James Earl Jones

Jan 17, 1931 - Sep 09, 2024 (93 years old) in Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA

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.

Known For

poster

The Simpsons

Narrator (voice)

poster

Law & Order

Defense Attorney Horace McCoy

poster

House

Dibala

poster

Two and a Half Men

Himself

poster

Stargate SG-1

Unas (Voice)

poster

Frasier

Norman Royster

poster

L.A. Law

Lee Atkins

poster

The Big Bang Theory

Self

poster

Sesame Street

poster

Will & Grace

Self

Credits

BET News & ET Present James Earl Jones: Life and Legacy 2024

Self (archive footage)

★ NR
Butterfly in the Sky 2024

Guest Narrator (archive footage)

★ 8
Obi-Wan Kenobi 2022

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.1
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street 2021

Self (archive footage)

★ 7.4
Coming 2 America 2021

King Jaffe Joffer

★ 6.4
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2019

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 6.3
The Movies That Made Us 2019

Self (archive footage)

★ 7.2
On Broadway 2019

Self (archive footage)

★ 8.7
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage 2019

Self

★ NR
The Space: Theatre of Survival 2019

Narrator

★ NR
Words from a Bear 2019

Self

★ NR
Warning Shot 2018

Pendleton

★ 5.3
Broadway: The Next Generation 2017

Self

★ 10
The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride Lands 2017

Mufasa (voice)

★ 2
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.5
God Bless You, Mr Rosewater 2016

Kilgore Trout

★ 9
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar 2016

Mufasa (voice)

★ 6.7
Driving Miss Daisy 2015

Hoke Colburn

★ 8.1
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal 2015

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.9
August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand 2015

Self

★ NR
Star Wars Rebels 2014

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.7
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion 2014

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.3
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn 2014

Ruben

★ 5.7
Gimme Shelter 2013

Frank McCarthy

★ 6.6
Muse of Fire 2013

Self

★ 6.5
Blackfish 2013

Self (archive footage)

★ 7.8
Milius 2013

Self

★ 7.1
An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the Road 2012

Self

★ 6
Joe Papp in Five Acts 2012

Self

★ 4.5
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey 2010

Admiral (voice)

★ 6.8
Jack and the Beanstalk 2009

The Giant (voice)

★ 5.3
Waking Sleeping Beauty 2009

Self (archive footage)

★ 7.2
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins 2008

Papa Jenkins

★ 6
Earth 2007

Narrator (voice)

★ 7.6
The Big Bang Theory 2007

Self

★ 7.9
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson 2007

Self

★ NR
John, Paul, George and Ben 2007

Narrator

★ NR
Searching for Orson 2006

Self

★ 5.5
Click 2006

Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)

★ 6.3
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays 2006

Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")

★ NR
Scary Movie 4 2006

Narrator (uncredited)

★ 5.5
The Benchwarmers 2006

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 5.9
Hollywood's Greatest Villains 2005

Self

★ 10
The Sandlot 2 2005

Mr. Mertle

★ 5.9
The Reading Room 2005

William

★ 7
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 2005

Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)

★ 7.4
Robots 2005

Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)

★ 6.5
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' 2005

Narrator

★ 5
House 2004

Dibala

★ 8.6
No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat 2004

Self

★ 5
Nine Dog Christmas 2004

Storyteller (voice)

★ 5.2
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy 2004

Self

★ 7.7
The Story of Star Wars 2004

Darth Vader (archive footage)

★ 7.1
Black Indians: An American Story 2004

Narrator

★ 6.3
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror 2003

Maggie Simpson (voice)

★ NR
Two and a Half Men 2003

Himself

★ 7.5
The Great Year 2003

Narrator

★ 9
Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October' 2003

Self

★ 5.4
Everwood 2002

Will Cleveland

★ 7.5
Fredericksburg: A Documentary Film 2002

Narrator

★ NR
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World 2001

Self

★ 7.3
Feast of All Saints 2001

Older Marcel

★ 4.6
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street 2001

Mister (voice)

★ 6.3
According to Jim 2001

Royal Flush Voice (voice)

★ 6.5
Finder's Fee 2001

Avery Phillips

★ 6.1
Disney's American Legends 2001

Narrator

★ 7.5
Antietam: A Documentary Film 2000

Narrator

★ NR
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' 2000

Self

★ 6.7
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' 2000

Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg'

★ 5.6
Summer's End 2000

Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely

★ 7.2
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove 2000

Self

★ 5.1
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light 2000

★ 6
Fantasia 2000 2000

Self - Host

★ 7
Santa and Pete 1999

James Earl Jones

★ 5.3
The Annihilation of Fish 1999

Fish

★ 6.6
Undercover Angel 1999

The Judge

★ 7
On the Q.T. 1999

Leo

★ 6.9
Our Friend, Martin 1999

Daddy King (voice)

★ 7.4
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 1998

Mufasa (voice)

★ 6.9
Will & Grace 1998

Self

★ 6.8
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies 1998

Self

★ 8.3
Merlin 1998

Rock of Ages

★ 6.9
Primary Colors 1998

CNN Voiceover (voice)

★ 6.3
Alone 1997

Grey

★ 6.5
The Second Civil War 1997

Jim Kalla

★ 6.2
What the Deaf Man Heard 1997

Archibald Thacker

★ 6.6
Gang Related 1997

Arthur Baylor

★ 6.3
Hitler's Forgotten Victims 1997

Narrator (voice) (DVD version)

★ 10
Casper: A Spirited Beginning 1997

Kibosh (voice)

★ 5.4
Stargate SG-1 1997

Unas (Voice)

★ 8.3
Sports on the Silver Screen 1997

Self (archive footage)

★ 10
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery 1997

Self

★ NR
Afro Promo 1997

Self (archive footage)

★ NR
Timepiece 1996

Lawrence

★ 7.4
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault 1996

Dr. McDuffie

★ 7.3
Looking for Richard 1996

Self - Interviewee

★ 6.8
Corwin 1996

Self

★ NR
A Family Thing 1996

Ray Murdock

★ 6.4
3rd Rock from the Sun 1996

Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

★ 7.5
Cry, the Beloved Country 1995

Rev. Stephen Kumalo

★ 6.7
Who's in Rabbit's House? 1995

Narrator (voice)

★ NR
Judge Dredd 1995

Narrator (uncredited)

★ 5.8
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies 1995

Self

★ 8.1
The Making of 'Jurassic Park' 1995

Host

★ 7.2
Jefferson in Paris 1995

Madison Hemings

★ 5.2
Under One Roof 1995

Neb Langston

★ NR
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child 1995

King Dakkar (voice)

★ 6
Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable 1995

Mufasa (voice)

★ 5.9
Signs and Wonders 1995

Diamond

★ NR
People: A Musical Celebration 1995

The Storyteller (voice)

★ 6.2
Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' 1994

Narrator

★ 6
Touched by an Angel 1994

The Angel of Angels

★ 7.2
Clear and Present Danger 1994

Admiral James Greer

★ 6.7
The Making of the Lion King 1994

Self

★ 10
The Lion King 1994

Mufasa (voice)

★ 8.3
The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics 1994

Host

★ 6.5
Clean Slate 1994

John Dolby

★ 5.8
Africa: The Serengeti 1994

Narrator

★ 6.7
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult 1994

James Earl Jones (uncredited)

★ 6.5
Gangs: Turning the Corner 1994

Self

★ NR
Confessions: Two Faces of Evil 1994

Charles Lloyd

★ 5
The Vernon Johns Story 1994

Vernon Johns

★ 8.5
Hallelujah 1993

Old Man Taylor

★ NR
Dangerous: The Short Films 1993

Self (voice) (uncredited)

★ 8.2
Frasier 1993

Norman Royster

★ 7.7
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman 1993

Franklin Stern

★ 7
Percy & Thunder 1993

Percy Banks

★ NR
The Meteor Man 1993

Earnest Moses

★ 5.8
Dreamrider 1993

Bill Perry

★ 7
Excessive Force 1993

Jake

★ 4.8
The Sandlot 1993

Mr. Mertle

★ 7.5
Sommersby 1993

Judge Barry Conrad Issacs

★ 6.4
Homicide: Life on the Street 1993

★ 8.1
Lincoln 1992

Narrator (voice)

★ 7.2
Sneakers 1992

Mr. Bernard Abbott

★ 6.9
Patriot Games 1992

Adm. James Greer

★ 6.7
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories 1992

Narrator (Voice)

★ 10
Pros and Cons 1991

Gabriel Bird

★ 6
True Identity 1991

James Earl Jones

★ 5.5
When It Was a Game 1991

(voice)

★ NR
Scorchers 1991

Bear

★ 4.9
Portrait of Castro's Cuba 1991

Host/Narrator

★ NR
Visitors from the Unknown 1991

Narrator (voice)

★ 6
Convicts 1991

Ben Johnson

★ 5.5
Grim Prairie Tales 1990

Morrison

★ 5.8
Law & Order 1990

Defense Attorney Horace McCoy

★ 7.4
Gabriel's Fire 1990

Gabriel Bird

★ 6.2
Ivory Hunters 1990

Inspector Nkuru

★ 4.2
Heat Wave 1990

Junius Johnson

★ 6.2
Last Flight Out 1990

Al Topping

★ NR
By Dawn's Early Light 1990

Alice

★ 6.6
The Ambulance 1990

Lt. Spencer

★ 5.9
The Hunt for Red October 1990

Vice ADM James Greer

★ 7.4
Teach 109 1990

Dr. Winston

★ 7
Terrorgram 1990

Retribution (voice)

★ 4.3
The Simpsons 1989

Narrator (voice)

★ 8
11-22-63: The Day the Nation Cried 1989

Narrator

★ NR
Best of the Best 1989

Frank Couzo

★ 6.4
Golden Book Video - Beauty and the Beast 1989

Narrator (voice)

★ NR
Field of Dreams 1989

Terrence Mann

★ 7.1
Long Ago and Far Away 1989

Host

★ 9
Three Fugitives 1989

Dugan

★ 6.7
The Hunting of the Snark 1989

Narrator (voice)

★ NR
Stories to Remember: Noah's Ark 1989

Narrator

★ 5.5
Coming to America 1988

King Jaffe Joffer

★ 6.9
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues 1988

Narrator (voice)

★ 6.8
Matewan 1987

'Few Clothes' Johnson

★ 7.3
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night 1987

Emperor of the Night (voice)

★ 5.6
Gardens of Stone 1987

Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson

★ 6.3
A House Divided 1987

★ NR
Mathnet 1987

Chief Thad Green (voice)

★ 7
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold 1986

Umslopogaas

★ 4.7
Soul Man 1986

Professor Banks

★ 5.3
L.A. Law 1986

Lee Atkins

★ 7.1
My Little Girl 1986

Ike Bailey

★ 4.8
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp 1986

Genie / Narrator

★ 5.8
The Lone Star Kid 1986

Holmes

★ 5.5
Moses 1985

Pharaoh

★ NR
City Limits 1985

Albert

★ 2.7
Me & Mom 1985

★ 5
Night of 100 Stars II 1985

Self

★ 8
The Atlanta Child Murders 1985

Major Walker

★ 5.9
Visual Pathfinders: Robert Abel & Associates 1985

★ NR
The Vegas Strip War 1984

Jack Madrid

★ 3.5
Highway to Heaven 1984

Gabe Wilson

★ 7.3
CBS Schoolbreak Special 1984

Detective Robb

★ 5.5
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears 1984

Narrator

★ NR
Reading Rainbow 1983

Himself - Narrator (voice)

★ 8.4
Return of the Jedi 1983

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 7.9
Blood Tide 1982

Frye

★ 4.9
Amy and the Angel 1982

Gabriel

★ 5.5
Faerie Tale Theatre 1982

Genie / Narrator (voice)

★ 8.2
The Flight of Dragons 1982

Ommadon (voice)

★ 6.7
Conan the Barbarian 1982

Thulsa Doom

★ 6.8
Night of 100 Stars 1982

Self

★ 6.7
The Creation 1981

Narrator (voice)

★ 6.5
The Bushido Blade 1981

The Prisoner

★ 5.4
There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues 1981

himself, voice

★ NR
Beauty and the Beast 1981

Narrator (voice)

★ 4
God's Trombones 1981

Himself - Narrator (segment "The Creation")

★ NR
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story 1980

Dane Oliver

★ NR
Project 4K80 - the empire strikes back 1980

★ NR
The Empire Strikes Back 1980

Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)

★ 8.4
The Me Nobody Knows 1980

Self

★ NR
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones 1980

Father Divine

★ 7.2
Paris 1979

Woody Paris

★ 5
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street 1979

Self - Host

★ NR
Roots: The Next Generations 1979

Alex Haley

★ 7.4
Paul Robeson 1979

Paul Robeson

★ NR
Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement 1978

Self

★ NR
The Kennedy Center Honors 1978

Self

★ 7.4
The Star Wars Holiday Special 1978

Darth Vader (voice)

★ 3.4
The Magic of David Copperfield 1978

★ 7
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened 1977

Morris Bird, Jr.

★ NR
A Piece of the Action 1977

Joshua Burke

★ 5.6
The Making of Star Wars 1977

Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)

★ 7
Exorcist II: The Heretic 1977

Older Kokumo

★ 4.5
The Last Remake of Beau Geste 1977

Sheikh

★ 5.7
Star Wars 1977

Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)

★ 8.2
Project 4K77 - fan remake of original star wars 1977

★ 10
The Greatest 1977

Malcolm X

★ 5.6
Jesus of Nazareth 1977

Balthazar

★ 7.8
Swashbuckler 1976

Nick Debrett

★ 6.2
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings 1976

Leon

★ 6.1
The River Niger 1976

Johnny Williams

★ 7.3
Deadly Hero 1975

Rabbit Shazam

★ 5.7
The UFO Incident 1975

Barney Hill

★ 6.9
Vegetable Soup 1975

Long John Spoilsport

★ NR
The Cay 1974

Timothy

★ 6.6
Dinah! 1974

Self

★ 6.7
Claudine 1974

Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall

★ 7
King Lear 1974

King Lear

★ NR
The American Film Institute Salute to ... 1973

Self

★ 6.3
The Man 1972

Douglass Dilman

★ 6.3
Malcolm X 1972

Biographical Narration (voice)

★ 6.4
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a Dream 1971

Narrator

★ NR
Great Performances 1971

King Lear

★ 5.6
The Great White Hope 1970

Jack Jefferson

★ 6.1
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis 1970

Self (archive footage)

★ 7.3
End of the Road 1970

Doctor D

★ 5.2
Sesame Street 1969

★ 7.1
Film Night 1968

★ NR
The Comedians 1967

Dr. Magiot

★ 6.1
Tarzan 1966

★ 6.7
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964

Lt. Lothar Zogg

★ 8.1
East Side/West Side 1963

★ 7.8
Dr. Kildare 1961

Dr. Lou Rush

★ 5.5
The Defenders 1961

Lieutenant Andrews

★ 6.2
Tony Awards 1956

Self - Presenter

★ 4.6
Hallmark Hall of Fame 1951

Archibald Thacker

★ 8.6
Lamp Unto My Feet 1948

★ NR

Images