James Earl Jones

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James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, he was known for his extensive and acclaimed roles on stage and screen. Jones was one of the few performers to achieve the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985, and 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 Academy Honorary Award in 2011.

Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones had a stutter since childhood. He said that poetry and acting helped him overcome the challenges of his disability. A pre-med major in college, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before pursuing a career in acting. His deep voice was praised as a "stirring basso profondo that has lent gravel and gravitas" to his projects. Jones made his Broadway debut in the play ''Sunrise at Campobello'' (1957). He then gained prominence for acting in numerous productions with Shakespeare in the Park including ''Othello'', ''Hamlet'', ''Coriolanus'', and ''King Lear''. He worked steadily in theater, winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a boxer in ''The Great White Hope'' (1968), which he reprised in the 1970 film adaptation, earning him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

Jones won his second Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a working class father in August Wilson's ''Fences'' (1987). He was a Tony Award nominee for his roles as the husband in Ernest Thompson's ''On Golden Pond'' (2005) about an aging couple, and as a former president in the Gore Vidal play ''The Best Man'' (2012). His other Broadway performances included ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' (2008), ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (2010–2011), ''You Can't Take It with You'' (2014), and ''The Gin Game'' (2015–2016). He received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017.

Jones made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's ''Dr. Strangelove'' (1964). He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for ''Claudine'' (1974). He gained international fame for his voice role as Darth Vader in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, beginning with the original 1977 film. Jones's other notable films include ''The Man'' (1972), ''Conan the Barbarian'' (1982), ''Matewan'' (1987), ''Coming to America'' (1988), ''Field of Dreams'' (1989), ''The Hunt for Red October'' (1990), ''Sneakers'' (1992), ''The Sandlot'' (1993), ''The Lion King'' (1994), and ''Cry, the Beloved Country'' (1995). On television, he received eight Primetime Emmy Awards nominations winning twice for his roles in thriller film ''Heat Wave'' (1990) and the crime series ''Gabriel's Fire'' (1991). He also acted in ''Roots'' (1977), ''Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), ''Picket Fences'' (1994), ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' (1997), and ''Everwood'' (2004).