Obituary: James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader and Musafa

James Earl Jones: From Stammering To Vader's Voice

James Earl Jones may have had an impressive acting career spanning almost six decades, but he will primarily be remembered for his iconic voice.

It was a rich, resonant, magnificent bass; some have even said it resembled the voice that "Moses heard when he received a message from God."

He provided the voice for Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, evoking the immense strength of the mystical 'Force' solely through his words.

Lately, he has been heard emphatically stating, "This is CNN," adding a sense of urgency and importance to the news network's slogan.

James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, in Mississippi, with a diverse heritage that includes African-American, American Indian, and Irish roots. His father, Robert Earl Jones, left the family shortly after James was born.

The family was large, consisting of 13 members, and it was decided that Jones would move in with his grandmother in Memphis to lighten the load on everyone. However, when he was taken to her home, he clung tightly to the car, clearly distressed.

"It was the only way I could show them I wanted to be with them," he remembered. "They understood that."

The experience was so distressing that he developed a stutter that persisted into his teenage years. At one point, it became so severe that he couldn't speak at all and had to express himself solely through writing.

James Earl Jones gazing at his image in a mirror just moments before stepping onto the stage for his role in the 1970 production of The Great White Hope.

Interestingly, it was his stutter that led him to pursue acting, instilling in him a lasting admiration for the art of language.

During high school, a supportive teacher recognized his gift for writing poetry and urged him to share his work aloud in front of the class. Jones noticed that his stutter became less severe when he spoke from memory. Motivated by this experience, he started participating in debates and speaking contests.

While studying at the University of Michigan, he developed a passion for the theater. After finishing his time in the military, he moved to New York to pursue acting. For a period, he stayed with his father—not to mend their relationship, but to reduce his living expenses.

"It was already too late for me to get to know him as a father," he mentioned. "If you don't learn that from the start, there's no way to make up for it." However, Robert, who had also attempted to pursue acting, backed his son's dreams but had one stipulation.

"I can't earn a living this way," he said to young James. "So if you're thinking of getting into this field, make sure it's for the love of it." It was solid advice.

Stanley Bielecki Film Archive

James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander appear in a scene from the film adaptation of The Great White Hope, which earned Jones a nomination for an Oscar.

Although black actors faced significant challenges in securing roles, Jones gained recognition through Broadway shows like Jean Genet's play, The Blacks. In this production, black performers used white makeup to challenge and undermine colonial stereotypes.

He was lucky to arrive at a time when New York theater was transforming into something new. It was no longer necessary to be white and middle class to achieve success in the industry.

He performed in Shakespeare plays, portraying characters like Othello, King Lear, Oberon, and Claudius. Additionally, he took on groundbreaking contemporary works, including Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, and an all-black version of Tennessee Williams' Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

In 1968, he earned a Tony Award for his role in the play The Great White Hope, which was inspired by the legendary African American boxer Jack Johnson. He subsequently received an Oscar nomination for the film adaptation, making him the second Black actor, after Sidney Poitier, to achieve this recognition.

His debut film appearance came as a youthful, fit member of Slim Pickens' flight team in Stanley Kubrick's darkly comedic film, Dr. Strangelove.

He went on to star in numerous films like Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. He regarded himself as a versatile actor who accepted roles that came his way, primarily for the paycheck.

Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, and Tom Cruise have all intentionally mapped out their careers, he confessed to the Guardian. "As for me, I'm simply navigating my own path. When an opportunity comes my way, I think, 'Sure, I'll give that a shot.'"

James Earl Jones performed as Othello on stage, sharing the spotlight with Christopher Plummer, who portrayed Iago.

As kids everywhere are aware, he was approached to provide the voice for Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. The actor in the costume, Dave Prowse, had a prominent West Country accent. While it suited his role as the Green Cross Code man, it didn’t quite convey the intimidating tone of a dark Jedi seeking power across the galaxy.

Jones insisted on not receiving credit for his role, believing it was just another "special effect." However, when the films shattered box office records, he was convinced to change his mind.

He was also recognized as a talented television actor, portraying the character of the older Alex Hailey in Roots: The Next Generation. He earned one of his two Emmy Awards for his lead performance in the American drama Gabriel's Fire. His deep, distinctive voice was featured in The Simpsons and he provided the iconic voice of Mufasa in The Lion King.

He also made appearances in the earlier episodes of Sesame Street. To evaluate the effectiveness of the show, the producers shared some clips with schoolchildren. The clip that resonated the most with them featured James Earl Jones quietly standing still and slowly counting from one to ten.

In 2011, he received an honorary Oscar in recognition of his impact on the film industry. He accepted the award on the stage of a London theater while performing alongside Vanessa Redgrave in the production of Driving Miss Daisy.

James Earl Jones's commanding voice established him as a prominent figure in commercial voice-overs, documentaries, and video games. He served as the voice for SeaWorld in Florida and provided narration for NBC's Olympic broadcasts. In fact, someone wisely decided to have him record all 27 books of the New Testament.

He was glad to lend his voice for commercial projects, but he was more reserved when it came to political matters. His father had faced a blacklist from Senator Joseph McCarthy, so he preferred to avoid any contentious issues.

The person portraying Darth Vader was Dave Prowse. However, George Lucas wanted the character's voice to sound deeper and have more resonance. So, he turned to James Earl Jones to lend his voice to the role.

He once stated, "You can pay me for my voice, but my support can't be bought. I'm open to doing voice work, but endorsing something requires a deeper level of commitment. My political views are deeply personal and based on my own experiences."

He never stopped working, continuing well into his 80s. The young man from Mississippi, who struggled with a noticeable stutter, will be remembered as a remarkable stage performer with an iconic voice.

In 2016, there was a final appearance as Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

His words still held the same intense impact they had four decades ago, introducing a new generation of kids to the enduring terror of the Dark Side.