James Earl Jones

Acting

James Earl Jones

Born January 17, 1931Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA260 credits

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

Filmography

Butterfly in the Sky
2024Butterfly in the Sky
as Guest Narrator (archive footage)Movie
Obi-Wan Kenobi
2022Obi-Wan Kenobi
as Darth Vader (voice)TV
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
2021Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Coming 2 America
2021Coming 2 America
as King Jaffe JofferMovie
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
2019Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
The Movies That Made Us
2019The Movies That Made Us
as Self (archive footage)TV
On Broadway
2019On Broadway
as Self (archive footage)Movie
The Lion King
2019The Lion King
as Mufasa (voice)Movie
Warning Shot
2018Warning Shot
as PendletonMovie
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
God Bless You, Mr Rosewater
2016God Bless You, Mr Rosewater
as Kilgore TroutMovie
Driving Miss Daisy
2015Driving Miss Daisy
as Hoke ColburnMovie
Star Wars Rebels
2014Star Wars Rebels
as Darth Vader (voice)TV
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
2014Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
Gimme Shelter
2013Gimme Shelter
as Frank McCarthyMovie
Muse of Fire
2013Muse of Fire
as SelfMovie
Blackfish
2013Blackfish
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Milius
2013Milius
as SelfMovie
Jack and the Beanstalk
2009Jack and the Beanstalk
as The Giant (voice)Movie
Waking Sleeping Beauty
2009Waking Sleeping Beauty
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Earth
2007Earth
as Narrator (voice)Movie
The Big Bang Theory
2007The Big Bang Theory
as James Earl JonesTV
The One Show
2006The One Show
as Self - GuestTV
Click
2006Click
as Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)Movie
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
2006The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
as Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")Movie
Scary Movie 4
2006Scary Movie 4
as Narrator (uncredited)Movie
The Benchwarmers
2006The Benchwarmers
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
The Sandlot 2
2005The Sandlot 2
as Mr. MertleMovie
The Reading Room
2005The Reading Room
as WilliamMovie
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
as Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)Movie
Robots
2005Robots
as Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)Movie
House
2004House
as DibalaTV
Nine Dog Christmas
2004Nine Dog Christmas
as Storyteller (voice)Movie
The Story of Star Wars
2004The Story of Star Wars
as Darth Vader (archive footage)Movie
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
2003The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
as Maggie Simpson (voice)Movie
Two and a Half Men
2003Two and a Half Men
as James Earl JonesTV
The Great Year
2003The Great Year
as NarratorMovie
Everwood
2002Everwood
as Will ClevelandTV
Feast of All Saints
2001Feast of All Saints
as Older MarcelMovie
According to Jim
2001According to Jim
as Royal Flush Voice (voice)TV
Finder's Fee
2001Finder's Fee
as Avery PhillipsMovie
Fantasia 2000
2000Fantasia 2000
as Self - HostMovie
Santa and Pete
1999Santa and Pete
as Grandpa NicholasMovie
Undercover Angel
1999Undercover Angel
as The JudgeMovie
On the Q.T.
1999On the Q.T.
as LeoMovie
Summer's End
1999Summer's End
as Dr. William 'Bill' BlakelyMovie
Our Friend, Martin
1999Our Friend, Martin
as Daddy King (voice)Movie
Will & Grace
1998Will & Grace
as James Earl JonesTV
Merlin
1998Merlin
as Rock of AgesTV
Primary Colors
1998Primary Colors
as CNN Voiceover (voice)Movie
Alone
1997Alone
as GreyMovie
The Second Civil War
1997The Second Civil War
as Jim KallaMovie
What the Deaf Man Heard
1997What the Deaf Man Heard
as Archibald ThackerMovie
Gang Related
1997Gang Related
as Arthur BaylorMovie
H
1997Hitler's Forgotten Victims
as Narrator (voice) (DVD version)Movie
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
1997Casper: A Spirited Beginning
as Kibosh (voice)Movie
Stargate SG-1
1997Stargate SG-1
as Unas (Voice)TV
Sports on the Silver Screen
1997Sports on the Silver Screen
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Good Luck
1997Good Luck
as James BingMovie
Afro Promo
1997Afro Promo
as Self (archive footage)Movie
Timepiece
1996Timepiece
as LawrenceMovie
Looking for Richard
1996Looking for Richard
as Self - IntervieweeMovie
C
1996Corwin
as SelfMovie
A Family Thing
1996A Family Thing
as Ray MurdockMovie
3rd Rock from the Sun
19963rd Rock from the Sun
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)TV
Cry, the Beloved Country
1995Cry, the Beloved Country
as Rev. Stephen KumaloMovie
Who's in Rabbit's House?
1995Who's in Rabbit's House?
as Narrator (voice)Movie
Judge Dredd
1995Judge Dredd
as Narrator (uncredited)Movie
Jefferson in Paris
1995Jefferson in Paris
as Madison HemingsMovie
U
1995Under One Roof
as Neb LangstonTV
People: A Musical Celebration
1995People: A Musical Celebration
as The Storyteller (voice)Movie
Touched by an Angel
1994Touched by an Angel
as The Angel of AngelsTV
Clear and Present Danger
1994Clear and Present Danger
as Admiral James GreerMovie
The Lion King
1994The Lion King
as Mufasa (voice)Movie
Clean Slate
1994Clean Slate
as John DolbyMovie
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as James Earl Jones (uncredited)Movie
The Vernon Johns Story
1994The Vernon Johns Story
as Vernon JohnsMovie
H
1993Hallelujah
as Old Man TaylorMovie
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films
1993Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films
as Self (voice) (uncredited)Movie
Frasier
1993Frasier
as Norman RoysterTV
Percy & Thunder
1993Percy & Thunder
as Percy BanksMovie
The Meteor Man
1993The Meteor Man
as Earnest MosesMovie
Dreamrider
1993Dreamrider
as Bill PerryMovie
The Sandlot
1993The Sandlot
as Mr. MertleMovie
Sommersby
1993Sommersby
as Judge Barry Conrad IssacsMovie
L
1992Lincoln
as Narrator (voice)Movie
Picket Fences
1992Picket Fences
as Bryant ThomasTV
Sneakers
1992Sneakers
as Mr. Bernard AbbottMovie
Patriot Games
1992Patriot Games
as Adm. James GreerMovie
The JFK Conspiracy
1992The JFK Conspiracy
as Self - HostMovie
Pros and Cons
1991Pros and Cons
as Gabriel BirdTV
True Identity
1991True Identity
as James Earl JonesMovie
When It Was a Game
1991When It Was a Game
as (voice)Movie
Scorchers
1991Scorchers
as BearMovie
P
1991Portrait of Castro's Cuba
as Host/NarratorMovie
Visitors from the Unknown
1991Visitors from the Unknown
as Narrator (voice)Movie
Convicts
1991Convicts
as Ben JohnsonMovie
Grim Prairie Tales
1990Grim Prairie Tales
as MorrisonMovie
Law & Order
1990Law & Order
as Defense Attorney Horace McCoyTV
Gabriel's Fire
1990Gabriel's Fire
as Gabriel BirdTV
Ivory Hunters
1990Ivory Hunters
as Inspector NkuruMovie
Heat Wave
1990Heat Wave
as Junius JohnsonMovie
L
1990Last Flight Out
as Al ToppingMovie
The Ambulance
1990The Ambulance
as Lt. SpencerMovie
The Hunt for Red October
1990The Hunt for Red October
as Vice ADM James GreerMovie
Teach 109
1990Teach 109
as Dr. WinstonMovie
Terrorgram
1990Terrorgram
as Retribution (voice)Movie
The Simpsons
1989The Simpsons
as Narrator (voice)TV
Best of the Best
1989Best of the Best
as Frank CouzoMovie
Field of Dreams
1989Field of Dreams
as Terrence MannMovie
Three Fugitives
1989Three Fugitives
as DuganMovie
The Hunting of the Snark
1989The Hunting of the Snark
as Narrator (voice)Movie
Coming to America
1988Coming to America
as King Jaffe JofferMovie
Matewan
1987Matewan
as 'Few Clothes' JohnsonMovie
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night
1987Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night
as Emperor of the Night (voice)Movie
Gardens of Stone
1987Gardens of Stone
as Sgt. Maj.'Goody' NelsonMovie
Mathnet
1987Mathnet
as Chief Thad Green (voice)TV
Soul Man
1986Soul Man
as Professor BanksMovie
L.A. Law
1986L.A. Law
as Lee AtkinsTV
My Little Girl
1986My Little Girl
as Ike BaileyMovie
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
1986Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
as Genie / NarratorMovie
The Lone Star Kid
1986The Lone Star Kid
as HolmesMovie
M
1985Moses
as PharaohMovie
City Limits
1985City Limits
as AlbertMovie
The Vegas Strip War
1984The Vegas Strip War
as Jack MadridMovie
Highway to Heaven
1984Highway to Heaven
as Gabe WilsonTV
CBS Schoolbreak Special
1984CBS Schoolbreak Special
as Detective RobbTV
Reading Rainbow
1983Reading Rainbow
as Self - Narrator (voice)TV
Return of the Jedi
1983Return of the Jedi
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
Blood Tide
1982Blood Tide
as FryeMovie
Amy and the Angel
1982Amy and the Angel
as GabrielMovie
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982Faerie Tale Theatre
as Genie / Narrator (voice)TV
The Flight of Dragons
1982The Flight of Dragons
as Ommadon (voice)Movie
Conan the Barbarian
1982Conan the Barbarian
as Thulsa DoomMovie
T
1981The Creation
as Narrator (voice)Movie
The Bushido Blade
1981The Bushido Blade
as The PrisonerMovie
B
1981Beauty and the Beast
as Narrator (voice)Movie
God's Trombones
1981God's Trombones
as Narrator (voice)Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
1980The Empire Strikes Back
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)Movie
Paris
1979Paris
as Woody ParisTV
Paul Robeson
1979Paul Robeson
as Paul RobesonMovie
The Star Wars Holiday Special
1978The Star Wars Holiday Special
as Darth Vader (voice)Movie
A Piece of the Action
1977A Piece of the Action
as Joshua BurkeMovie
The Making of Star Wars
1977The Making of Star Wars
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)Movie
Exorcist II: The Heretic
1977Exorcist II: The Heretic
as Older KokumoMovie
Star Wars
1977Star Wars
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)Movie
The Greatest
1977The Greatest
as Malcolm XMovie
Jesus of Nazareth
1977Jesus of Nazareth
as BalthazarTV
Swashbuckler
1976Swashbuckler
as Nick DebrettMovie
The River Niger
1976The River Niger
as Johnny WilliamsMovie
Deadly Hero
1975Deadly Hero
as Rabbit ShazamMovie
The UFO Incident
1975The UFO Incident
as Barney HillMovie
Vegetable Soup
1975Vegetable Soup
as Long John SpoilsportTV
The Cay
1974The Cay
as TimothyMovie
Dinah!
1974Dinah!
as SelfTV
Claudine
1974Claudine
as Rupert D. "Roop" MarshallMovie
King Lear
1974King Lear
as King LearMovie
Black Omnibus
1973Black Omnibus
as Self - HostTV
The Man
1972The Man
as Douglass DilmanMovie
Malcolm X
1972Malcolm X
as Biographical Narration (voice)Movie
The Great White Hope
1970The Great White Hope
as Jack JeffersonMovie
End of the Road
1970End of the Road
as Doctor DMovie
The Dick Cavett Show
1968The Dick Cavett Show
as Self - GuestTV
The Comedians
1967The Comedians
as Dr. MagiotMovie
Dr. Kildare
1961Dr. Kildare
as Dr. Lou RushTV
The Defenders
1961The Defenders
as Lieutenant AndrewsTV
Tony Awards
1956Tony Awards
as Self - Winner / PerformerTV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Archibald ThackerTV
Golden Globe Awards
1944Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Nominee / PresenterTV