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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = James Earl Jones
| name = James Earl Jones
| image = James Earl Jones 2010 Crop.jpg.
| image = James Earl Jones 2010 Crop.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Jones in 2010
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1931|01|17}}
| birth_place = [[Arkabutla, Mississippi]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| occupation = Actor, voice actor
| spouse = [[Julienne Marie]] (divorced)<br />[[Cecilia Hart]] (1982–present)
| yearsactive = 1953–present
| website =
}}

'''James Earl Jones''' (born January 17, 1931)<ref name="filmreference">{{Cite web | title=James Earl Jones Biography (1931–) | url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/4/James-Earl-Jones.html | publisher=FilmReference.com | accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref> is an American [[actor]] who in a career of over 50 years has become known as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/james-earl-jones-36131/bio |title=James Earl Jones Biography |author=Rebecca Flint Marx |publisher=All Movie Guide |accessdate=April 12, 2011}}</ref> and "one of the greatest actors in American history."<ref name="award">{{cite web |url= http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/3rd-annual-governors-awards-its-the-oprah-show-bret-ratner-anti-gay-slur-controversay-abates-honorary-oscars-gala-dick-smith-.html|title= Oprah shines, Ratner controversy fades at honorary Oscars gala|author= Nicole Sperling, Susan King|date= November 12, 2011|publisher= LA Times.com |accessdate=November 14, 2011}}</ref> Since his [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in 1957, Jones has won several awards, including a [[Tony Award]] and [[Golden Globe Award]] for his role in ''[[The Great White Hope]]''. He is also known for his [[voice acting]] role as [[Darth Vader]] as well as many film, stage, and television roles.

As a child Jones overcame a [[stutter]] that lasted for several years. A [[Pre-medical|pre-med]] [[Academic major|major]] in college, he went on to serve as an [[United States Army Rangers|Army Ranger]] during the [[Korean War]], before dedicating his career to acting.

On November 12, 2011, he received an [[Honorary Academy Award]].<ref name="award"/>

==Early life==
===Childhood===
James Earl Jones was born in [[Arkabutla, Mississippi]], son of [[Robert Earl Jones]] (1910–2006), an actor, boxer, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth, and his wife Ruth (Connolly) Jones, a teacher and maid.<ref name="filmreference">{{Cite web | title=James Earl Jones Biography (1931–) | url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/4/James-Earl-Jones.html | work=Film Reference | accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref><ref name="nwatrav">{{Cite journal | last=Bandler| first=Michael J. | title=This is James Earl Jones | journal=NWA World Traveler | publisher=Northwest Airlines | url= http://www.nwaworldtraveler.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=3BA4583DD6074B17AC433C6F1DB1729B&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=EFE8668FC21A45458BA591255BB3367E | month=March | year=2008 | accessdate=April 3, 2008}}</ref> Jones and his father reconciled many years later. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents, farmers John Henry and Maggie Connolly.<ref name="Indianheritage">{{Cite web | title=James Earl Jones – Academy of Achievement | url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/photocredit/achievers/jon2-010 | work=A Museum of Living History |publisher=Academy of Achievement| accessdate=April 3, 2008}}</ref>
He is multiracial, with [[African]], [[Ireland|Irish]], and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] ancestry.<ref>{{Cite journal | last=Levesque | first=Carl | title=Unconventional wisdom: James Earl Jones speaks out | journal=Association Management | publisher=The Gale Group | url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-1928105_ITM | date=August 1, 2002 | accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | author=Dorothy Davis | title=Speaking with James Earl Jones | url=http://www.educationupdate.com/archives/2005/february/html/Black-Jones.html | work=Education Update | date=February 2005 | accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref>

Jones describes his grandmother, Maggie, as "the most racist person I have ever known", thus forcing him to develop his own independent thinking. His grandmother was of [[Cherokee]], [[Choctaw]], and black ancestry.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9655708.stm James Earl Jones on his 'racist grandmother'], interview with [[Stephen Sackur]], BBC News, December 7, 2011.</ref>

He moved to his grandparents' farm in [[Jackson, Michigan]] when he was five, but the transition was traumatic and he developed a [[stutter]] so severe he refused to speak. When he moved to [[Brethren, Michigan]] in later years, a teacher at the Brethren schools helped him overcome his stutter. He remained functionally [[Selective mutism|mute]] for eight years, until he entered high school. He credits his English teacher, Donald Crouch, who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry, with helping him end his silence.<ref name="nwatrav"/> Crouch believed forced [[public speaking]] would help Jones gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem in class every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/stage-visual-arts/the-daddy-of-them-all-1.1007614|title=The daddy of them all|publisher=heraldscotland.com|accessdate=November 5, 2011}}</ref> "I was a stutterer. I couldn't talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school."''<ref>{{Cite interview|subject=James Earl Jones|interviewer=the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]] for the [[National Medal of Arts]]|url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/jon2int-2 |format=Audio/Transcript|city=Sun Valley, Idaho|date=June 29, 1996|accessdate=February 20, 2008}}</ref>

===Education===
After being educated at the Browning School for boys in his high school years and graduating from Brethren High School in Brethren, Michigan, Jones attended the [[University of Michigan]] where he was a [[Pre-medical|pre-med]] [[Academic major|major]].<ref name="nwatrav"/> He joined the [[Reserve Officer Training Corps]], and excelled. He felt comfortable within the structure of the military environment, and enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow cadets in the [[Pershing Rifles]] Drill Team and [[Scabbard and Blade]] Honor Society.<ref>Ensian (Yearbook of the University of Michigan), p. 156 (1952)</ref> 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 graduated from the University in 1955.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vpcomm.umich.edu/aboutum/home/famousalumni.php |title=Notable Alumni |publisher=University of Michigan |accessdate=February 27, 2012}}</ref>

===Military===
With the war intensifying in Korea, Jones expected to be sent to the war as soon as he received his commission as a second lieutenant. As he waited for his orders, he worked as a part-time stage crew hand at the [[Ramsdell Theatre]] in [[Manistee, Michigan]], where he had earlier performed. Jones was commissioned in mid 1953 and reported to [[Fort Benning]] to attend Infantry Officers Basic Course. He then attended [[Ranger School]] and received his [[Ranger Tab]] (although he stated during an interview on the BBC's ''[[The One Show]]'' screened on November 11, 2009 that he "washed out" of Ranger training). He was initially to report to [[Fort Leonard Wood (military base)|Fort Leonard Wood]], but his unit was instead sent to establish a cold weather training command at the [[Camp Hale]] near [[Leadville, Colorado]]. His battalion became a training unit in the rugged terrain of the [[Rocky Mountains]]. Jones was promoted to [[first lieutenant]] prior to his discharge.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Soldiers to Celebrities: James Earl Jones – U.S. Army|url=http://www.hiredguns.biz/profiles/jamesearljones.htm|work=Hollywood Hired Guns|publisher=Hired Guns Productions|date=January 20, 2008|accessdate=February 20, 2008 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20081227164746/http://www.hiredguns.biz/profiles/jamesearljones.htm | archivedate= December 27, 2008}}</ref> He then moved to New York, where he studied at the American Theatre Wing, working as a janitor to support himself.

==Film and stage career==
===Early career===
Jones began his acting career at the [[Ramsdell Theatre]] in [[Manistee, Michigan]]. In 1953 he was a stage carpenter. 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ramsdell-theater.org/pages/history.asp?content=2 |title=Ramsdell Theatre History |publisher=Ramsdell-theater.org |accessdate=March 1, 2011}}</ref>. His early career also included an appearance in the ABC radio anthology series [[Theatere-Five]]<ref>Theater Five-"Incident on US1" archive copy at http://archive.org/details/OTRR_Theater_Five_Singles</ref>.

===Stage roles===
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|filename2=20090512 James Earl Jones - Othello (I. iii) at the White House (trimmed).ogg
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Jones is an accomplished stage actor; he has won [[Tony award]]s in 1969 for ''[[The Great White Hope]]'' and in 1987 for ''[[Fences (play)|Fences]]''. He has acted in many [[Shakespeare]]an roles:
''[[Othello]]'', ''[[King Lear]]'', Oberon in ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', Abhorson in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', and Claudius in ''[[Hamlet]]''. He received [[Kennedy Center Honors]] in 2002.

On April 7, 2005, James Earl Jones and [[Leslie Uggams]] headed the cast in an African-American Broadway revival version of ''[[On Golden Pond (play)|On Golden Pond]]'', directed by Leonard Foglia and produced by Jeffrey Finn.<ref name="nwatrav"/>

In February 2008, he starred on Broadway as Big Daddy in a limited-run, all-African-American production of [[Tennessee Williams]]'s [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning drama ''[[Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]]'', directed by [[Debbie Allen]] and mounted at the [[Broadhurst Theatre]].

In November 2009, James reprised the role of Big Daddy in ''Cat On A Hot Tin Roof'' at the Novello Theatre in London's West End. This production also stars [[Sanaa Lathan]] as Maggie, [[Phylicia Rashad]] as Big Mamma, and [[Adrian Lester]] as Brick.


In October 2010, Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's ''[[Driving Miss Daisy (play)|Driving Miss Daisy]]'' along with [[Vanessa Redgrave]] at the [[John Golden Theatre|Golden Theatre]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/140813-James-Earl-Jones-and-Vanessa-Redgrave-to-Star-in-Broadways-Driving-Miss-Daisy |title=James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave to Star in Broadway's Driving Miss Daisy |work=Playbill |accessdate=March 1, 2011}}</ref>
In October 2010, Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's ''[[Driving Miss Daisy (play)|Driving Miss Daisy]]'' along with [[Vanessa Redgrave]] at the [[John Golden Theatre|Golden Theatre]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/140813-James-Earl-Jones-and-Vanessa-Redgrave-to-Star-in-Broadways-Driving-Miss-Daisy |title=James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave to Star in Broadway's Driving Miss Daisy |work=Playbill |accessdate=March 1, 2011}}</ref>
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Jones also played the villain [[Thulsa Doom (Robert E. Howard)|Thulsa Doom]] in ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'', "Few Clothes" Johnson in [[John Sayles]] ''[[Matewan]]'', the author Terence Mann in ''[[Field of Dreams]]'', the feared neighbor Mr. Mertle in ''[[The Sandlot]]'', King Jaffe Joffer in ''[[Coming to America]]'', Reverend Stephen Kumalo in ''[[Cry, the Beloved Country (1995 film)|Cry, the Beloved Country]]'', Raymond Lee Murdock in ''[[A Family Thing]]'', and Vice Admiral James Greer in ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'', ''[[Patriot Games (film)|Patriot Games]]'', and ''[[Clear and Present Danger (film)|Clear and Present Danger]]'', among many others.
Jones also played the villain [[Thulsa Doom (Robert E. Howard)|Thulsa Doom]] in ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'', "Few Clothes" Johnson in [[John Sayles]] ''[[Matewan]]'', the author Terence Mann in ''[[Field of Dreams]]'', the feared neighbor Mr. Mertle in ''[[The Sandlot]]'', King Jaffe Joffer in ''[[Coming to America]]'', Reverend Stephen Kumalo in ''[[Cry, the Beloved Country (1995 film)|Cry, the Beloved Country]]'', Raymond Lee Murdock in ''[[A Family Thing]]'', and Vice Admiral James Greer in ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'', ''[[Patriot Games (film)|Patriot Games]]'', and ''[[Clear and Present Danger (film)|Clear and Present Danger]]'', among many others.


Jones is also well known as the voice of [[Darth Vader]] in the original ''[[Star Wars]]'' trilogy. Darth Vader was portrayed in costume by [[David Prowse* ''[[Terrorgram]]'' (1990) (voice)
Jones is also 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 (filmmaking)|dubbing]] Vader's dialogue in [[postproduction]] due to Prowse's strong [[West Country dialects|West Country accent]] being unsuitable for the role.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Stop Look Listen |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4690148.stm |title=The Green force |publisher=BBC News |date=February 14, 2006 |accessdate=March 1, 2011}}</ref> 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):

{{quote|When [[Linda Blair]] did the girl in ''[[The Exorcist (film)|The Exorcist]]'', they hired [[Mercedes McCambridge]] to do the voice of the [[devil]] coming out of her. And there was controversy as to whether Mercedes should get credit. I was one who thought no, she was just [[special effects]]. So when it came to Darth Vader, I said, no I'm just special effects. But it became so identified that by the third one, I thought, OK I've been denying it, I've been saying it sounds like the [[7 Up|uncola]] nut guy Holder. [[Geoffrey Holder]]! ... But for the third one, I said OK, I'll let them put my name on it.<ref name=newsday>{{Cite web | url = http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/fanfare/fast-chat-james-earl-jones-1.883740 | title= Fast Chat: James Earl Jones |work=[[Newsday]] |location=[[New York]] |date=March 12, 2008 | authorlink = Frank Lovece | first= Frank | last= Lovece| accessdate=March 1, 2011 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/69UOnwfCN | archivedate = July 28, 2012 | deadurl=no}}</ref>}}

Jones's dialog as Vader was even changed in 1997 re-release of ''[[Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back]]'' involving a scene involving his character about to leave the ground level of Cloud City after [[Luke Skywalker]] fell down a shaft in his refusal to join the Sith Lord.{{cn|date=November 2012}} He would dub Vader's voice again for a different dialog with [[Emperor Palpatine]], now played by [[Ian McDiarmid]], for the 2004 DVD version.{{cn|date=November 2012}}

Although uncredited, Jones's voice is possibly heard as Darth Vader at the conclusion of ''[[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]''. When specifically asked whether he had supplied the voice, possibly from a previous recording, Jones told ''[[New York Newsday]]'': "You'd have to ask [[George Lucas|Lucas]] about that. I don't know."<ref name=newsday />

Jones reprised his role as the voice of Vader several times: he is credited in the movie ''[[Robots (film)|Robots]]'' with the voice of Darth Vader from a voice module.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} Playing the king of Zamunda in the comedy ''[[Coming to America]]'', he echoed four Darth Vader phrases.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} He also vocally appeared as Vader in the comedy film ''[[The Benchwarmers]]''{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} and the video games ''Star Wars: Monopoly'' and ''[[Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game]]''.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} Jones returned as Vader for the video game: ''[[Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars]]''{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} and also reprised his role as Vader in the Disney attraction; ''[[Star Tours: The Adventures Continue]]''.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} Archival recordings of Jones's voice are also used for the [[Jedi Training Academy]] attraction at [[Disneyland]] and at [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]].{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

===Other voiceover work===
His other voice roles include [[Mufasa]] in the 1994 animated [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] film ''[[The Lion King]]'' and its direct-to-video sequel, ''[[The Lion King II: Simba's Pride]]''. Archive recordings from the film would later be used for the English version of the 2005 video game ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'', since Jones himself did not reprise the role. He also voiced the Emperor of the Night in ''[[Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night]]''.

In 1990, Jones performed voice work for the Simpsons Halloween episode "[[Treehouse of Horror]]", in which he was the narrator for the Simpsons' version of [[Edgar Allan Poe]]'s poem "[[The Raven]]". In 1992, Jones was often seen as the host on the video tele-monitor for the Sea World resort in [[Orlando, Florida]].

In 1996, he recited the classic baseball poem [[Casey at the Bat]], with the accompaniment of arranger/composer [[Steven Reineke]] and the [[Cincinnati Pops Orchestra]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}}

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 [[Creation according to Genesis|The Creation]]; and several other guest spots on ''[[The Simpsons]]''.

===Television roles===
Jones has the unusual distinction of being the only actor to win two [[Emmys]]<ref>[http://www.emmys.com/celebrities/james-earl-jones James Earl Jones Emmy Nominated]</ref> in the same year, in 1991 as Best Actor for his role in ''[[Gabriel's Fire]]'' and as Best Supporting Actor for his work in ''[[Heat Wave (1990 film)|Heat Wave]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/james-earl-jones-36131/bio |title=James earl Jones Biography |author=Rebecca Flint Marx |publisher=All Movie Guide |accessdate=April 12, 2011}}</ref>

Jones portrayed the older version of author [[Alex Haley]], in the television mini-series ''[[Roots: The Next Generations]]'';<ref name="nwatrav"/> the [[Global Defence Initiative|GDI]]'s commanding general [[General Solomon|James Solomon]] in the live-action sequences of the video game ''[[Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun]]''; and widowed police officer Neb Langston in the television program ''[[Under One Roof (1995 American television series)|Under One Roof]]'', for which he received an [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] nomination. He also appeared in television and radio advertising for Verizon Business [[Digital Subscriber Line|DSL]] and Verizon Online DSL from [[Verizon Communications]].

Jones appeared in the 1963–1964 television season in an episode of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s drama series about college life, ''[[Channing (TV series)|Channing]]'', starring [[Jason Evers]] and [[Henry Jones (actor)|Henry Jones]]. He appeared on the soap opera ''[[Guiding Light]]''. He portrayed Thad Green on ''[[Mathnet]]'', a parody of ''[[Dragnet (TV series)|Dragnet]]''.

In 1969, Jones participated in making test films for a proposed children's television series called ''[[Sesame Street]]''; these shorts, combined with animated segments, were shown to groups of children to gauge the effectiveness of the then-groundbreaking ''Sesame Street'' format. As cited by production notes included in the DVD release ''[[Sesame Street: Old School|Sesame Street: Old School 1969–1974]]'', the short that had the greatest impact with test audiences was one showing bald-headed Jones counting slowly to ten. This and other segments featuring Jones were eventually aired as part of the ''Sesame Street'' series itself when it debuted later in 1969 and Jones is often cited as the first celebrity guest on that series, although a segment with [[Carol Burnett]] was the first to actually be broadcast.<ref name="nwatrav"/>

He has played lead characters on television in three series. First, he appeared on the short-lived CBS police drama ''[[Paris (1979 TV series)|Paris]],'' which aired during autumn 1979. That show was notable as the first program on which [[Steven Bochco]] served as executive producer. The second show aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] between 1990 and 1992, the first season being titled ''[[Gabriel's Fire]]'' and the second (after a format revision), ''Pros and Cons''.

In both formats of that show, Jones played a former policeman wrongly convicted of murder who, upon his release from prison, became a private eye. In 1995, Jones starred in ''[[Under One Roof (1995 TV series)|Under One Roof]]'' as Neb Langston, a widowed African-American police officer sharing his home in Seattle with his daughter, his married son with his children, and Neb's newly adopted son. The show was a mid-season replacement and lasted only six weeks.

From 1989 to 1993, Jones served as the host of the children's TV series ''[[Long Ago and Far Away (TV series)|Long Ago and Far Away]]''.

In 1996, James guest starred in the [[CBS]] drama ''[[Touched by an Angel]]'' as the Angels of Angels in the episode "[[List of Touched by an Angel episodes (season 3)|Clipped Wings]]". In 1998, Jones starred in the widely acclaimed syndicated program ''[[An American Moment]]'' (created by [[James R. Kirk]] and Ninth Wave Productions). Jones took over the role left by Charles Kuralt, upon Kuralt's death. He also made a cameo appearance in a penultimate episodes of ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' and has guest-starred on such sitcoms as [[NBC]]'s ''[[Frasier]]'' and ''[[Will & Grace]]'', CBS's ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'', and [[the WB]] drama ''[[Everwood]]''. Jones also lent his voice for a narrative part in the [[Adam Sandler]] comedy, ''[[Click (2006 film)|Click]]'', released in June 2006. His voice is also used to create an audio version of the [[King James Bible|King James New Testament]].

==Personal life==
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, 1937, [[Toledo, Ohio]]); they had no children.

==Awards==
[[Academy Awards]]
* 1971 [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] – ''[[The Great White Hope (film)|The Great White Hope]]'' (Nominated)
* 2011 [[Academy Honorary Award]]

[[Emmy Awards]]
* 1964 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie]]/''[[East Side/West Side]]'' (Nominated)
* 1990 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie]]/''[[By Dawn's Early Light]]'' (Nominated)
*[[43rd Primetime Emmy Awards|1991]] [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama Series|Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series]]/''[[Gabriel's Fire]]''
*[[43rd Primetime Emmy Awards|1991]] [[Primetime Emmy Award for Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie]]/''[[Heat Wave (1990 film)|Heat Wave]]''
* 1994 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series|Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series]]/''[[Picket Fences]]'' (Nominated)
* 1995 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Drama Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series]]/''[[Under One Roof (1995 TV series)|Under One Roof]]'' (Nominated)
* 1997 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Comedy Series|Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series]]/''[[Frasier]]'' (Nominated)
*[[27th Daytime Emmy Awards|2000]] Outstanding Performer Children's Special/''[[Summer's End (1999 film)|Summer's End]]''
* 2004 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series|Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series]]/''[[Everwood]]'' (Nominated)

[[Golden Globe Awards]]
* 1971 [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor|New Star of the Year – Actor]]/''[[The Great White Hope (film)|The Great White Hope]]''
* 1971 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama|Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama]]/''[[The Great White Hope (film)|The Great White Hope]]'' (Nominated)
* 1975 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]]/''[[Claudine (film)|Claudine]]'' (Nominated)
* 1991 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama|Best Actor in a Drama Series]]/''[[Gabriel's Fire]]'' (Nominated)
* 1992 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama|Best Actor in a Drama Series]]/''[[Pros and Cons (TV series)|Pros and Cons]]'' (Nominated)

[[Independent Spirit Awards]]
* 1987 [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male|Best Supporting Male]]/''[[Matewan]]'' (Nominated)

[[Screen Actors Guild Awards]]
* 1996 [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture|Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role]]/''[[Cry, the Beloved Country (1995 film)|Cry, the Beloved Country]]'' (Nominated)
* 2009 [[Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award|Life Achievement Award]]

[[Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play]]
* 1969 Best Leading Actor in a Play/''[[The Great White Hope]]''
* 1987 Best Leading Actor in a Play/''[[Fences (play)|Fences]]''
* 2005 Best Leading Actor in a Play/''[[On Golden Pond (play)|On Golden Pond]]'' (Nominated)
* 2012 Best Leading Actor in a Play/''[[The Best Man (play)|The Best Man]]'' (Nominated)

'''Other awards'''
* 1991 [[Common Wealth Award]] for Outstanding Achievement in the Dramatic Arts
* 1992 [[National Medal of Arts]]
* 1996 Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs, California]], [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars|Walk of Stars]]<ref>[http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated]</ref>
* 2011 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Monte Cristo Award Recipient{{cn|date=January 2013}}
* 2012 Marian Anderson Award Recipient{{cn|date=January 2013}}

==Filmography==
Sources:<ref name=allrovi>{{AllRovi person|36131}}</ref><ref name=tcm>{{Tcmdb name|96469}}</ref>
{{div col|cols=3}}
* ''[[Dr. Strangelove|Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb]]'' (1964)
* ''[[The Comedians (1967 film)|The Comedians]]'' (1967)
* ''[[The Comedians in Africa]]'' (1967)
* ''[[The End of the Road#Film, TV or theatrical adaptations|End of the Road]]'' (1970)
* ''[[King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis]]'' (1970)
* ''[[The Great White Hope (film)|The Great White Hope]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Malcolm X (1972 film)|Malcolm X]]'' (1972)
* ''[[The Man (1972 film)|The Man]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Claudine (film)|Claudine]]'' (1974)
* ''[[The Cay (film)|The Cay]]'' (1974 one-hour TV drama)
* ''[[Betty and Barney Hill abduction#Fictional portrayal|The UFO Incident]]'' (1975 [[TV-movie]])
* ''[[The River Niger]]'' (1976)
* ''[[The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Swashbuckler (film)|Swashbuckler]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Deadly Hero]]'' (1976)
* ''[[The Greatest (1977 film)|The Greatest]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'' (1977) (voice of Darth Vader, uncredited by request until 1997)
* ''[[Exorcist II: The Heretic]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Last Remake of Beau Geste]]'' (1977)
* ''[[A Piece of the Action (film)|A Piece of the Action]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Jesus of Nazareth (movie)|Jesus of Nazareth]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Black Theater: The Making of a Movement]]'' (1978){{cn|date=January 2013}}
* ''[[Star Wars Holiday Special]]'' (1978 [[TV special]]) (voice of Darth Vader)
* ''[[Roots: The Next Generations]]'' (1979 TV [[miniseries]])
* ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980) (voice of Darth Vader, uncredited by request until 1997)
* ''[[Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones]]'' (1980 TV miniseries)
* ''[[Bushido Blade (film)|The Bushido Blade]]'' (1981)
* ''[[The Flight of Dragons]]'' (1982) (voice of Ommadon)
* ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Blood Tide]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983) (voice of Darth Vader)
* ''[[Allen Boesak: Choosing for Justice]]'' (1984){{cn|date=January 2013}}
* ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]'' "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" (1984)
* ''[[City Limits (1985 film)|City Limits]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Soul Man (film)|Soul Man]]'' (1986)
* ''[[The Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible: Moses]]'' (1986) (voice)
* ''[[Gardens of Stone]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold]]'' (1987)
* ''[[My Little Girl]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night]]'' (1987) (voice of the Emperor of the Night)
* ''[[Matewan]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Coming to America]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Three Fugitives]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Field of Dreams]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Best of the Best]]'' (1989)
* ''[[By Dawn's Early Light]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Convicts (film)|Convicts]]'' (1990)
* ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' (1990)
* ''[[A World Alive]]'' (1990) (voice)
* ''[[The Ambulance]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Grim Prairie Tales]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Heatwave (film)|Heatwave]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Terrorgram]]'' (1990) (voice)
* ''[[True Identity (film)|True Identity]]'' (1991)
* ''[[True Identity (film)|True Identity]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Scorchers (film)|Scorchers]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Scorchers (film)|Scorchers]]'' (1991)

Revision as of 16:46, 1 February 2013

James Earl Jones
Jones in 2010
Born (1931-01-17) January 17, 1931 (age 93)
Arkabutla, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, voice actor
Years active1953–present
Spouse(s)Julienne Marie (divorced)
Cecilia Hart (1982–present)

James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931)[1] is an American actor who in a career of over 50 years has become known as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile"[2] and "one of the greatest actors in American history."[3] Since his Broadway debut in 1957, Jones has won several awards, including a Tony Award and Golden Globe Award for his role in The Great White Hope. He is also known for his voice acting role as Darth Vader as well as many film, stage, and television roles.

As a child Jones overcame a stutter that lasted for several years. A pre-med major in college, he went on to serve as an Army Ranger during the Korean War, before dedicating his career to acting.

On November 12, 2011, he received an Honorary Academy Award.[3]

Early life

Childhood

James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, son of Robert Earl Jones (1910–2006), an actor, boxer, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth, and his wife Ruth (Connolly) Jones, a teacher and maid.[1][4] Jones and his father reconciled many years later. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents, farmers John Henry and Maggie Connolly.[5] He is multiracial, with African, Irish, and Native American ancestry.[6][7]

Jones describes his grandmother, Maggie, as "the most racist person I have ever known", thus forcing him to develop his own independent thinking. His grandmother was of Cherokee, Choctaw, and black ancestry.[8]

He moved to his grandparents' farm in Jackson, Michigan when he was five, but the transition was traumatic and he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak. When he moved to Brethren, Michigan in later years, a teacher at the Brethren schools helped him overcome his stutter. He remained functionally mute for eight years, until he entered high school. He credits his English teacher, Donald Crouch, who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry, with helping him end his silence.[4] Crouch believed forced public speaking would help Jones gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem in class every day.[9] "I was a stutterer. I couldn't talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school."[10]

Education

After being educated at the Browning School for boys in his high school years and graduating from Brethren High School in Brethren, Michigan, Jones attended the University of Michigan where he was a pre-med major.[4] He joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and excelled. He felt comfortable within the structure of the military environment, and enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow cadets in the Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard and Blade Honor Society.[11] 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 graduated from the University in 1955.[12]

Military

With the war intensifying in Korea, Jones expected to be sent to the war as soon as he received his commission as a second lieutenant. As he waited for his orders, he worked as a part-time stage crew hand at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan, where he had earlier performed. Jones was commissioned in mid 1953 and reported to Fort Benning to attend Infantry Officers Basic Course. He then attended Ranger School and received his Ranger Tab (although he stated during an interview on the BBC's The One Show screened on November 11, 2009 that he "washed out" of Ranger training). He was initially to report to Fort Leonard Wood, but his unit was instead sent to establish a cold weather training command at the Camp Hale near Leadville, Colorado. His battalion became a training unit in the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. Jones was promoted to first lieutenant prior to his discharge.[13] He then moved to New York, where he studied at the American Theatre Wing, working as a janitor to support himself.

Film and stage career

Early career

Jones began his acting career at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan. In 1953 he was a stage carpenter. 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.[14]. His early career also included an appearance in the ABC radio anthology series Theatere-Five[15].

Stage roles

Othello (5:05)
Jones performs Othello's Act I, scene III monologue from Shakespeare's Othello at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word on May 12, 2009.
"Othello"
Audio only
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Jones is an accomplished stage actor; he has won Tony awards in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences. He has acted in many Shakespearean roles: Othello, King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2002.

On April 7, 2005, James Earl Jones and Leslie Uggams headed the cast in an African-American Broadway revival version of On Golden Pond, directed by Leonard Foglia and produced by Jeffrey Finn.[4]

In February 2008, he starred on Broadway as Big Daddy in a limited-run, all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Debbie Allen and mounted at the Broadhurst Theatre.

In November 2009, James reprised the role of Big Daddy in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre in London's West End. This production also stars Sanaa Lathan as Maggie, Phylicia Rashad as Big Mamma, and Adrian Lester as Brick.

In October 2010, Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy along with Vanessa Redgrave at the Golden Theatre.[16]

In November 2011, Jones starred in Driving Miss Daisy in London's West End, and on November 12 Jones received his honorary Oscar in front of the audience at the Wyndham's Theatre, which was presented to him by Ben Kingsley.[17]

In March 2012, Jones played the role of President Art Hockstader in Gore Vidal's The Best Man on Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre. Earning Jones a Tony Nomination for Best Performance in a Lead Role in a Play. The play also starred Angela Lansbury, John Larroquette (as candidate William Russell), Candice Bergen, Eric McCormack (as candidate Senator Joseph Cantwell), Jefferson Mays, Michael McKean and Kerry Butler, with direction by Michael Wilson.[18][19]

Film roles

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 The Great White Hope a reprise of the role he had performed on Broadway play, 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.[4]

In 1974 Jones appeared with Diahann Carroll in the film Claudine, the story of a woman who raises her six children alone after two failed and one "almost" marriage.

Jones also played the villain Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian, "Few Clothes" Johnson in John Sayles Matewan, the author Terence Mann in Field of Dreams, the feared neighbor Mr. Mertle in The Sandlot, King Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America, Reverend Stephen Kumalo in Cry, the Beloved Country, Raymond Lee Murdock in A Family Thing, and Vice Admiral James Greer in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger, among many others.

Jones is also 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.[20] 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):

When Linda Blair did the girl in The Exorcist, they hired Mercedes McCambridge to do the voice of the devil coming out of her. And there was controversy as to whether Mercedes should get credit. I was one who thought no, she was just special effects. So when it came to Darth Vader, I said, no I'm just special effects. But it became so identified that by the third one, I thought, OK I've been denying it, I've been saying it sounds like the uncola nut guy Holder. Geoffrey Holder! ... But for the third one, I said OK, I'll let them put my name on it.[21]

Jones's dialog as Vader was even changed in 1997 re-release of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back involving a scene involving his character about to leave the ground level of Cloud City after Luke Skywalker fell down a shaft in his refusal to join the Sith Lord.[citation needed] He would dub Vader's voice again for a different dialog with Emperor Palpatine, now played by Ian McDiarmid, for the 2004 DVD version.[citation needed]

Although uncredited, Jones's voice is possibly heard as Darth Vader at the conclusion of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. When specifically asked whether he had supplied the voice, possibly from a previous recording, Jones told New York Newsday: "You'd have to ask Lucas about that. I don't know."[21]

Jones reprised his role as the voice of Vader several times: he is credited in the movie Robots with the voice of Darth Vader from a voice module.[citation needed] Playing the king of Zamunda in the comedy Coming to America, he echoed four Darth Vader phrases.[citation needed] He also vocally appeared as Vader in the comedy film The Benchwarmers[citation needed] and the video games Star Wars: Monopoly and Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game.[citation needed] Jones returned as Vader for the video game: Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars[citation needed] and also reprised his role as Vader in the Disney attraction; Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.[citation needed] Archival recordings of Jones's voice are also used for the Jedi Training Academy attraction at Disneyland and at Disney's Hollywood Studios.[citation needed]

Other voiceover work

His other voice roles include Mufasa in the 1994 animated Disney film The Lion King and its direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. Archive recordings from the film would later be used for the English version of the 2005 video game Kingdom Hearts II, since Jones himself did not reprise the role. He also voiced the Emperor of the Night in Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night.

In 1990, Jones performed voice work for the Simpsons Halloween episode "Treehouse of Horror", in which he was the narrator for the Simpsons' version of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven". In 1992, Jones was often seen as the host on the video tele-monitor for the Sea World resort in Orlando, Florida.

In 1996, he recited the classic baseball poem Casey at the Bat, with the accompaniment of arranger/composer Steven Reineke and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.[citation needed]

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 other guest spots on The Simpsons.

Television roles

Jones has the unusual distinction of being the only actor to win two Emmys[22] in the same year, in 1991 as Best Actor for his role in Gabriel's Fire and as Best Supporting Actor for his work in Heat Wave.[23]

Jones portrayed the older version of author Alex Haley, in the television mini-series Roots: The Next Generations;[4] the GDI's commanding general James Solomon in the live-action sequences of the video game Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun; and widowed police officer Neb Langston in the television program Under One Roof, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He also appeared in television and radio advertising for Verizon Business DSL and Verizon Online DSL from Verizon Communications.

Jones appeared in the 1963–1964 television season in an episode of ABC's drama series about college life, Channing, starring Jason Evers and Henry Jones. He appeared on the soap opera Guiding Light. He portrayed Thad Green on Mathnet, a parody of Dragnet.

In 1969, Jones participated in making test films for a proposed children's television series called Sesame Street; these shorts, combined with animated segments, were shown to groups of children to gauge the effectiveness of the then-groundbreaking Sesame Street format. As cited by production notes included in the DVD release Sesame Street: Old School 1969–1974, the short that had the greatest impact with test audiences was one showing bald-headed Jones counting slowly to ten. This and other segments featuring Jones were eventually aired as part of the Sesame Street series itself when it debuted later in 1969 and Jones is often cited as the first celebrity guest on that series, although a segment with Carol Burnett was the first to actually be broadcast.[4]

He has played lead characters on television in three series. First, he appeared on the short-lived CBS police drama Paris, which aired during autumn 1979. That show was notable as the first program on which Steven Bochco served as executive producer. The second show aired on ABC between 1990 and 1992, the first season being titled Gabriel's Fire and the second (after a format revision), Pros and Cons.

In both formats of that show, Jones played a former policeman wrongly convicted of murder who, upon his release from prison, became a private eye. In 1995, Jones starred in Under One Roof as Neb Langston, a widowed African-American police officer sharing his home in Seattle with his daughter, his married son with his children, and Neb's newly adopted son. The show was a mid-season replacement and lasted only six weeks.

From 1989 to 1993, Jones served as the host of the children's TV series Long Ago and Far Away.

In 1996, James guest starred in the CBS drama Touched by an Angel as the Angels of Angels in the episode "Clipped Wings". In 1998, Jones starred in the widely acclaimed syndicated program An American Moment (created by James R. Kirk and Ninth Wave Productions). Jones took over the role left by Charles Kuralt, upon Kuralt's death. He also made a cameo appearance in a penultimate episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and has guest-starred on such sitcoms as NBC's Frasier and Will & Grace, CBS's Two and a Half Men, and the WB drama Everwood. Jones also lent his voice for a narrative part in the Adam Sandler comedy, Click, released in June 2006. His voice is also used to create an audio version of the King James New Testament.

Personal life

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, 1937, Toledo, Ohio); they had no children.

Awards

Academy Awards

Emmy Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play

Other awards

Filmography

Sources:[25][26]

Other voice acting

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b "James Earl Jones Biography (1931–)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2008. Cite error: The named reference "filmreference" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Rebecca Flint Marx. "James Earl Jones Biography". All Movie Guide. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Nicole Sperling, Susan King (November 12, 2011). "Oprah shines, Ratner controversy fades at honorary Oscars gala". LA Times.com. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Bandler, Michael J. (2008). "This is James Earl Jones". NWA World Traveler. Northwest Airlines. Retrieved April 3, 2008. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ "James Earl Jones – Academy of Achievement". A Museum of Living History. Academy of Achievement. Retrieved April 3, 2008.
  6. ^ Levesque, Carl (August 1, 2002). "Unconventional wisdom: James Earl Jones speaks out". Association Management. The Gale Group. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  7. ^ Dorothy Davis (February 2005). "Speaking with James Earl Jones". Education Update. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  8. ^ James Earl Jones on his 'racist grandmother', interview with Stephen Sackur, BBC News, December 7, 2011.
  9. ^ "The daddy of them all". heraldscotland.com. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  10. ^ James Earl Jones (June 29, 1996). (Interview). Interviewed by the American Academy of Achievement for the National Medal of Arts http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/jon2int-2. Retrieved February 20, 2008. {{cite interview}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Ensian (Yearbook of the University of Michigan), p. 156 (1952)
  12. ^ "Notable Alumni". University of Michigan. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  13. ^ "Soldiers to Celebrities: James Earl Jones – U.S. Army". Hollywood Hired Guns. Hired Guns Productions. January 20, 2008. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  14. ^ "Ramsdell Theatre History". Ramsdell-theater.org. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  15. ^ Theater Five-"Incident on US1" archive copy at http://archive.org/details/OTRR_Theater_Five_Singles
  16. ^ "James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave to Star in Broadway's Driving Miss Daisy". Playbill. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  17. ^ Actor James Earl Jones receives Oscar in London BBC. Retrieved November 13, 2011
  18. ^ http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=491515
  19. ^ Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth." 'The Best Man', Tony Nominee as Best Revival of a Play, Extends Booking a Second Time" Playbill.com, May 17, 2012
  20. ^ Stop Look Listen (February 14, 2006). "The Green force". BBC News. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  21. ^ a b Lovece, Frank (March 12, 2008). "Fast Chat: James Earl Jones". Newsday. New York. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ James Earl Jones Emmy Nominated
  23. ^ Rebecca Flint Marx. "James earl Jones Biography". All Movie Guide. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  24. ^ Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated
  25. ^ James Earl Jones at AllMovie
  26. ^ James Earl Jones at the TCM Movie Database

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Earl Jones.

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