From his struggle to overcome stuttering to his iconic performances in films like “Star Wars” and “The Lion King,” the life of James Earl Jones has been like a fairy tale.
James Earl Jones, who passed away at the age of 93, was an exceptionally successful and distinguished African American stage and screen star, a titan with EGOT awards, and a great interpreter of classic and contemporary roles, from Shakespeare to Eugene O’Neill and August Wilson. His appearance – grand, masculine, imposing – was, of course, one of the keys to his success.
But it was his voice that made him a legend. This deep, thunderous bass voice was like a storm rising on the horizon, an almost supernatural voice of wisdom and power that made generations of film enthusiasts tremble before a fatherly figure, whether good or evil.
He was the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, when he revealed to Luke Skywalker something deeply terrifying – that he was his father – and then he was the voice of Mufasa, the father of the little prince Simba in Disney’s animated film, “The Lion King.”
But before all that, James Earl Jones was a boy who stuttered and lived meagerly on a farm in Michigan. Let’s look at some facts from his remarkable life.
Difficult Childhood
l’insurgé The Great White Hope Year: 1970 – USA James Earl Jones Director: Martin Ritt (Photo by Archives du 7eme Art / Photo12 via AFP)
Photo: AFP
James’s childhood was not easy. He was born in the light of an oil lamp in a cabin in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on January 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had left his wife before the child’s birth to pursue a career as a boxer and later as an actor.
James grew up with his grandparents after his mother took him to her parents’ farm in Michigan. He described the transition from Mississippi to Michigan as “a heartache” in his autobiography and stated that he began to “stutter” after moving to the new place.
The Stuttering
epa01612352 US actor James Earl Jones is interviewed during rehearsals at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, USA, 24 January 2009. The Screen Actors Guild Awards will present Jones with the 45th Life Achievement Award on 25 January 2009 in Los Angeles, California. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO
Photo: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Before enchanting the world with his iconic voice, James had to confront the significant embarrassment caused by his stuttering. As a result, he remained almost mute for years, avoiding communication with teachers and classmates.
It was the collective efforts of James, his teachers, and classmates that helped him regain his confidence and begin speaking again. Students and teachers worked together to restore his normal speech. “I couldn’t get enough of talking, discussing, giving speeches — acting,” he recalled in his book.
His First Steps
epa05989935 Actor James Earl Jones receives his honorary degree, Doctor of Arts, during commencement exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 25 MAY 2017. EPA/LISA HORNAK
Photo: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Jones studied at the University of Michigan, where failing a pre-medical exam led him to turn to drama. He also played on the university basketball team for four seasons.
Jones graduated as a Wolverine in 1955 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in drama. Also serving in the military from 1953 to 1955, Jones began his acting career at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee.
He moved to New York, living with his father, Robert, and enrolled in the American Theater Wing’s program for young actors.
“It was too late to know him as a father,” he said. “If you don’t learn that early on, there’s no way to make it up.” But Robert, who had also tried to make a career as an actor, supported his son’s ambition with one condition. “I couldn’t make a living doing this,” he told the young James. “So if you want to enter this world, do it because you love it.” It wasn’t bad advice.
The Big Career and the Roles that Established Him
A Darth Vader helmet and mask from the film “The Empire Strikes Back” on display at the Profiles in History auction house on August 28, 2019 in Calabasas, California ahead of “The Icons and Legends of Hollywood Auction” on September 25 and 26. – Darth Vader’s helmet from “The Empire Strikes Back” is among a vast collection of coveted Hollywood treasures going under the hammer next month, with experts predicting it could fetch nearly half-a-million dollars. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
Photo: AFP
Jones gained recognition for roles in films such as “The Great White Hope,” “Coming to America,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Roots: The Next Generation,” “Cry, the Beloved Country,” among others.
He became famous for his roles in the films “Conan the Barbarian” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and “Field of Dreams” with Kevin Costner in 1989. However, his iconic voice transformed his character Darth Vader from Star Wars into a supervillain that viewers would remember for decades.
By his own insistence, Jones did not receive credit for his portrayal. He felt it was just another “special effect.” When the films broke all box office records, he was persuaded to reconsider.
The Awards
epa01613765 Presenter, US actor Forest Whitaker (L) and recipient of SAG’s 45th Life Achievement Award, US actor James Earl Jones pose in the press room at the 15th Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, USA 25 January 2009. Screen Actors Guild Awards are presented to winners in five film and eight primetime television categories. EPA/PAUL BUCK
Photo: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Jones won numerous internationally recognized awards, including two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He was also awarded an honorary Oscar and a special Tony Award for his lifetime contributions.
When asked in 2014 by the New York Times how he managed to maintain his career for so long, Jones’s answer highlighted the simple humility he often brought to his performances.
“The secret is to never forget that you are an evolving actor and that nothing is your final work, nothing is your greatest achievement, nothing is your worst work,” Jones said. “I still consider myself a beginner.”
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The Marriages
epa01632553 James Earl Jones (R) and his wife Cecilia Hart arrive at the ceremony to mark the reopening of the Ford Theatre and the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, in Washington D.C., USA, 11 February 2009. The Ford Theatre reopens after an 18-month renovation process. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS
Photo: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Jones was married twice. Both of his wives were actresses: Julienne Marie Hendricks in 1967, and after their divorce, he married Cecilia Hart, known for her role as Stacey Erickson in CBS’s police drama “Paris,” in 1982. Hart passed away in 2016.
Jones is survived by their son, Flynn Earl, who was born in 1983.