It is with profound sadness that we report the news that the legendary actor, and iconic voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, passed away at the age of 93 at his home in Dutchess County, NY, today – September 9th 2024.
From overcoming a stutter as a child, Jones would go on to become one of the most iconic voices in cinema. In a career that began in 1958 on stage at the Cort Theatre in Broadway, to his final performance in 2021’s ‘Coming 2 America’ – Jones entertained fans for over sixty years. The Cort Theatre was renamed in his honour in 2022 as the James Earl Jones Theatre.
Jones made his screen debut as a bombardier in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 black-comedy masterpiece ‘Dr. Strangelove,’ but throughout his career retained a love for stage work. He was nominated for four Tony Awards, winning two. He won in 1969 as boxer Jack Johnson in ‘The Great White Hope,’ a role he returned to in the 1970 film adaptation – earning him his sole Oscar nomination. He won his second Tony in 1987 for the role of Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama ‘Fences.’
He was nominated for eight primetime Emmy awards, again winning twice. His wins coming in 1991, as supporting actor in ‘Heat Wave,‘ and as the lead actor in ‘Gabriel’s Fire.‘ The first time an actor had won two Emmys in the same year.
In 2009, Jones was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement award, in 2011 an honorary Oscar, and a lifetime achievement Tony Award in 2017.
With his Grammy award in 1977 for the spoken word album, Great American Documents, Jones is one of only a handful of actors to receive an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony).
Jones’ rich baritone voice made him a natural for Shakespeare, and he played some of the playrights great roles, such as Macbeth and Othello. His voice led to him narrating several iconic documentaries, from 1972’s ‘Malcom X‘ to the 2007 Disney Nature documentary ‘Earth,’ but perhaps most famously delivering the tagline ‘This is CNN‘ for the 24 hour news network.
He is fondly remembered for providing the voice to King Mustafa in Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ in 1994, its direct-to-video sequel, and the 2019 live action remake. In the 1980s and ’90s, he appeared in many iconic films from Conan The Barbarian (1982), Field Of Dreams (1989), and he will also be remembered for his role as the CIA deputy director Vice Admiral James Greer in three Jack Ryan movies, 1990’s ‘The Hunt for Red October,‘ 1992’s ‘Patriot Games‘ and 1994’s ‘Clear and Present Danger.’
But it is perhaps his most famous role, Darth Vader, that we will most be associated with. Earning a modest $7,000 to provide the voice to Darth Vader in 1977’s ‘A New Hope,’ and later it’s 1980’s sequel ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ he declined taking a credit out of respect to the actor who portrayed the physical role on screen, David Prowse. However by 1983’s ‘Return of the Jedi,’ Jones portrayal had become so publicly celebrated that he received full credit for his work.
Jones would return to the role twice more, in the 2005 prequel, ‘Revenge of the Sith‘ and 2016’s spin-off ‘Rogue One.‘ For the 2022 Disney+ series ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ Jones would authorise Lucasfilm to use archival recordings and AI technology to recreate his famous voice of Vader.
He is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones.
Our condolences from the Fantha Tracks team to James Earl Jones’ family, friends and many colleagues.
