RIP James EarlJones

[Edi]

https://deadline.com/2024/09/james-earl ... 236082801/

James Earl Jones Dies: Revered ‘Field Of Dreams’ Star, Darth Vader Voice & Broadway Regular Was 93
By Erik Pedersen, Managing Editor
September 9, 2024 1:33pm

James Earl Jones, the revered actor who voiced Star Wars villain Darth Vader, starred in Field of Dreams and many other films and Broadway shows and is an EGOT winner, died this morning at his home in Dutchess County, NY. He was 93.

His reps at Independent Artist Group confirmed the news to Deadline.

Widely regarded as among the world’s great stage and screen actors Jones is one of the few entertainers to have won the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), though his Academy Award was Honorary. Jones has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a spoken-word Grammy Award in 1977 and three Tony Awards.

The actor amassed nearly 200 screen credits during his brilliant 60-year career, starting some early-’60s TV guest roles and Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). He probably is best known for his voice role as the dastardly Darth Vader in George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars (1977) The Empire Strikes Back, 1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). He also reprised the villainous role in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and TV’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: Rebels.

Movie fans will remember such chilling, immortal Vader quotes as “When I left you, I was but the learner — now I am the master,” “I find your lack of faith disturbing” and, of course, “No, I am your father.”

Also among Jones’ best-loved roles is Terence Mann, the reclusive 1960s author who reluctantly teams with Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella to unlock the latter’s visions of baseball lore in Field of Dreams (1989). Based on the 1982 novel Showless Joe Jackson, the film from writer-director Phil Alden Robinson tugged — no, yanked — at heartstrings with its sweet nostalgia, high-concept plot, father-son dynamics and general excellence.

It earned three Oscar nominations including Best Picture; it lost to Driving Miss Daisy — a film whose Broadway adaptation starred Jones as Hoke Colburn, the character played by Morgan Freeman on the big screen.

Jones also voiced The Lion King‘s Mufasa in both the 1994 animated pic and 2019 hybrid remake. He also lent his sonorous voice to the famous “This is CNN” promo campaign for the cable news network and recurring as the narrator on Third Rock from the Sun.

Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, MS, his many big-screen credits also films such Conan the Barbarian (1982), Coming to America (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Sandlot (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and Sneakers (1992). He also appeared on The Simpsons three times.

He was nominated for a Lead Actor Oscar for his role in The Great White Hope (1971) and was given an honorary Oscar at the 2012 ceremony. An eight-time Emmy nominee, his two wins both came in 1991: Lead Actor in a Drama series for Gabriel’s Fire and Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for Heat Wave.

Jones also was a 2002 Kennedy Center Honoree and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from SAG-AFTRA in 2009 and by the National Board of Review in 1995.

Also a commanding presence on the Broadway stage, Jones earned four competitive Tony Award nominations for Best Actor in a Play, winning twice for his performances as Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope in 1969 and as Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences in 1987. He received a Special Tony Award at 2017 ceremony.

The Great White Hope, in which he played a lightly fictionalized version of heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, was Jones’ breakthrough role. He also starred in the 1970 film adaptation, his first leading role on the big screen.

He appeared in nearly two dozen Broadway shows, from his first starring role in Sunrise at Campobello (1958) and most recently in The Gin Game (2017). Along the way, he starred in productions of such stage classics as The Iceman Cometh (1974), Othello (1982), On Golden Pond (2005), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008) and You Can’t Take It with You (2014).

In September 2022, the Shubert Organization rechristened its 110-year-old Cort Theatre as The James Earl Jones Theatre, with a dedication ceremony attended by Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norm Lewis and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Jones did not attend the dedication ceremony but had been given a private tour of the facility — where he’d made his Broadway debut in 1958 — the week prior.

“For me standing in this very building 64 years ago at the start of my Broadway career, it would have been inconceivable that my name would be on the building today,” Jones said in a statement at the time. “Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors.”

Information on survivors and memorial plans were not available.

Given he made it to 93, a person can hardly ask for more, but his passing is still a loss and a tragedy, and the world is lessened by his absence. We are all the children of dead stars given life in this new form, and we return whence we came. May he rest in light!

[Johnnie Lyle]

Amen!

[Rocket J Squrriel]

Besides being a wonderful actor and human being, James Earl Jones was also an US Army Ranger.

Borrowed from Wiki:

He attended the University of Michigan, where he was initially a pre-med major. He joined the Reserve Officers' 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. After his junior year, he focused 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 with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in drama.

With the war intensifying in Korea, Jones expected to be deployed as soon as he received his commission as a second lieutenant. As he waited for his orders, he worked on the stage crew and acted at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan. Jones was commissioned in mid-1953, after the Korean War's end, and reported to Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) to attend the Infantry Officers Basic Course. He attended Ranger School and received his Ranger Tab. Jones was assigned to Headquarter and Headquarters Company, 38th Regimental Combat Team. He was initially to report to Fort Leonard Wood, but his unit was instead sent to establish a cold-weather training command at the former 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..

Rest in Peace

[jemhouston]

[Jotun]

I'll miss his voice and screen presence. At least, he had his voice cloned some time ago. That's something, I guess. Then again, Disney and Lucasfilm hold the rights...

https://www.ibc.org/news/darth-vaders-j ... 03.article

[Rocket J Squrriel]

Darth Vader trolls his daughter.

Trivia: Before appearing on an episode of The Big Bang Theory Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones had never actually met! He never visited the set because he was in the recording studio.

https://youtu.be/CRGbJ67Ejzk?feature=shared

[Johnnie Lyle]

Darth Vader trolls his daughter.

Trivia: Before appearing on an episode of The Big Bang Theory Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones had never actually met! He never visited the set because he was in the recording studio.

https://youtu.be/CRGbJ67Ejzk?feature=shared

I very much hope he’s doing that right now.

[Johnnie Lyle]

I'll miss his voice and screen presence. At least, he had his voice cloned some time ago. That's something, I guess. Then again, Disney and Lucasfilm hold the rights...

https://www.ibc.org/news/darth-vaders-j ... 03.article

On the upside, he had the choice and chose to do it, unlike other actors and actresses where the estate chose.

It’s also very interesting that he chose to lock in the role in perpetuity, despite his extensive theater background, where new actors in the same iconic role is the standard.

[Jotun]

I'll miss his voice and screen presence. At least, he had his voice cloned some time ago. That's something, I guess. Then again, Disney and Lucasfilm hold the rights...

https://www.ibc.org/news/darth-vaders-j ... 03.article

On the upside, he had the choice and chose to do it, unlike other actors and actresses where the estate chose.

It’s also very interesting that he chose to lock in the role in perpetuity, despite his extensive theater background, where new actors in the same iconic role is the standard.

It IS a form of immortality.
Whoever holds the rights to Star Wars would be hard pressed to find a voice as recognizable and iconic, even legendary.

[1Big Rich]

[Micael]

Rest in peace good Sir. You had an awesome run.

[Sukhoiman]

Vader, Mufasa so many notable roles with that legendary voice. I got talking about it with my mom earlier. Really brings a tear to the eye.

I had to watch his iconic scenes in field of dreams earlier too. Extremely memorable, I have rewatched that stuff so much its like knowing the back of my hand now, but I still enjoy watching it again. He is a true 10/10.

[Poohbah]

Vader, Mufasa so many notable roles with that legendary voice. I got talking about it with my mom earlier. Really brings a tear to the eye.

I had to watch his iconic scenes in field of dreams earlier too. Extremely memorable, I have rewatched that stuff so much its like knowing the back of my hand now, but I still enjoy watching it again. He is a true 10/10.

"What is steel, compared to the hand that wields it?"

"Contemplate this on the Tree of Woe."

[MikeKozlowski]

...Or his role as LOOKING GLASS in By Dawn's Early Light. The last few minutes were absolutely chilling, mostly because of his performance.

Mike

[1Big Rich]

...Or his role as LOOKING GLASS in By Dawn's Early Light. The last few minutes were absolutely chilling, mostly because of his performance.

Mike

"They'll shoot you for this General."
"Sam old friend, I should find such an angel of mercy."

Brilliant cast in that movie.

Had the pleasure of meeting Martin Landau, would have liked to have shaken Mr Jones hand....

Regards,

[Craiglxviii]

...Or his role as LOOKING GLASS in By Dawn's Early Light. The last few minutes were absolutely chilling, mostly because of his performance.

Mike

Yep. Superb movie- much, much underrated- and he stole the show in it.

Probably the last of the serious Cold War movies.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

...Or his role as LOOKING GLASS in By Dawn's Early Light. The last few minutes were absolutely chilling, mostly because of his performance.

Mike

Also the scene when his character is talking to CinCSAC as the warheads come in. "Happy hunting" and then the data feed goes to static. Just the look in his eyes from knowing his friend and almost certainly his own family just died.