James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is a multi-award-winning American actor of theater and film, well known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership. He is known for providing the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and the tagline for CNN. James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, the son of Ruth (née Connolly) and Robert Earl Jones. At the age of five, he moved to Jackson, Michigan, to be raised by his maternal grandparents, but the adoption was traumatic and he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak aloud. When he moved to Brethren, Michigan in later years a teacher at the Brethren schools started to help him with his stutter. He remained functionally mute for eight years until he reached high school. He credits his high school teacher, Donald Crouch, who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry, with helping him out of his silence. Jones attended the University of Michigan where he was a pre-med major. While there, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and excelled. During the course of his studies, Jones discovered he was not cut out to be a doctor. Instead he focused himself 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 left without his degree. In 1953 he found a part-time stage crew job at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan, which marked the beginning of his acting career. During the 1955–1957 seasons he was an actor and stage manager. He performed his first portrayal of Shakespeare’s Othello in this theater in 1955. After his discharge from the Military, Jones moved to New York, where he attended the American Theatre Wing to further his training and worked as a janitor to earn a living. His first film role was as a young and trim Lt. Lothar Zogg, the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in 1964. His first big role came with his portrayal of boxer Jack Jefferson in the film version of the Broadway play The Great White Hope, which was based on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. For his role, Jones was nominated Best Actor by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, making him the second African-American male performer (following Sidney Poitier) to receive a nomination. In 1969, Jones participated in making test films for a proposed children's television series; these shorts, combined with animated segments were the beginnings of the Sesame Street format. The next year, in the early 1970s, James appeared with Diahann Carroll in the film called Claudine. While he has appeared in many roles, he is well known as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. Darth Vader was portrayed in costume by David Prowse in the original trilogy, with Jones dubbing Vader's dialogue in postproduction due to Prowse's strong West Country accent being unsuitable for the role. At his own request, he was originally uncredited for the release of the first two films (he would later be credited for the two in the 1997 re-release). His other voice roles include Mufasa in the 1994 film Disney animated blockbuster The Lion King, and its direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He also has done the CNN tagline, "This is CNN", as well as "This is CNN International", and the Bell Atlantic tagline, "Bell Atlantic: The heart of communication". When Bell Atlantic became Verizon, Jones used the tagline greeting of "Welcome to Verizon" or "Verizon 411" right before a phone call would go through. The opening for NBC's coverage of the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics; "the Big PI in the Sky" (God) in the computer game Under a Killing Moon; a Claymation film about The Creation; and several guest spots on The Simpsons. In addition to his film and voice over work, Jones is an accomplished stage actor as well; he has won Tony awards in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences. Othello, King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet are Shakespearean roles he has played. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2002. Jones has been married to actress Cecilia Hart since 1982. They have one child, Flynn Earl Jones. He was previously married to American actress/singer Julienne Marie (born March 21, 1933, Toledo, Ohio); they had no children. Jones is a registered Republican.
Series | Vegetable Soup | Long John Spoilsport | 2025 |
Series | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Darth Vader (Voice) | 2022-05-26 |
Movie | Coming 2 America | King Jaffe Joffer | 2021-03-04 |
Movie | Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street | Self (archive footage) | 2021-04-23 |
Movie | Words from a Bear | Self | 2019-01-29 |
Movie | The Lion King | Mufasa (voice) | 2019-07-12 |
Movie | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Darth Vader (voice) | 2019-12-18 |
Movie | Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage | Self | 2019-09-13 |
Movie | On Broadway | Self (archive footage) | 2019-10-12 |
Movie | Warning Shot | Pendleton | 2018-09-14 |
Movie | The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride Lands | Mufasa (voice) | 2017-01-10 |
Movie | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | Darth Vader (voice) | 2016-12-14 |
Movie | August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand | 2015-02-20 | |
Movie | Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal | Darth Vader (voice) | 2015-04-18 |
Movie | The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar | Mufasa (voice) | 2015-11-22 |
Movie | Driving Miss Daisy | Hoke Colburn | 2015-06-04 |
Movie | The Angriest Man in Brooklyn | Ruben | 2014-05-23 |
Movie | Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion | Darth Vader (voice) | 2014-10-03 |
Series | Star Wars Rebels | Darth Vader (voice) | 2014-10-13 |
Movie | Milius | Self | 2013-03-09 |
Movie | Blackfish | Self (archive footage) | 2013-06-07 |
Movie | Muse of Fire | Self | 2013-09-26 |
Movie | Gimme Shelter | Frank McCarthy | 2013-10-17 |
Movie | Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey | Admiral (voice) | 2010-09-17 |
Movie | Waking Sleeping Beauty | Self (archive footage) | 2009-09-05 |
Movie | Jack and the Beanstalk | The Giant (voice) | 2009-11-06 |
Movie | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Papa Jenkins | 2008-02-08 |
Movie | John, Paul, George and Ben | Narrator | 2007-01-05 |
Movie | Earth | Narrator | 2007-10-10 |
Series | The Big Bang Theory | Himself | 2007-09-24 |
Series | The One Show | Unknown | 2006-08-14 |
Movie | The Benchwarmers | Darth Vader (voice) | 2006-04-07 |
Movie | Scary Movie 4 | Narrator (uncredited) | 2006-04-12 |
Movie | Click | Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) | 2006-06-23 |
Movie | The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays | Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences") | 2006-05-02 |
Movie | Robots | Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice) | 2005-03-10 |
Movie | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Darth Vader (voice - uncredited) | 2005-05-17 |
Movie | By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' | Narrator | 2005-02-08 |
Movie | The Reading Room | William | 2005-11-04 |
Series | Deal or No Deal | Unknown | 2005-12-19 |
Movie | Hollywood's Greatest Villains | Self | 2005-12-01 |
Movie | The Sandlot 2 | Mr. Mertle | 2005-11-10 |
Movie | The Story of Star Wars | Darth Vader (archive footage) | 2004-08-18 |
Movie | Black Indians: An American Story | Narrator | 2004-01-01 |
Series | House | Dibala | 2004-11-16 |
Movie | Nine Dog Christmas | Narrator | 2004-10-05 |
Movie | Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy | Self | 2004-09-12 |
Movie | Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October' | Self | 2003-05-06 |
Movie | The Great Year | Narrator | 2003-08-01 |
Series | Two and a Half Men | Unknown | 2003-09-22 |
Series | Everwood | Unknown | 2002-09-16 |
Movie | Disney's American Legends | Narrator | 2001-02-12 |
Movie | Finder's Fee | Avery Phillips | 2001-06-19 |
Movie | Feast of All Saints | Older Marcel | 2001-11-11 |
Series | According to Jim | Royal Flush Voice (voice) | 2001-10-03 |
Movie | Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World | Self | 2001-11-19 |
Movie | Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street | Mister (voice) | 2001-11-06 |
Movie | The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove | Self | 2000-04-10 |
Movie | Summer's End | Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely | 2000-04-18 |
Movie | Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' | Self | 2000-05-30 |
Movie | Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' | Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg' | 2000-05-05 |
Movie | Our Friend, Martin | Daddy King (voice) | 1999-01-12 |
Movie | On the Q.T. | Leo | 1999-04-01 |
Movie | Fantasia 2000 | Self - Host | 1999-12-31 |
Movie | Santa and Pete | James Earl Jones | 1999-12-05 |
Movie | The Annihilation of Fish | Fish | 1999-09-12 |
Movie | Undercover Angel | The Judge | 1999-05-16 |
Movie | Primary Colors | CNN Voiceover (voice) | 1998-03-20 |
Movie | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Mufasa (voice) | 1998-10-24 |
Series | Merlin | Rock of Ages | 1998-04-26 |
Series | Will & Grace | Unknown | 1998-09-21 |
Series | Stargate SG-1 | Unas (Voice) | 1997-07-27 |
Movie | Afro Promo | Self (archive footage) | 1997-01-31 |
Movie | Sports on the Silver Screen | Self (archive footage) | 1997-03-16 |
Movie | Casper: A Spirited Beginning | Kibosh (voice) | 1997-09-09 |
Movie | Alone | Grey | 1997-12-21 |
Movie | Gang Related | Arthur Baylor | 1997-10-08 |
Movie | The Second Civil War | Jim Kalla | 1997-12-04 |
Movie | What the Deaf Man Heard | Archibald Thacker | 1997-11-23 |
Movie | A Family Thing | Ray Murdock | 1996-03-29 |
Movie | Timepiece | Lawrence | 1996-12-22 |
Movie | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Dr. McDuffie | 1996-11-23 |
Movie | Looking for Richard | Self / Interview | 1996-10-11 |
Movie | Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable | Mufasa (voice) | 1995-01-21 |
Movie | Jefferson in Paris | Madison Hemings | 1995-03-31 |
Series | Under One Roof | Neb Langston | 1995-03-14 |
Movie | Cry, the Beloved Country | Rev. Stephen Kumalo | 1995-12-15 |
Movie | The Making of 'Jurassic Park' | Host | 1995-04-23 |
Movie | Judge Dredd | Narrator (uncredited) | 1995-06-30 |
Movie | The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies | Self | 1995-06-05 |
Movie | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | James Earl Jones (uncredited) | 1994-03-18 |
Movie | Confessions: Two Faces of Evil | Charles Lloyd | 1994-01-17 |
Movie | Africa: The Serengeti | Narrator | 1994-03-31 |
Movie | The Vernon Johns Story | Vernon Johns | 1994-01-15 |
Movie | The Making of the Lion King | Self | 1994-06-24 |
Movie | Clear and Present Danger | Admiral James Greer | 1994-08-03 |
Movie | Clean Slate | John Dolby | 1994-05-06 |
Movie | The Lion King | Mufasa (voice) | 1994-06-24 |
Movie | Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics | Host | 1994-05-19 |
Movie | The Sandlot | Mr. Mertle | 1993-04-07 |
Movie | Sommersby | Judge Barry Conrad Issacs | 1993-02-05 |
Movie | Excessive Force | Jake | 1993-05-14 |
Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Unknown | 1993-01-31 |
Series | Frasier | Norman Royster | 1993-09-16 |
Movie | The Meteor Man | Earnest Moses | 1993-08-06 |
Movie | Hallelujah | Old Man Taylor | 1993-12-22 |
Movie | Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films | Self [Superbowl Heal The World] (voice) | 1993-09-28 |
Series | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Franklin Stern | 1993-09-12 |
Movie | Patriot Games | Adm. James Greer | 1992-06-04 |
Movie | Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama | Narrator (English) | 1992-12-05 |
Movie | Lincoln | Narrator (voice) | 1992-12-26 |
Movie | Sneakers | Mr. Bernard Abbott | 1992-09-09 |
Movie | Convicts | Ben Johnson | 1991-01-01 |
Movie | Visitors from the Unknown | Narrator | 1991-03-25 |
Movie | True Identity | Himself | 1991-08-23 |
Movie | Scorchers | Bear | 1991-07-07 |
Series | Pros and Cons | Gabriel Bird | 1991-09-26 |
Movie | The Ambulance | Lt. Spencer | 1990-03-22 |
Movie | The Hunt for Red October | Admiral James Greer | 1990-03-02 |
Movie | Teach 109 | Dr. Winston | 1990-01-01 |
Movie | By Dawn's Early Light | Alice | 1990-05-19 |
Movie | Grim Prairie Tales | Morrison | 1990-09-14 |
Series | Law & Order | Attorney Horace McCoy | 1990-09-13 |
Movie | Last Flight Out | Al Topping | 1990-05-22 |
Series | Gabriel's Fire | Gabriel Bird | 1990-09-12 |
Movie | Ivory Hunters | Inspector Nkuru | 1990-08-20 |
Movie | Heat Wave | Junius Johnson | 1990-08-13 |
Movie | Stories to Remember: Noah's Ark | Narrator | 1989-01-01 |
Movie | Three Fugitives | Dugan | 1989-01-27 |
Movie | Field of Dreams | Terrence Mann | 1989-04-21 |
Series | Long Ago and Far Away | Host | 1989-02-11 |
Movie | Best of the Best | Frank Couzo | 1989-11-10 |
Series | The Simpsons | Maggie Simpson (voice, as James Earl Boggins Jones) | 1989-12-17 |
Movie | Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues | Narrator (voice) | 1988-01-02 |
Movie | Coming to America | King Jaffe Joffer | 1988-06-29 |
Movie | Terrorgram | Retribution (voice) | 1988-08-08 |
Movie | Gardens of Stone | Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson | 1987-05-05 |
Movie | Matewan | 'Few Clothes' Johnson | 1987-08-28 |
Movie | Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night | Emperor of the Night (voice) | 1987-08-06 |
Movie | Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | Genie / Narrator | 1986-07-14 |
Movie | City Limits | Albert | 1986-02-07 |
Movie | The Lone Star Kid | Holmes | 1986-02-10 |
Movie | My Little Girl | Ike Bailey | 1986-08-31 |
Movie | Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold | Umslopogaas | 1986-12-17 |
Movie | Soul Man | Professor Banks | 1986-10-24 |
Series | L.A. Law | Unknown | 1986-09-15 |
Series | The Atlanta Child Murders | Major Walker | 1985-02-10 |
Series | Me & Mom | 1985-04-05 | |
Movie | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985-03-10 |
Movie | The Vegas Strip War | Jack Madrid | 1984-11-25 |
Movie | The Flight of Dragons | Ommadon (voice) | 1984-12-19 |
Movie | Return of the Jedi | Darth Vader (voice) | 1983-05-25 |
Movie | Night of 100 Stars | Self | 1982-03-08 |
Series | Faerie Tale Theatre | Genie / Narrator | 1982-09-11 |
Movie | Blood Tide | Frye | 1982-09-24 |
Movie | Conan the Barbarian | Thulsa Doom | 1982-04-02 |
Movie | There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues | himself, voice | 1981-04-03 |
Movie | The Creation | Narrator (voice) | 1981-07-13 |
Movie | The Bushido Blade | The Prisoner | 1981-06-19 |
Series | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | Father Divine | 1980-04-15 |
Series | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Detective Robb | 1980-04-19 |
Movie | The Me Nobody Knows | Self | 1980-05-18 |
Movie | The Empire Strikes Back | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | 1980-05-20 |
Movie | The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story | Dane Oliver | 1980-05-25 |
Series | Roots: The Next Generations | Alex Haley | 1979-02-18 |
Movie | A Walking Tour of Sesame Street | Self - Host | 1979-03-01 |
Series | Paris | Woody Paris | 1979-09-29 |
Movie | The Star Wars Holiday Special | Darth Vader (voice) | 1978-11-17 |
Movie | Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement | Self | 1978-12-31 |
Series | The Kennedy Center Honors | Unknown | 1978-12-28 |
Movie | The Greatest | Malcolm X | 1977-05-17 |
Series | Jesus of Nazareth | Balthazar | 1977-03-27 |
Movie | Star Wars | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | 1977-05-25 |
Movie | The Last Remake of Beau Geste | Sheikh | 1977-06-15 |
Movie | A Piece of the Action | Joshua Burke | 1977-10-07 |
Movie | The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened | Morris Bird, Jr. | 1977-10-26 |
Movie | The Making of Star Wars | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | 1977-09-16 |
Movie | Exorcist II: The Heretic | Older Kokumo | 1977-06-17 |
Movie | The River Niger | Johnny Williams | 1976-04-14 |
Movie | Swashbuckler | Nick Debrett | 1976-07-29 |
Movie | The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Leon | 1976-07-16 |
Movie | The UFO Incident | Barney Hill | 1975-10-20 |
Movie | Deadly Hero | Rabbit Shazam | 1975-12-14 |
Movie | King Lear | King Lear | 1974-02-20 |
Movie | The Cay | Timothy | 1974-10-24 |
Movie | Claudine | Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall | 1974-04-22 |
Series | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Unknown | 1973-04-02 |
Movie | The Man | Douglass Dilman | 1972-07-19 |
Movie | Malcolm X | Biographical Narration (voice) | 1972-05-24 |
Movie | End of the Road | Doctor D | 1970-02-10 |
Movie | King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis | Self (archive footage) | 1970-03-24 |
Movie | The Great White Hope | Jack Jefferson | 1970-10-11 |
Series | Sesame Street | Unknown | 1969-11-10 |
Series | Film Night | Unknown | 1968-12-29 |
Movie | The Comedians | Dr. Magiot | 1967-10-31 |
Series | Tarzan | Unknown | 1966-09-08 |
Movie | Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb | Lt. Lothar Zogg | 1964-01-29 |
Series | East Side/West Side | Unknown | 1963-09-23 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Unknown | 1961-09-27 |
Series | The Defenders | Unknown | 1961-09-16 |
Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |
Series | The Ed Sullivan Show | Unknown | 1948-06-20 |