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James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is a veteran American actor. With a career spanning more than five decades, he is widely regarded as “one of America’s best-known and most diverse actors”.
He is also a voice actor who voiced Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series. Considering his huge success in movies and voice acting, it is hard to imagine that he was once a shy, bashful boy with a stutter.
With the help of his teachers, he put a lot of effort into overcoming his stuttering. James Earl Jones did not initially plan to become an actor, but decided to pursue a career in medicine. He joined the Army during the Korean War, but soon discovered that medicine was not his true calling.
During this period, he fell in love with acting and began working at the Ramsdell Theater. After retiring, he made his Broadway debut and won numerous awards and honors, with a brilliant stage career.
James Earl Jones made a perfect transition from theater to the big screen when he played Lieutenant Lothar Zorg in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. He is known for playing a variety of roles in films. In addition, he has made numerous appearances on television shows.
American actor
James Earl Jones |
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 James Earl Jones: History • Biography • Photos |
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| Wiki facts and figures | |
| Name: | James Earl Jones |
| Date of Birth: | January 17, 1931 (93 years old) |
| place of birth: | Akabutla, Mississippi, USA |
| Country of Citizenship: | American |
| high: | 1.87 m |
| parents: | Robert Earl Jones, Ruth Connolly |
| Brothers and sisters: | Matthew Earl Jones |
| Wife • Spouse: | Cecilia Hart (m. 1982-2016), Julian Marie (m. 1968-1972), Gloria Patricia Mussolino (m. 1957-1958) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Carol Lynley (former) |
| Children: | Flynn Earl Jones |
| Profession: | Actor • Television personality |
| net worth: | $45 million |
Early life and education
James Earl Jones was born to Robert Earl Jones and Ruth Conolly on January 17, 1931 in Akwaputra, Mississippi, USA. He had a younger brother named Matthew Earl Jones.
His father, Robert Earl Jones, left home when he was an infant and was a part-time actor working multiple jobs. His maternal grandparents worked in agriculture and were his primary caregivers. He is of mixed race.
He grew up in a difficult environment on his grandparents’ farm and suffered from a severe stutter, which made him withdrawn and unwilling to talk to others.
James Earl Jones was encouraged to recite poetry by his high school English teacher, and with the teacher’s help, he overcame his stuttering.
He attended Browning School for Boys and then Breslen High School to complete his high school education. He entered the University of Michigan to study medicine but dropped out after realizing that he was not suited to the profession.
James Earl Jones enlisted in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and served in the Korean War. He was initially commissioned as a second lieutenant, but by the time he was discharged, he had been promoted to first lieutenant.
After leaving the army, he moved to New York to train at the American Theater. At that time, he made a living as a cleaner.
Profession
James Earl Jones was a stage actor before he started acting. He worked part-time at the Ramsdell Theater before serving in the military. In 1953, he worked as a stage carpenter, and in 1955, he made his debut in William Shakespeare’s Othello. In the following years, he also starred in other Shakespeare plays, including King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure, and Hamlet.
He made his acting debut as Lieutenant Lothar Zog in Stanley Kubrick’s black comedy Dr. Strangelove, and played boxing champion Jack Jefferson in the 1967 play The Great White Hope, which he also directed. The play ran for 546 performances and was a hit.
In 1970, James Earl Jones reprised his role as Jack Jefferson in the film The Great White Hope, based on the play of the same name. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.
He enjoyed great success in the 1970s and 1980s, playing a variety of roles in a wide range of film genres. Claudine (1974), The Greatest (1977), Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Stone Garden (1987) and The Best of the Best (1989) are some of his most notable works from this period.
James Earl Jones, whose voice is rich and distinctive, voiced Darth Vader in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (1983). He requested that his work not be acknowledged until 1997.
James Earl Jones played the lead role of Gabriel Byrd in the 1990-1991 television series Gabriel’s Fire. He played a former Chicago police officer who was unjustly sentenced. He starred in the 1995 drama Under One Roof, which tells the story of three generations of an African-American family living under the same roof.
He played the role of Reverend Stephen Kumasi in the 1995 film Weep, Dear Country, directed by Darrell Roodt. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Alan Paton.
At the turn of the century, the actor was already 69 years old, but despite his advanced age, he was able to continue doing what he loved. James Earl Jones participated in many theater productions in the 21st century, including On Golden Pond (2005), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008) and Driving Miss Daisy (2010).
James Earl Jones played Chief Justice Caleb Thorne in the 2015 American TV series Agent X. He voiced Mustafa in the 2019 Disney musical The Lion King.
James Earl Jones starred in the 2021 film Coming 2 America. He returned to star in the film, which is the sequel to Coming 2 America (1988).
Filmography
- Dr. Strangelove 1964
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V) 1980
- Star Wars 1977
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 1983
- Claudine 1974
- Sand Legend 1993
- Rogue One 2016
- Montgomery to Memphis 1970
- Dreamland 1989
- The Hunt for Red October 1990
Awards and Achievements
- James Earl Jones won the prestigious 1969 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in The Great White Hope.
- He won the award in the same category in 1987 for his work on Fences.
- His performance in the film The Great White Hope won him the 1971 Golden Globe Award for Best New Actor.
- In 1977, he won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word for his contribution to The Great American Document.
- In 1990, James Earl Jones won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a TV Series for his role in Gabriel’s Fire.
- That same year, he won another Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries for his outstanding performance in Heat Wave.
- In 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Academy Award, completing his EGOT bid without having to compete for an Oscar.
Personal life
Actress Julianne Marie is the wife of James Earl Jones. He married Cecilia Hart in 1982.
The couple was blessed with a child, Flynn Earl Jones, in 1982. Cecilia Hart died on October 16, 2016 from ovarian cancer.
His first wife was Gloria Patricia Mussolino (1957-1958). There are rumors that the famous actor James Earl Jones was once in a relationship with Carol Linley.
net worth
James Earl Jones, an American actor with a rich career, has an estimated net worth of $45 million.
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