James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. He was described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances on stage and screen, and "one of the greatest actors in American history". Over his career, he received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985. He 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 Honorary Academy Award in 2011. His deep voice has been praised as a "stirring basso profondo that has lent gravel and gravitas" to his projects.
Movies
Star Wars Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Lt. Lothar Zogg
Sommersby Judge Barry Conrad Issacs
The Hunt for Red October Admiral Greer
Sneakers Mr. Bernard Abbott
Field of Dreams Terrence Mann
The Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Return of the Jedi Darth Vader (voice)
Dreamrider Bill Perry
Amy and the Angel Gabriel
Earth Narrator (voice)
Finder's Fee Avery Phillips
By Dawn's Early Light Alice
The Meteor Man Earnest Moses
The Sandlot Mr. Mertle
Excessive Force Jake
Matewan 'Few Clothes' Johnson
Three Fugitives Dugan
Disney's American Legends Narrator
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Admiral (voice)
The Lion King Mufasa (voice)
Soul Man Professor Banks
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold Umslopogaas
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Mufasa (voice)
Clear and Present Danger Admiral James Greer
Coming to America King Jaffe Joffer
Conan the Barbarian Thulsa Doom
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery Self
The Flight of Dragons Ommadon (voice)
Patriot Games Adm. James Greer
Cry, the Beloved Country Rev. Stephen Kumalo
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Papa Jenkins
Africa: The Serengeti Narrator
Gardens of Stone Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson
Gang Related Arthur Baylor
Jack and the Beanstalk The Giant (voice)
Swashbuckler Nick Debrett
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings Leon
The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics Host
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault Dr. McDuffie
A Family Thing Ray Murdock
A Piece of the Action Joshua Burke
Undercover Angel The Judge
Scorchers Bear
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night Emperor of the Night (voice)
The Reading Room William
The Sandlot 2 Mr. Mertle
Nine Dog Christmas Storyteller (voice)
Grim Prairie Tales Morrison
Clean Slate John Dolby
Fantasia 2000 Self - Host
People: A Musical Celebration The Storyteller (voice)
Timepiece Lawrence
Who's in Rabbit's House? Narrator (voice)
Convicts Ben Johnson
Claudine Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall
Feast of All Saints Older Marcel
Santa and Pete James Earl Jones
Deadly Hero Rabbit Shazam
The Last Remake of Beau Geste Sheikh
True Identity Himself
The Star Wars Holiday Special Darth Vader (voice)
The River Niger Johnny Williams
On Broadway Self (archive footage)
What the Deaf Man Heard Archibald Thacker
The UFO Incident Barney Hill
The Comedians Dr. Magiot
Blood Tide Frye
The Space: Theatre of Survival Narrator
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street Self (archive footage)
The Ambulance Lt. Spencer
Beauty and the Beast Narrator (voice)
Summer's End Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely
11-22-63: The Day the Nation Cried Narrator
The Making of 'Jurassic Park' Host
My Little Girl Ike Bailey
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' Self
End of the Road Doctor D
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Ruben
The Bushido Blade The Prisoner
Gangs: Turning the Corner Self
The Great Year Narrator
A House Divided
Black Indians: An American Story Narrator
Joe Papp in Five Acts Self
The Vegas Strip War Jack Madrid
The Cay Timothy
The Vernon Johns Story Vernon Johns
The Man Douglass Dilman
Gimme Shelter Frank McCarthy
Best of the Best Frank Couzo
The Creation Narrator (voice)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies Self
The Great White Hope Jack Jefferson
Waking Sleeping Beauty Self (archive footage)
Looking for Richard Self - Interviewee
Exorcist II: The Heretic Older Kokumo
Dangerous: The Short Films Self [Superbowl Heal The World] (voice)
The Hunting of the Snark Narrator (voice)
Blackfish Self (archive footage)
Sports on the Silver Screen Self (archive footage)
The Second Civil War Jim Kalla
Hitler's Forgotten Victims Narrator (voice) (DVD version)
City Limits Albert
Driving Miss Daisy Hoke Colburn
Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' Narrator
Percy & Thunder Percy Banks
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' Narrator
Ivory Hunters Inspector Nkuru
Heat Wave Junius Johnson
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror Maggie Simpson (voice)
Jefferson in Paris Madison Hemings
The Greatest Malcolm X
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a Dream Narrator
Our Friend, Martin Daddy King (voice)
Alone Grey
Stories to Remember: Noah's Ark Narrator
Words from a Bear Self
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues Narrator (voice)
Milius Self
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal Darth Vader (voice)
Teach 109 Dr. Winston
Lincoln Narrator (voice)
The Annihilation of Fish Fish
Broadway: The Next Generation Self
Last Flight Out Al Topping
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar Mufasa (voice)
God Bless You, Mr Rosewater Kilgore Trout
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story Dane Oliver
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion Darth Vader (voice)
Night of 100 Stars II Self
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy Self
Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable Mufasa (voice)
Golden Book Video - Beauty and the Beast Narrator (voice)
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World Self
Butterfly in the Sky Guest Narrator (archive footage)
August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis Self (archive footage)
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult James Earl Jones (uncredited)
Confessions: Two Faces of Evil Charles Lloyd
Malcolm X Biographical Narration (voice)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Darth Vader (voice)
Terrorgram Retribution (voice)
Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October' Self
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
Afro Promo Self (archive footage)
The Story of Star Wars Darth Vader (archive footage)
Robots Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)
Muse of Fire Self
The Lion King Mufasa (voice)
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened Morris Bird, Jr.
Warning Shot Pendleton
Click Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)
The Making of Star Wars Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp Genie / Narrator
King Lear King Lear
The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride Lands Mufasa (voice)
Visitors from the Unknown Narrator
The Lone Star Kid Holmes
The Benchwarmers Darth Vader (voice)
Judge Dredd Narrator (uncredited)
On the Q.T. Leo
John, Paul, George and Ben Narrator
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")
God's Trombones Himself - Narrator (segment "The Creation")
Hollywood's Greatest Villains Self
Visual Pathfinders: Robert Abel & Associates
Paul Robeson Paul Robeson
Coming 2 America King Jaffe Joffer
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage Self
Casper: A Spirited Beginning Kibosh (voice)
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg'
No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat Self
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove Self
There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues himself, voice
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Darth Vader (voice)
Scary Movie 4 Narrator (uncredited)
The Me Nobody Knows Self
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street Mister (voice)
Searching for Orson Self
Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement Self
An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the Road Self
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears Narrator
Hallelujah Old Man Taylor
Antietam: A Documentary Film Narrator
Fredericksburg: A Documentary Film Narrator
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson Self
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
The Making of the Lion King Self
Portrait of Castro's Cuba Host/Narrator
Night of 100 Stars Self
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street Self - Host
Primary Colors CNN Voiceover (voice)
BET News & ET Present James Earl Jones: Life and Legacy Self (archive footage)
Jesus Of Nazareth Balthazar
Shows
L.A. Law Lee Atkins
Sesame Street
The Simpsons Narrator (voice)
Law & Order Defense Attorney Horace McCoy
House Dibala
Gabriel's Fire Gabriel Bird
The One Show Self - Guest
According to Jim Royal Flush Voice (voice)
Everwood Will Cleveland
Two and a Half Men Himself
Frasier Norman Royster
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Franklin Stern
Stargate SG-1 Unas (Voice)
Will & Grace Self
Homicide: Life on the Street
Hallmark Hall of Fame Archibald Thacker
Mathnet Chief Thad Green
Mathnet Chief Thad Green (voice)
East Side/West Side
Under One Roof Neb Langston
Vegetable Soup Long John Spoilsport
The Defenders Lieutenant Andrews
Tarzan
Roots: The Next Generations Alex Haley
Paris Woody Paris
The American Film Institute Salute to ... Self
Jesus of Nazareth Balthazar
Film Night
Dr. Kildare Dr. Lou Rush
The Defenders Reverend Harris Bonham
The Kennedy Center Honors Self
Me & Mom
Pros and Cons Gabriel Bird
Merlin Rock of Ages
The Big Bang Theory Self
Obi-Wan Kenobi Darth Vader (voice)
The Magic of David Copperfield
Tony Awards Self - Presenter
Star Wars Rebels Darth Vader (voice)
Long Ago and Far Away Host
CBS Schoolbreak Special Detective Robb
Faerie Tale Theatre Genie / Narrator (voice)
The Ed Sullivan Show Jack Jefferson (archive footage)
Reading Rainbow Himself - Narrator (voice)
Lamp Unto My Feet
Signs and Wonders Diamond
The Atlanta Child Murders Major Walker
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones Father Divine
The Simpsons Moving Man / Serak the Preparer / Narrator (voice)
The Simpsons Maggie Simpson (voice)
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child King Dakkar (voice)
The Movies That Made Us Self (archive footage)
Black Omnibus Self - Host
Star Wars Rebels Anakin Skywalker (voice)
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories Narrator (Voice)
Tony Awards Self - Winner/ Performer
The Dick Cavett Show Self - Guest
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies Self
Touched by an Angel The Angel of Angels
Great Performances King Lear
The Second Civil War Jim Kalla
Tony Awards Self - Winner
Tony Awards Self - Nominee
Tony Awards Self - Nominee/Presenter
3rd Rock from the Sun Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Highway to Heaven Gabe Wilson
Dinah! Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self
The Mike Douglas Show Self
The Mike Douglas Show Self - Co-Host
Tony Awards Self (archive footage)
Golden Globe Awards Self - Nominee/Presenter
