recite a poem in class, Jones discovered he could memorize the words in advance to avoid stuttering. As a senior in high school, he won a public speaking contest and received a scholarship to the University of Michigan. He had gone there to study medicine, but fell in love with acting. There, he made his stage debut in a Manistee, Michigan community theater production before serving in the Korean War. When Jones was discharged, he moved to New York and made his Broadway debut in Sunrise at CampobelloDori Schary's Tony was chosen for best play. Jones' father, Robert Earl Jones, who appeared in the play Tees Despite being blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee, he was advised to:
“If you want to do this business, you have to do it because you love it, not because it will make you rich or famous. That was the best advice he could have given me.”
Jones also became the second black man (after Sidney Poitier) to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Jones was paid $7,000 for the voice of Darth Vader, but he never revealed that it was his voice until he was nominated for an Oscar in 1998. Return of the Jedi,
I've always liked James Earl Jones; I don't remember ever not enjoying his acting. I think it's natural to name Darth Vader and Mufasa, but I also have fond memories of him playing Thulsa Doom. Conan the Barbarian and reclusive author Terrence Mann (based on The Catcher in the Rye (Author JD Salinger) Field of DreamsThulsa is a fun, silly villainous role, while still allowing Jones to show off his onscreen magnetism. I like Field of Dreams From watching it as a kid with my dad. I need to watch it again, but I loved the story of Jones' character rediscovering joy. When such a cultural icon passes away, it's hard to know what to say; even if you haven't seen James Earl Jones, you've heard him. So many of our greatest actors are passing away. I understand how aging works, but it's still sad.
RIP James Earl Jones, January 17, 1931–September 9, 2024
