James Earl Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931
, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN,
Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in “Field of Dreams,” the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit “The Great White Hope,” the expressing the villainy of Darth Vader , as well as the benign dignity of King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of and announcing “This is CNN” during station breaks. He won a 1977 Grammy for his performance on the “Great American Documents” audiobook.
Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had deserted his wife before the baby's arrival to pursue life as a boxer and, later, an actor. Too embarrassed to speak, he remained virtually mute for years, communicating with teachers and fellow students with handwritten notes. A sympathetic high school teacher, Donald Crouch, learned that the boy wrote poetry, and demanded that Jones read one of his poems aloud in class. He did so faultlessly.
In New York, he moved in with his father and enrolled with the American Theater Wing program for young actors. Father and son waxed floors to support themselves while looking for acting jobs.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
James Earl Jones as Darth Vader: Mark Hamill Salutes Jones' 'Star Wars' RoleLegendary actor James Earl Jones, known for his iconic voice and roles in 'Star Wars,' 'The Lion King' and 'Field of Dreams,' has died at age 93. Look back at his profile on TODAY that originally aired on March 21, 2001.
Read more »
James Earl Jones, ‘Darth Vader’ actor, struggled with severe stutter before becoming iconic actorJames Earl Jones, a prolific actor who voiced Darth Vader in 'Star Wars' and Mufasa in 'The Lion King,' died on Monday. He was 93 years old.
Read more »
James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died.
Read more »
James Earl Jones, beloved actor and voice of Darth Vader, diesJames Earl Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931
Read more »
James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home. The cause was...
Read more »
James Earl Jones, beloved actor and voice of Darth Vader, diesJames Earl Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931
Read more »