Loading...
| James Earl Jones is a part of US Black history. Join: US Black Heritage Project Discuss: black_heritage |
Biography
James Earl Jones, an American actor whose career spanned more than 60 years, won awards in multiple fields of entertainment, including Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Disney Legends, and Golden Globe Awards, for his acting and voice work on stage, screen, and vinyl.[1] Known for his distinctive basso profondo, Jones voiced the Star Wars villain Darth Vader[2] and the Lion King Mufasa in the titular Disney series.
Born on January 17, 1931 in Arkabutla, a tiny community in northwestern Mississippi, James Earl Jones was the son of actor Robert Earl Jones (1910–2006), who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth, and his wife Ruth (Connolly) Jones, a teacher and maid. He didn't get to know his father until he reached adulthood in the 1950s.[1]
At age five his maternal grandparents joined the Great African American Migration and moved to Michigan with them. He developed a stutter so severe that by the time he started school he refused to speak. He credits a high school English teacher with helping him overcome it. In 1950 he was counted in a dormitory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In college [3]he joined the Reserve Officers Traing Corps. He received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in 1953 and graduated in 1955. By then the Korean War had ended; he reported to Fort Benning for training and became a Ranger, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant.[1]
His first marriage ended in divorce in 1972. He later married actress Cecilia Hart.[1] Their only child, a son was born in 1982. Cecilia died in 2016.[4]
James Earl Jones died on September 9, 2024 in Pawling, New York, United States, aged 93 years.[5]
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wikipedia contributors, "James Earl Jones," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Earl_Jones&oldid=1085522828 (accessed May 3, 2022).
- ↑ Screen Rant, "Star Wars: 7 Unforgettable Things James Earl Jones Brought To Darth Vader". Accessed April 13, 2022. https://screenrant.com/star-wars-darth-vader-james-earl-jones/
- ↑ "United States Census, 1950", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FSL-98ZV : Tue Mar 19 09:46:11 UTC 2024), Entry for Albert Keith and Robert C Keithe, 16 April 1950.
- ↑ "Cecilia Hart, wife of James Earl Jones, has died," Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-cm-cecilia-hart-dead-20161022-snap-story.html. Last accessed April 2, 2022.
- ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/james-earl-jones-dead-93-rcna42405
See Also:
- James Earl Jones on Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
- Wikidata: Item Q203960, en:Wikipedia
- James Earl Jones on Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki
- Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
Find A Grave: Memorial #270354779 (accessed 9 September 2024)
Memorial page for James Earl Jones (17 Jan 1931-9 Sep 2024); Maintained by Anonymous (contributor 50710305).
