James Earl Jones on screen and stage

American actor James Earl Jones had an extensive career in various film, television, and theater. He started out in film by appearing in the 1964 political satire film Dr. Strangelove as Lt. Lothar Zogg. He then went on to star in the 1970 film The Great White Hope as Jack Jefferson, a role he first played in the Broadway production of the same name. The film role earned him two Golden Globe nominations, one for Best Actor and winning one for New Star of the Year. He also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.[1][2] His other work in the 1970s included playing the title character in Malcolm X (1972), Johnny Williams in The River Niger (1976), Nick Debrett in Swashbuckler (1976), Malcolm X again in The Greatest (1977), and The Bushido Blade with Richard Boone (1979).

James Earl Jones sitting in a chair smiling at the camera in 2010
Jones in 2010

Jones had notably voiced the antagonist Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, first in the original trilogy films—Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983) then again in the third installment of the prequel trilogy, Revenge of the Sith, first installment of the Star Wars anthology seriesRogue One (2016), and the third installment of the sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker. He was also notable for voicing the Disney character Mufasa, first in the 1994 animated film The Lion King, its sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998), and the 2019 photorealistic computer-animated remake of the same name.

In the 1980s, Jones had co-starring roles in the films Conan the Barbarian with Arnold Schwarzenegger (1982), Soul Man with C. Thomas Howell (1986), Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold with Richard Chamberlain (1987), Matewan with Chris Cooper (1987), Coming to America with Eddie Murphy (1988) and its sequel, Coming 2 America (2021), and Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner (1989). In 1990, Jones was first cast as the role of Admiral James Greer in the action thriller film The Hunt for Red October, a film based on Tom Clancy's novel of the same name. He reprised the role again in Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994), both films he co-starred with Harrison Ford, who was also in the first three Star Wars franchise films. He also played Mr. Mertle in The Sandlot (1993), a role he reprised again in The Sandlot 2 (2005). His later roles include Gimme Shelter with Rosario Dawson (2013), and The Angriest Man in Brooklyn with Robin Williams (2014), one of Williams' last films before his death. In 2008 and 2011, Jones won the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and Academy Honorary Award respectively for his career in film.[3][4]

Jones' television work included playing Woodrow Paris in the series Paris between 1979 and 1980. He voiced various characters on the animated series The Simpsons in three separate seasons (1990, 1994, 1998). He then was cast as Gabriel Bird, the lead role in the series Gabriel's Fire which aired from 1990 to 1991. For that role, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and was nominated for his fourth Golden Globe Award, this time for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama.[1][5] He played Bird again in the series Pros and Cons, which ran from 1991 to 1992; that earned him his fifth and final Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama.[1] He then had small appearances in the series Law & Order (1993), Picket Fences (1994), Mad About You (1997), Touched by an Angel (1997), Frasier (1997). His role in Picket Fences earned him another Primetime Emmy Award nomination, one for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.[5] His later television work includes small roles in Everwood (2003–2004), Two and a Half Men (2008), House (2009), and The Big Bang Theory (2014).

Jones' theater work included numerous Broadway plays, including Sunrise at Campobello (1958–1959), Danton's Death (1965), The Iceman Cometh (1973–1974), Of Mice and Men (1974–1975), Othello (1982), On Golden Pond (2005), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008) and You Can't Take It with You (2014–2015). He was also in various off Broadway productions and Shakespeare stage adaptations such as The Merchant of Venice (1962), The Winter's Tale (1963), Othello (1964–1965), Coriolanus (1965), Hamlet (1972), and King Lear (1973). His roles in The Great White Hope (1969) and Fences (1987) earned him two Tony Awards, both for Best Leading Actor in a Play.[6]

Film

Jones at the Governor's Ball after the 43rd Annual Emmy Awards in August 1991
Jones rehearsing for the Australian tour of the stage production Driving Miss Daisy in January 2013
YearTitleRoleNotesRef(s)
1964Dr. StrangeloveLt. Lothar Zogg[7]
1967The ComediansDr. Georges Magiot[8]
The Comedians in AfricaHimselfShort film[9]
1970End of the RoadDoctor D[10]
The Great White HopeJack JeffersonNominated — Academy Award for Best Actor[11]
1972The ManDouglass Dilman[12]
1974ClaudineRupert "Roop" B. Marshall[13]
1976The River NigerJohnny Williams[14]
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsLeon Carter[15]
SwashbucklerNick Debrett[16]
Deadly HeroRabbit[17]
1977The GreatestMalcolm X[18]
Star WarsDarth VaderVoice role, originally uncredited (credited in reissues)[19][20]
Exorcist II: The HereticOlder Kokumo[21]
The Last Remake of Beau GesteSheikh[22]
A Piece of the ActionJoshua Burke[23]
1979The Bushido BladeHarpooner[24]
1980The Empire Strikes BackDarth VaderVoice role, originally uncredited (credited in reissues)[19][20]
1982The Flight of DragonsOmmadonVoice role[25]
Conan the BarbarianThulsa Doom[26]
Blood TideFryeaka Demon Island and The Red Tide[27]
1983Return of the JediDarth VaderVoice role[19]
1985City LimitsAlbert[28]
1986Soul ManProfessor Banks[29]
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of GoldUmslopogaas[30]
1987Gardens of StoneSgt. Maj. "Goody" Nelson[31]
My Little GirlIke Bailey[32]
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the NightEmperor of the NightVoice role[33]
MatewanFew Clothes[34]
1988Coming to AmericaKing Jaffe Joffer[35]
1989Three FugitivesDetective Movan Dugan[36]
Field of DreamsTerence Mann[37]
Best of the BestFrank Couzo[38]
1990ConvictsBen Johnson[39]
The Hunt for Red OctoberAdmiral James Greer[40]
The AmbulanceLt. Spencer[41]
Grim Prairie TalesMorrison[42]
1991ScorchersBear[43]
True IdentityHimself
1992Patriot GamesAdmiral James Greer[44]
SneakersNSA Agent Bernard Abbott[45]
1993DreamriderWilliam Perry[46]
SommersbyJudge Barry Conrad Isaacs[47]
The SandlotMr. Mertle[48]
Excessive ForceJake[49]
The Meteor ManEarnest Moses[50]
1994Naked Gun 33+13: The Final InsultHimselfCameo[51]
Clean SlateDolby[52]
The Lion KingMufasaVoice role[53]
Clear and Present DangerAdmiral James Greer[54]
1995Jefferson in ParisMadison Hemings[55]
Cry, the Beloved CountryRev. Stephen Kumalo[56]
1996A Family ThingRay Murdock[57]
Good LuckJames Bing[58]
1997Casper: A Spirited BeginningKiboshVoice, direct-to-video[59]
Gang RelatedArthur Baylor[60]
1998Primary ColorsCNN Voiceover[61]
The Lion King II: Simba's PrideMufasaVoice role, direct-to-video[62]
1999Our Friend, MartinMartin Luther King, Sr.[63]
On the Q.T.Leo[64]
Undercover AngelThe Judge[65]
The Annihilation of FishFish[66]
Fantasia 2000HimselfIntroduced Carnival of the Animals segment[67]
2001Finder's FeeAvery Phillips[68]
2005RobotsVoice Box at Hardware StoreVoice role[69]
The Sandlot 2Mr. Morris MertleDirect-to-video[70]
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithDarth VaderVoice role[71]
2006The Benchwarmers[72]
ClickNarrator of Michael's Past / HimselfUncredited cameo[73]
Scary Movie 4Narrator / Himself[74]
2008Welcome Home Roscoe JenkinsRoscoe Jenkins, Sr.[75]
2009Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space OdysseyThe Professor, The AdmiralVoice role[76]
Jack and the BeanstalkThe Giant[77]
2011Star Tours – The Adventures ContinueDarth VaderVoice role, short film[78]
2013Gimme ShelterFrank McCarthy[79]
2014The Angriest Man in BrooklynRuben[80]
Driving Miss DaisyHoke ColeburnTheatrical release of Australian stage production[81]
2016Rogue OneDarth VaderVoice role[82]
2018Warning ShotPendleton[83]
2019The Lion KingMufasaVoice role[84]
Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerEmperor Palpatine impersonating Darth Vader[85]
2021Coming 2 AmericaKing Jaffe JofferFinal film role[86]

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotesRef(s)
1963East Side/West SideJoe GoodwinEpisode: "Who Do You Kill?"
1966Dr. KildareDr. Lou Rush4 episodes
1969N.Y.P.D.Candy Lateen2 episodes
Sesame StreetHimself
1974NBC Children's TheaterEpisode: "Super Plastic Elastic Goggles"
1977RootsAlex HaleyEpisode: "Part XII"[87]
Jesus of NazarethBalthazarEpisode: "Part 1"[88]
1978Sesame StreetMovie StarEpisode: 1148
1979Roots: The Next GenerationsAlex HaleyEpisode: "1.7"
1979–80ParisWoodrow Paris13 episodes
1985The Atlanta Child MurdersMajor Walker2 episodes
Me and MomLou Garfield6 episodes
1986Faerie Tale TheatreGenie of the Lamp, Genie of the RingEpisode: "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp"
1987Highway to HeavenGabe Wilson1 episode: "A Song of Songs"
1987; 1990–92Square One TVAnnouncer,
Chief Thad Greene
4 episodes
1987–91Mathnet5 episodes
1988–89L.A. LawLee Atkins2 episodes
1989Saturday Night with Connie ChungVernon JohnsEpisode: "God's Bad Boy"
1989–92Long Ago and Far AwayHimself/host35 episodes
1990, 1994, 1998The SimpsonsMoving Man, Serak the Preparer
Narrator, Maggie Simpson
Voice, 3 episodes
1990–91Gabriel's FireGabriel Bird22 episodes
1991–92Pros and Cons12 episodes
1992Garfield and FriendsDiabloVoice, episode: "Ghost of a Chance"
1993ABC Weekend SpecialEpisode: "The Parsley Garden"
Law & OrderHorace McCoyEpisode: "Profile"
American PlayhouseOld Man TaylorEpisode: "Hallelujah"
1994Picket FencesBryant ThomasEpisode: "System Down"
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanFranklin SternEpisode: "The House of Luthor"
1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildKing DakkarVoice, episode: "The Valiant Little Tailor"[89]
Signs and WondersDiamond4 episodes
Under One RoofNeb Langston6 episodes
1997Mad About YouHimselfEpisode: "Chicken Man"
Touched by an AngelAngel of AngelsEpisode: "Clipped Wings"
FrasierNorman RoysterEpisode: "Roz's Krantz & Gouldenstein Are Dead"
Stargate SG-1UnasEpisode: "Thor's Hammer"
Homicide: Life on the StreetFelix Wilson3 episodes
1998MerlinMountain KingVoice, 3 episodes
RecessSanta ClausVoice, episode: "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave"
2003Will & GraceHimselfEpisode: "Me and Mr. Jones"
2003–04EverwoodWill Cleveland3 episodes
2004According to JimRoyal Flush XP ToiletVoice, episode: "The Toilet"
Sesame StreetHimselfEpisode: 4077
2008Two and a Half MenEpisode: "The Devil's Lube"[90]
2009HouseDibalaEpisode: "The Tyrant"
2014The Big Bang TheoryHimselfEpisode: "The Convention Conundrum"[91]
2014–16Star Wars RebelsDarth VaderVoice, 5 episodes
2015Agent XChief Justice Caleb Thorne2 episodes
2022Obi-Wan KenobiDarth VaderVoice (generated via Respeecher)
4 episodes; Final role
[92][93]

Television films

YearTitleRoleRef(s)
1974The CayTimothy[94]
1975The UFO IncidentBarney Hill[95]
1977The Greatest Thing That Almost HappenedMorris Bird, Jr.[96]
1978Star Wars Holiday SpecialDarth Vader[97]
1980Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim JonesFather Divine[98]
1984The Vegas Strip WarJack Madrid[99]
1990By Dawn's Early LightAlice[100]
Heat WaveJunius Johnson[90]
1993Percy & ThunderPercy[101]
1994Confessions: Two Faces of EvilCharles Lloyd[102]
The Road to Freedom: The Vernon Johns StoryVernon Johns[103]
Rod Serling's Lost ClassicsHost[104]
Bah, Humbug!Narrator, Ebenezer Scrooge[105]
1995People: A Musical CelebrationThe Storyteller[106]
1996Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" ManigaultDr. McDuffie[107]
TimepieceLawrence[108]
1997AloneGrey[109]
What the Deaf Man HeardArchibald Thacker[110]
The Second Civil WarJim Kalla[111]
1999Santa and PeteGrandpa Nicholas[112]
Summer's EndDr. William Blakely[113]
2001The Feast of All SaintsOlder Marcel[114]
2005The Reading RoomWilliam[115]
2009The Magic 75-Toe (voice)[116]
2015The Lion Guard: Return of the RoarMufasa (voice)[117]

Narrator

YearTitleNotesRef(s)
1970King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisDocumentary[118]
1972Malcolm X[119]
1980There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues[120]
1984Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s EarsAudio book
1990The Atlanta CampaignShort film[121]
1992Freddie as F.R.O.7American dub[122]
LincolnTelevision documentary[123]
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince RamaAmerican dub[124]
Second ComingShort film
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime StoriesSegment "Millions of Cats"
1993The Complete Multimedia BibleVideo game[125]
1994Africa: The SerengetiDocumentary[126]
1995Judge DreddUncredited[127]
Who's in Rabbit's House?Audio book[128]
19963rd Rock from the Sun19 episodes; uncredited
2000Antietam: A Documentary DramaDocumentary[129]
2001Black Indians: An American Story[130]
2002Disney's American LegendsVideo[131]
2004Nine Dog ChristmasVideo[132]
2006The Trail of Tears: Cherokee LegacyDocumentary[133]
2007Earth[134]
2009La PremiereShort

Theatre

Jones performing Driving Miss Daisy in Sydney in March 2013
YearTitleRoleVenueRef(s)
1958–59Sunrise at CampobelloEdwardCort Theatre[135]
1960The Cool WorldHarrison ThurstonEugene O'Neill Theatre[136]
1961Clandestine on the Morning LineActors' Playhouse[137]
The AppleLiving Theatre[138]
1961–64The BlacksDeodatus VillageSt. Mark's Playhouse[139]
1962The Merchant of VenicePrince of MoroccoDelacorte Theater[140]
P.S. 193Mario SacconeWriters Stage Theatre[141]
1963The Love NestGeorge Gulp[142]
The Winter's TaleCamilloDelacorte Theater[143]
Next Time I'll Sing to YouRudgePhoenix Theatre[144]
1964The Blood KnotZachariah PietersonCricket Theatre[145]
1964–65OthelloOthelloMartinique Theatre / Delacorte Theater[146][147]
1965BaalEkartMartinique Theatre[148]
CoriolanusJunius BrutusDelacorte Theater[149]
Troilus and CressidaAjax[150]
Danton's DeathVivian Beaumont Theatre[151]
1966A Hand Is on the GateLongacre Theatre[152]
1968–70The Great White HopeJack JeffersonAlvin Theatre[153]
1970Les BlancsTshembe MatosehLongacre Theatre[154]
1972HamletClaudiusDelacorte Theater[155]
1972–73The Cherry OrchardLopahinJoseph Papp Public Theater/Anspacher Theater[156]
1973King LearLearDelacorte Theater[157]
1973–74The Iceman ComethTheodore HickmanCircle in the Square Theatre[158]
1974–75Of Mice and MenLennieBrooks Atkinson Theatre[159]
1978Paul RobesonPaul RobesonLunt-Fontanne Theatre / Booth Theatre[160]
1980–81A Lesson From AloesSteve DanielsPlayhouse Theatre[161]
1982OthelloOthelloWinter Garden Theatre[162]
1982–83"Master Harold"...and the BoysLyceum Theatre[163]
1987–88FencesTroy Maxson46th Street Theatre[164]
2005On Golden PondNorman Thayer, Jr.Cort Theatre[165]
2008–09Cat on a Hot Tin RoofBig DaddyBroadhurst Theatre (2008)
Novello Theatre (2009)
[166]
2010–11,
2013
Driving Miss DaisyHoke ColburnJohn Golden Theatre (2010–2011)
Wyndham’s Theatre (2011)
Australian Tour (2013)
[167][168]
2012The Best ManFormer President Arthur "Artie" HockstaderGerald Schoenfeld Theatre[169]
2013Much Ado about NothingBenedickThe Old Vic[170]
2014–15You Can't Take It with YouMartin VanderhofLongacre Theatre[171]
2015–16The Gin GameWeller MartinJohn Golden Theatre[172]
2017The Night of the IguanaNonnoAmerican Repertory Theater[173]

Video games

YearTitleVoice roleNotesRef(s)
1994Tex Murphy: Under a Killing MoonGreat P.I. of the Universe[174]
1999Command & Conquer: Tiberian SunGeneral James SolomonLive action cutscenes[175]
2000The Lion King: Simba's Mighty AdventureMufasa[176]
2005Kingdom Hearts IIArchived recordings from the original film[177]
2007Lego Star Wars: The Complete SagaDarth Vader[178]

Sources

  • Krafsur, Richard P. (1997). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States (1. California ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0520209702. Retrieved April 24, 2015.

References