Skip to main content
James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones

Acting1931Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA

Biography

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.

Acting History

Future
2024
Butterfly in the Sky
as Guest Narrator (archive footage)
2022
Obi-Wan Kenobi
TVas Darth Vader (voice)• 4 eps
2021
Coming 2 America
as King Jaffe Joffer
The Movies That Made Us
TVas Self (archive footage)• 1 eps
2019
The Lion King
as Mufasa (voice)
On Broadway
as Self (archive footage)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
as Darth Vader (voice)
2018
Warning Shot
as Pendleton
2017
2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
as Darth Vader (voice)
Star Wars Rebels
TVas Darth Vader (voice)• 2 eps
2015
Driving Miss Daisy
as Hoke Colburn
2014
The Big Bang Theory
TVas Self• 1 eps
2013
Blackfish
as Self (archive footage)
Gimme Shelter
as Frank McCarthy
Milius
as Self
2012
2011
2010
2009
Jack and the Beanstalk
as The Giant (voice)
Waking Sleeping Beauty
as Self (archive footage)
The One Show
TVas Self - Guest• 1 eps
House
TVas Dibala• 1 eps
2008
Two and a Half Men
TVas James Earl Jones• 1 eps
2007
Earth
as Narrator (voice)
2006
The Benchwarmers
as Darth Vader (voice)
Click
as Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
as Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")
Scary Movie 4
as Narrator (uncredited)
2005
The Sandlot 2
as Mr. Mertle
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
as Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)
Robots
as Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)
2004
The Story of Star Wars
as Darth Vader (archive footage)
Nine Dog Christmas
as Storyteller (voice)
According to Jim
TVas Royal Flush Voice (voice)• 1 eps
2003
The Great Year
as Narrator
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
as Maggie Simpson (voice)
Everwood
TVas Will Cleveland• 3 eps
Will & Grace
TVas James Earl Jones• 1 eps
2002
The Kennedy Center Honors
TVas Self• 1 eps
2001
Finder's Fee
as Avery Phillips
Feast of All Saints
as Older Marcel
2000
Fantasia 2000
as Self - Host
1999
Our Friend, Martin
as Daddy King (voice)
Santa and Pete
as James Earl Jones
Undercover Angel
as The Judge
Summer's End
as Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely
1998
Primary Colors
as CNN Voiceover (voice)
Merlin
TVas Rock of Ages• 2 eps
1997
Alone
as Grey
Gang Related
as Arthur Baylor
Afro Promo
as Self (archive footage)
Hitler's Forgotten Victims
as Narrator (voice) (DVD version)
Sports on the Silver Screen
as Self (archive footage)
What the Deaf Man Heard
as Archibald Thacker
Good Luck
as James Bing
Frasier
TVas Norman Royster• 1 eps
Stargate SG-1
TVas Unas (Voice)• 1 eps
Touched by an Angel
TVas The Angel of Angels• 1 eps
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TVas Archibald Thacker• 1 eps
Homicide: Life on the Street
TVas Felix Wilson• 3 eps
1996
A Family Thing
as Ray Murdock
Looking for Richard
as Self - Interviewee
Timepiece
as Lawrence
Corwin
as Self
3rd Rock from the Sun
TVas Narrator (voice) (uncredited)• 19 eps
1995
Cry, the Beloved Country
as Rev. Stephen Kumalo
Judge Dredd
as Narrator (uncredited)
Who's in Rabbit's House?
as Narrator (voice)
People: A Musical Celebration
as The Storyteller (voice)
Jefferson in Paris
as Madison Hemings
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
TVas King Dakkar (voice)• 1 eps
Under One Roof
TVas Neb Langston• 6 eps
Signs and Wonders
TVas Diamond• 4 eps
1994
The Lion King
as Mufasa (voice)
Clean Slate
as John Dolby
The Vernon Johns Story
as Vernon Johns
Clear and Present Danger
as Admiral James Greer
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as James Earl Jones (uncredited)
The Simpsons
TVas Maggie Simpson (voice)• 1 eps
Picket Fences
TVas Bryant Thomas• 1 eps
1993
The Meteor Man
as Earnest Moses
Hallelujah
as Old Man Taylor
Sommersby
as Judge Barry Conrad Issacs
Dreamrider
as Bill Perry
The Sandlot
as Mr. Mertle
Percy & Thunder
as Percy Banks
Law & Order
TVas Defense Attorney Horace McCoy• 1 eps
1992
Sneakers
as Mr. Bernard Abbott
Lincoln
as Narrator (voice)
Patriot Games
as Adm. James Greer
The JFK Conspiracy
as Self - Host
Garfield and Friends
TVas Diablo• 1 eps
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories
TVas Narrator (voice)• 1 eps
1991
Scorchers
as Bear
Convicts
as Ben Johnson
True Identity
as James Earl Jones
Visitors from the Unknown
as Narrator (voice)
Pros and Cons
TVas Gabriel Bird• 12 eps
Golden Globe Awards
TVas Self - Nominee / Presenter• 1 eps
1990
The Ambulance
as Lt. Spencer
Heat Wave
as Junius Johnson
The Hunt for Red October
as Vice ADM James Greer
Terrorgram
as Retribution (voice)
Ivory Hunters
as Inspector Nkuru
Teach 109
as Dr. Winston
Last Flight Out
as Al Topping
Gabriel's Fire
TVas Gabriel Bird• 22 eps
1989
Best of the Best
as Frank Couzo
Field of Dreams
as Terrence Mann
The Hunting of the Snark
as Narrator (voice)
1988
Coming to America
as King Jaffe Joffer
L.A. Law
TVas Lee Atkins• 1 eps
Mathnet
TVas Chief Thad Greene• 1 eps
1987
Matewan
as 'Few Clothes' Johnson
Gardens of Stone
as Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night
as Emperor of the Night (voice)
CBS Schoolbreak Special
TVas Detective Robb• 1 eps
Highway to Heaven
TVas Gabe Wilson• 1 eps
1986
Soul Man
as Professor Banks
My Little Girl
as Ike Bailey
Faerie Tale Theatre
TVas Genie / Narrator (voice)• 1 eps
1985
City Limits
as Albert
Moses
as Pharaoh
The Atlanta Child Murders
TVas Major Walker• 2 eps
1984
The Vegas Strip War
as Jack Madrid
1983
Return of the Jedi
as Darth Vader (voice)
Reading Rainbow
TVas Self - Narrator (voice)• 1 eps
1982
The Flight of Dragons
as Ommadon (voice)
Blood Tide
as Frye
Conan the Barbarian
as Thulsa Doom
1981
The Bushido Blade
as The Prisoner
The Creation
as Narrator (voice)
Beauty and the Beast
as Narrator (voice)
God's Trombones
as Narrator (voice)
Long Ago and Far Away
TVas Host• 35 eps
1980
The Empire Strikes Back
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
TVas Father Divine• 2 eps
1979
Paul Robeson
as Paul Robeson
Roots: The Next Generations
TVas Alex Haley• 1 eps
Paris
TVas Woody Paris• 13 eps
1978
The 'Star Wars' Christmas Special
as Darth Vader (voice)
The Story of the Faithful Wookiee
as Darth Vader (voice)
1977
A Piece of the Action
as Joshua Burke
The Making of Star Wars
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
The Greatest
as Malcolm X
Star Wars
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Jesus of Nazareth
TVas Balthazar• 4 eps
1976
The River Niger
as Johnny Williams
Swashbuckler
as Nick Debrett
Dinah!
TVas Self• 1 eps
1975
Deadly Hero
as Rabbit Shazam
The UFO Incident
as Barney Hill
The Mike Douglas Show
TVas Self - Co-Host• 1 eps
Vegetable Soup
TVas Long John Spoilsport• 57 eps
1974
Claudine
as Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall
The Cay
as Timothy
King Lear
as King Lear
Great Performances
TVas King Lear• 1 eps
1973
Black Omnibus
TVas Self - Host• 13 eps
1972
Malcolm X
as Biographical Narration (voice)
The Man
as Douglass Dilman
The Dick Cavett Show
TVas Self - Guest• 2 eps
1971
1970
End of the Road
as Doctor D
The Great White Hope
as Jack Jefferson
1969
1968
The Merv Griffin Show
TVas Self• 1 eps
1967
The Comedians
as Dr. Magiot
1966
Dr. Kildare
TVas Dr. Lou Rush• 3 eps
1964
The Defenders
TVas Reverend Harris Bonham• 1 eps
1963
1962

Social Media

IMDb

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1/17/1931
Day of Death
9/9/2024
Place of Birth
Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA