James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones Movies and TV Shows

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.

Personal info

  • Gender: Male
  • Date of birth: 1/17/1931 (93 years old)
  • Place of birth: Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
  • nationality: American
  • height: 1.87 m
  • Net worth: $40,000,000
Year
Genre
IMDB
TMDB
Available on the following streaming services in the United States
Obi-Wan Kenobi
IMDB 7.1
TMDB 71%
role:
Darth Vader (Voice)
2022

Action

Adventure

Drama

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.1
71%
2021

Documentary

Family

8.0
68%
Coming 2 America
IMDB 5.3
TMDB 66%
role:
King Jaffe Joffer
2021

Comedy

5.3
66%
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 63%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
2019

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

6.4
63%
The Lion King
IMDB 6.8
TMDB 71%
role:
Mufasa (voice)
2019

Adventure

Animation

Family

6.8
71%
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Warning Shot
IMDB 4.8
TMDB 50%
role:
Pendleton
2018

Drama

Thriller

4.8
50%
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
IMDB 7.8
TMDB 75%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
2016

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.8
75%
2015

Animation

Family

TV Movie

5.6
65%
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
IMDB 8.8
TMDB 80%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
Not available
2015

Action

Adventure

Animation

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

8.8
80%
Not available
2014

Comedy

Drama

5.7
57%
Gimme Shelter
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 66%
role:
Frank McCarthy
2013

Drama

6.4
66%
Blackfish
IMDB 8.1
TMDB 79%
role:
Himself (archive footage)
2013

Documentary

8.1
79%
Milius
IMDB 7.4
TMDB 71%
role:
Himself
2013

Documentary

7.4
71%
Jack and the Beanstalk
IMDB 4.6
TMDB 55%
role:
The Giant (voice)
2009

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

4.6
55%
Waking Sleeping Beauty
IMDB 7.5
TMDB 72%
role:
Self (archive footage)
2009

Documentary

7.5
72%
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2008

Comedy

Drama

5.5
61%
Earth
IMDB 7.9
TMDB 76%
role:
Narrator
Not available
2007

Documentary

7.9
76%
Not available
Click
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 62%
role:
Narrator of Michael's Past (uncredited)
2006

Comedy

Drama

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

6.4
62%
Scary Movie 4
IMDB 5.1
TMDB 55%
role:
Narrator (uncredited)
2006

Comedy

5.1
55%
The Benchwarmers
IMDB 5.5
TMDB 59%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
2006

Comedy

5.5
59%
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
IMDB 7.6
TMDB 74%
role:
Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)
2005

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.6
74%
The Sandlot 2
IMDB 4.5
TMDB 59%
role:
Mr. Mertle
2005

Comedy

Family

4.5
59%
Robots
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 64%
role:
Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)
2005

Animation

Comedy

Family

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

6.4
64%
Fantasia 2000
IMDB 7.1
TMDB 70%
role:
Self - Host & 1 more
1999

Animation

Family

Music

7.1
70%
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1998

Adventure

Animation

Family

6.5
70%
Primary Colors
IMDB 6.7
TMDB 63%
role:
CNN Voiceover (voice)
1998

Drama

6.7
63%
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
IMDB 4.6
TMDB 54%
role:
Kibosh (voice)
Not available
1997

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

4.6
54%
Not available
Looking for Richard
IMDB 7.3
TMDB 68%
role:
Himself/Interview
1996

Documentary

7.3
68%
Cry, the Beloved Country
IMDB 6.8
TMDB 65%
role:
Rev. Stephen Kumalo
1995

Drama

6.8
65%
Judge Dredd
IMDB 5.6
TMDB 58%
role:
Narrator (uncredited)
1995

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

5.6
58%
Clear and Present Danger
IMDB 6.9
TMDB 66%
role:
Admiral James Greer
1994

Action

Drama

Thriller

6.9
66%
The Lion King
IMDB 8.5
TMDB 83%
role:
Mufasa (voice)
1994

Animation

Drama

Family

8.5
83%
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
IMDB 6.5
TMDB 64%
role:
James Earl Jones (uncredited) & 1 more
1994

Comedy

Crime

6.5
64%
The Meteor Man
IMDB 5.2
TMDB 54%
role:
Earnest Moses
Not available
1993

Action

Comedy

Family

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

5.2
54%
Not available
The Sandlot
IMDB 7.8
TMDB 75%
role:
Mr. Mertle
1993

Comedy

Family

7.8
75%
Sommersby
IMDB 6.2
TMDB 63%
role:
Judge Barry Conrad Issacs & 1 more
1993

Drama

Mystery

Romance

Thriller

6.2
63%
Sneakers
IMDB 7.1
TMDB 69%
role:
NSA Agent Bernard Abbott
1992

Comedy

Crime

Drama

7.1
69%
Patriot Games
IMDB 6.8
TMDB 67%
role:
Adm. James Greer
1992

Action

Crime

Drama

Thriller

6.8
67%
The Ambulance
IMDB 5.9
TMDB 59%
role:
Lt. Spencer
1990

Action

Comedy

Horror

Romance

Thriller

5.9
59%
The Hunt for Red October
IMDB 7.5
TMDB 74%
role:
Admiral James Greer & 1 more
1990

Action

Adventure

Thriller

7.5
74%
Best of the Best
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 65%
role:
Frank Couzo
1989

Action

6.4
65%
Field of Dreams
IMDB 7.5
TMDB 71%
role:
Terrence Mann
1989

Drama

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.5
71%
1989

Comedy

6.2
67%
Coming to America
IMDB 7.1
TMDB 68%
role:
King Jaffe Joffer
1988

Comedy

Romance

7.1
68%
Matewan
IMDB 7.9
TMDB 72%
role:
'Few Clothes' Johnson
Not available
1987

Drama

7.9
72%
Not available
Gardens of Stone
IMDB 6.4
TMDB 64%
role:
Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson
1987

Drama

History

6.4
64%
1986

Action

Adventure

Comedy

4.5
48%
Soul Man
IMDB 5.3
TMDB 54%
role:
Professor Banks
1986

Comedy

5.3
54%
Return of the Jedi
IMDB 8.3
TMDB 79%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
1983

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

8.3
79%
1982

Animation

Family

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.7
67%
Conan the Barbarian
IMDB 6.9
TMDB 68%
role:
Thulsa Doom
1982

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

6.9
68%
The Empire Strikes Back
IMDB 8.7
TMDB 84%
role:
Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
1980

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

8.7
84%
The Star Wars Holiday Special
IMDB 2.1
TMDB 34%
role:
Darth Vader (voice)
Not available
1978

Adventure

Comedy

Family

TV Movie

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

2.1
34%
Not available
1977

Drama

Horror

Thriller

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

3.8
46%
Star Wars
IMDB 8.6
TMDB 82%
role:
Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
1977

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

8.6
82%
Jesus of Nazareth
IMDB 8.5
TMDB 77%
role:
Balthazar
Not available
1977

Drama

8.5
77%
Not available
1964

Comedy

Drama

War & Politics

8.4
81%

FAQs

Some movies or TV shows available in the United States starring or involving James Earl Jones are, for example, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street and Coming 2 America.
The streaming services with the largest selection are Prime Video, iTunes and Amazon.
The best Anystream ratings are The Empire Strikes Back (8.6), The Lion King (8.4) and Star Wars (8.4).
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