James Earl Jones
Acting·January 17, 1931·† September 9, 2024 — 93 years old·Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. He was described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances on stage and screen, and "one of the greatest actors in American history". Over his career, he received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985. He was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 1992, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009 and the Honorary Academy Award in 2011. His deep voice has been praised as a "stirring basso profondo that has lent gravel and gravitas" to his projects.
Known For
Star Wars
1977·8.2
The Lion King
1994·8.3
The Empire Strikes Back
1980·8.4
Return of the Jedi
1983·7.9
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016·7.5
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005·7.5
The Big Bang Theory
2007·7.9
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
2019·6.3
The Simpsons
1989·8.0
The Lion King
2019·7.1
House
2004·8.6
Click
2006·6.3
Filmography · 264
—Broadway: The Next GenerationSelf2025Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland ResortMara (voice)2024Mufasa: The Lion KingIn Memory Of2024BET News & ET Present James Earl Jones: Life and LegacySelf (archive footage)2024Butterfly in the SkyGuest Narrator (archive footage)2022Obi-Wan KenobiTVDarth Vader (voice)2021Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame StreetSelf (archive footage)2021Coming 2 AmericaKing Jaffe Joffer2019Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerDarth Vader (voice)2019The Movies That Made UsTVSelf (archive footage)2019On BroadwaySelf (archive footage)2019Raúl Juliá: The World’s a StageSelf2019The Lion KingMufasa (voice)2019The Space: Theatre of SurvivalNarrator2019Words from a BearSelf2018Warning ShotPendleton2017The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride LandsMufasa (voice)2016Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryDarth Vader (voice)2016God Bless You, Mr RosewaterKilgore Trout2016The Lion Guard: Return of the RoarMufasa (voice)2015Driving Miss DaisyHoke Colburn2015Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of LothalDarth Vader (voice)2015August Wilson: The Ground on Which I StandSelf2014Star Wars RebelsTVDarth Vader (voice)2014Star Wars Rebels: Spark of RebellionDarth Vader (voice)2014The Angriest Man in BrooklynRuben2013Gimme ShelterFrank McCarthy2013Muse of FireSelf2013BlackfishSelf (archive footage)2013MiliusSelf2012An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the RoadSelf2012Joe Papp in Five ActsSelf2011Strange Septembers: The Hill Abduction & the Exeter EncounterHimself2010Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space OdysseyAdmiral (voice)2009Jack and the BeanstalkThe Giant (voice)2009Waking Sleeping BeautySelf (archive footage)2008Welcome Home Roscoe JenkinsPapa Jenkins2007EarthNarrator (voice)2007The Big Bang TheoryTVJames Earl Jones2007Our Paul: Remembering Paul RobesonSelf2007John, Paul, George and BenNarrator2006Searching for OrsonSelf2006The One ShowTVSelf - Guest2006ClickNarrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)2006The Best of The Tony Awards: The PlaysJack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")2006Scary Movie 4Narrator (uncredited)2006The BenchwarmersDarth Vader (voice)2006The Trail Of Tears: Cherokee LegacyNarrator2005Hollywood's Greatest VillainsSelf2005The Sandlot 2Mr. Mertle2005The Reading RoomWilliam2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the SithDarth Vader (voice - uncredited)2005RobotsVoice Box at Hardware Store (voice)2005By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'Narrator2004HouseTVDibala2004No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear ThreatSelf2004Nine Dog ChristmasStoryteller (voice)2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars TrilogySelf2004The Story of Star WarsDarth Vader (archive footage)2004Black Indians: An American StoryNarrator2003The Simpsons: Treehouse of HorrorMaggie Simpson (voice)2003Two and a Half MenTVJames Earl Jones2003The Great YearNarrator2003Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October'Self2002EverwoodTVWill Cleveland2002Fredericksburg: A Documentary FilmNarrator2001Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The WorldSelf2001Feast of All SaintsOlder Marcel2001Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third StreetMister (voice)2001According to JimTVRoyal Flush Voice (voice)2001Finder's FeeAvery Phillips2001Disney's American LegendsNarrator2000Antietam: A Documentary FilmNarrator2000Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'Self2000Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg'2000The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to StrangeloveSelf2000Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light2000Fantasia 2000Self - Host1999Santa and PeteGrandpa Nicholas1999The Annihilation of FishFish1999Undercover AngelThe Judge1999On the Q.T.Leo1999Summer's EndDr. William 'Bill' Blakely1999Our Friend, MartinDaddy King (voice)1998The Lion King II: Simba's PrideMufasa (voice)1998Will & GraceTVJames Earl Jones1998MerlinTVRock of Ages1998Primary ColorsCNN Voiceover (voice)1997AloneGrey1997The Second Civil WarJim Kalla1997What the Deaf Man HeardArchibald Thacker1997Gang RelatedArthur Baylor1997Hitler's Forgotten VictimsNarrator (voice) (DVD version)1997Casper: A Spirited BeginningKibosh (voice)1997Stargate SG-1TVUnas (Voice)1997Sports on the Silver ScreenSelf (archive footage)1997Good LuckJames Bing1997Star Wars: The Magic & the MysterySelf1997Afro PromoSelf (archive footage)1996TimepieceLawrence1996Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' ManigaultDr. McDuffie1996Looking for RichardSelf - Interviewee1996CorwinSelf1996A Family ThingRay Murdock19963rd Rock from the SunTVNarrator (voice) (uncredited)1995Cry, the Beloved CountryRev. Stephen Kumalo1995Who's in Rabbit's House?Narrator (voice)1995Judge DreddNarrator (uncredited)1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American MoviesSelf1995The Making of 'Jurassic Park'Host1995Jefferson in ParisMadison Hemings1995Under One RoofTVNeb Langston1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildTVKing Dakkar (voice)1995Circle of Life: An Environmental FableMufasa1995Signs and WondersTVDiamond1995People: A Musical CelebrationThe Storyteller (voice)1994Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'Narrator1994Touched by an AngelTVThe Angel of Angels1994Clear and Present DangerAdmiral James Greer1994The Making of the Lion KingSelf1994The Lion KingMufasa (voice)1994The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost ClassicsHost1994Clean SlateJohn Dolby1994Africa: The SerengetiNarrator1994Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final InsultJames Earl Jones (uncredited)1994Gangs: Turning the CornerSelf1994Confessions: Two Faces of EvilCharles Lloyd1994The Vernon Johns StoryVernon Johns1993HallelujahOld Man Taylor1993Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short FilmsSelf (voice) (uncredited)1993FrasierTVNorman Royster1993Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanTVFranklin Stern1993Percy & ThunderPercy Banks1993The Meteor ManEarnest Moses1993DreamriderBill Perry1993Excessive ForceJake1993The SandlotMr. Mertle1993SommersbyJudge Barry Conrad Issacs1993Homicide: Life on the StreetTVFelix Wilson1992LincolnNarrator (voice)1992Picket FencesTVBryant Thomas1992SneakersMr. Bernard Abbott1992Patriot GamesAdm. James Greer1992Shelley Duvall's Bedtime StoriesTVNarrator (voice)1992The JFK ConspiracySelf - Host1991Pros and ConsTVGabriel Bird1991True IdentityJames Earl Jones1991When It Was a Game(voice)1991ScorchersBear1991Portrait of Castro's CubaHost/Narrator1991Visitors from the UnknownNarrator (voice)1991ConvictsBen Johnson1990Grim Prairie TalesMorrison1990Law & OrderTVDefense Attorney Horace McCoy1990Gabriel's FireTVGabriel Bird1990Ivory HuntersInspector Nkuru1990Heat WaveJunius Johnson1990Last Flight OutAl Topping1990By Dawn's Early LightAlice1990The AmbulanceLt. Spencer1990The Hunt for Red OctoberVice ADM James Greer1990Teach 109Dr. Winston1990TerrorgramRetribution (voice)1989The SimpsonsTVNarrator (voice) · Moving Man / Serak the Preparer / Narrator (voice) · Maggie Simpson (voice)198911-22-63: The Day the Nation CriedNarrator1989Best of the BestFrank Couzo1989Field of DreamsTerrence Mann1989Long Ago and Far AwayTVHost1989Three FugitivesDugan1989The Hunting of the SnarkNarrator (voice)1989Stories to Remember: Noah's ArkNarrator1988Garfield and FriendsTVDiablo1988Coming to AmericaKing Jaffe Joffer1988Michael Jackson: The Legend ContinuesNarrator (voice)1987Matewan'Few Clothes' Johnson1987Pinocchio and the Emperor of the NightEmperor of the Night (voice)1987Gardens of StoneSgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson1987A House Divided1987MathnetTVChief Thad Green (voice) · Chief Thad Green · Chief Thad Greene1986Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of GoldUmslopogaas1986Soul ManProfessor Banks1986L.A. LawTVLee Atkins1986My Little GirlIke Bailey1986Aladdin and His Wonderful LampGenie / Narrator1986The Lone Star KidHolmes1985MosesPharaoh1985City LimitsAlbert1985Me & MomTV1985Night of 100 Stars IISelf1985The Atlanta Child MurdersTVMajor Walker1985Visual Pathfinders: Robert Abel & Associates1984The Vegas Strip WarJack Madrid1984Highway to HeavenTVGabe Wilson1984CBS Schoolbreak SpecialTVDetective Robb1984Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's EarsNarrator1983Reading RainbowTVSelf - Narrator (voice)1983Return of the JediDarth Vader (voice)1982Blood TideFrye1982Amy and the AngelGabriel1982Faerie Tale TheatreTVGenie / Narrator (voice)1982The Flight of DragonsOmmadon (voice)1982Conan the BarbarianThulsa Doom1982Night of 100 StarsSelf1982American PlayhouseTVDr. Winston (segment 'Teach 109')1981Golden Book Video - Beauty and the BeastNarrator (voice)1981The CreationNarrator (voice)1981The Bushido BladeThe Prisoner1981There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagueshimself, voice1981Beauty and the BeastNarrator (voice)1981God's TrombonesNarrator (voice)1980The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love StoryDane Oliver1980The Empire Strikes BackDarth Vader (voice) (uncredited)1980The Me Nobody KnowsSelf1980Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim JonesTVFather Divine1979ParisTVWoody Paris1979A Walking Tour of Sesame StreetSelf - Host1979Roots: The Next GenerationsTVAlex Haley1979Paul RobesonPaul Robeson1978Black Theatre: The Making of a MovementSelf1978The Kennedy Center HonorsTVSelf1978The Star Wars Holiday SpecialDarth Vader (voice)1978The Magic of David CopperfieldTV1977The Greatest Thing That Almost HappenedMorris Bird, Jr.1977A Piece of the ActionJoshua Burke1977The Making of Star WarsDarth Vader (voice) (uncredited)1977Exorcist II: The HereticOlder Kokumo1977The Last Remake of Beau GesteSheikh1977Star WarsDarth Vader (voice) (uncredited)1977The GreatestMalcolm X1977Jesus of NazarethTVBalthazar1976SwashbucklerNick Debrett1976The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsLeon1976The River NigerJohnny Williams1975Deadly HeroRabbit Shazam1975The UFO IncidentBarney Hill1975Vegetable SoupTVLong John Spoilsport1974The CayTimothy1974Dinah!TVSelf1974ClaudineRupert D. "Roop" Marshall1974King LearKing Lear1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...TVSelf1973Black OmnibusTVSelf - Host1972The ManDouglass Dilman1972Malcolm XBiographical Narration (voice)1971Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a DreamNarrator1971Great PerformancesTVKing Lear1970The Great White HopeJack Jefferson1970King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisSelf (archive footage)1970End of the RoadDoctor D1969Sesame StreetTV1968The Dick Cavett ShowTVSelf - Guest1967The ComediansDr. Magiot1966TarzanTV1964Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombLt. Lothar Zogg1963East Side/West SideTV1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonTVSelf1962The Merv Griffin ShowTVSelf1961The Mike Douglas ShowTVSelf · Self - Co-Host1961Dr. KildareTVDr. Lou Rush1961The DefendersTVLieutenant Andrews · Reverend Harris Bonham1956Tony AwardsTVSelf - Winner / Performer · Self - Presenter · Self (archive footage) · Self - Nominee / Presenter · Self - Nominee · Self - Winner1951Hallmark Hall of FameTVArchibald Thacker1948Lamp Unto My FeetTV1944Golden Globe AwardsTVSelf - Nominee / Presenter