James Earl Jones
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 17, 1931
- Died
- September 9, 2024
- Birthplace
- 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.
Filmography
- Diamonds on the Silver Screen
Diamonds on the Silver Screen TBA
as Self
Broadway: The Next Generation TBA
as Self
Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland Resort 2025
as Mara (voice)
Mufasa: The Lion King 2024
In Memory Of
BET News & ET Present James Earl Jones: Life and Legacy 2024
as Self (archive footage)
Butterfly in the Sky 2024
as Guest Narrator (archive footage)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street 2021
as Self (archive footage)
Coming 2 America 2021
as King Jaffe Joffer
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2019
as Darth Vader (voice)
On Broadway 2019
as Self (archive footage)
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage 2019
as Self
The Lion King 2019
as Mufasa (voice)
The Space: Theatre of Survival 2019
as Narrator
Words from a Bear 2019
as Self
Warning Shot 2018
as Pendleton
The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride Lands 2017
as Mufasa (voice)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016
as Darth Vader (voice)
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar 2016
as Mufasa (voice)
Driving Miss Daisy 2015
as Hoke Colburn
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal 2015
as Darth Vader (voice)
August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand 2015
as Self
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion 2014
as Darth Vader (voice)
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn 2014
as Ruben
Gimme Shelter 2013
as Frank McCarthy
Muse of Fire 2013
as Self
Blackfish 2013
as Self (archive footage)
Milius 2013
as Self
An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the Road 2012
as Self
Joe Papp in Five Acts 2012
as Self
Strange Septembers: The Hill Abduction & the Exeter Encounter 2011
as Himself
Waking Sleeping Beauty 2010
as Self (archive footage)
Jack and the Beanstalk 2009
as The Giant (voice)
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins 2008
as Papa Jenkins
Earth 2007
as Narrator (voice)
- Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson 2007
as Self
John, Paul, George and Ben 2007
as Narrator
Searching for Orson 2006
as Self
Click 2006
as Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited)
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays 2006
as Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences")
Scary Movie 4 2006
as Narrator (uncredited)
The Benchwarmers 2006
as Darth Vader (voice)
The Trail Of Tears: Cherokee Legacy 2006
as Narrator
Hollywood's Greatest Villains 2005
as Self
The Sandlot 2 2005
as Mr. Mertle
The Reading Room 2005
as William
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 2005
as Darth Vader (voice - uncredited)
Robots 2005
as Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice)
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' 2005
as Narrator
No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat 2004
as Self
Nine Dog Christmas 2004
as Storyteller (voice)
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy 2004
as Self
The Story of Star Wars 2004
as Darth Vader (archive footage)
Black Indians: An American Story 2004
as Narrator
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror 2003
as Maggie Simpson (voice)
The Great Year 2003
as Narrator
Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October' 2003
as Self
Fredericksburg: A Documentary Film 2002
as Narrator
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World 2001
as Self
Feast of All Saints 2001
as Older Marcel
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street 2001
as Mister (voice)
Finder's Fee 2001
as Avery Phillips
Disney's American Legends 2001
as Narrator
Antietam: A Documentary Film 2000
as Narrator
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' 2000
as Self
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' 2000
as Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg'
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove 2000
as Self
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light 2000
Actor
- Ennis' Gift
Ennis' Gift 2000
as Self
Fantasia 2000 2000
as Self - Host
Santa and Pete 1999
as Grandpa Nicholas
The Annihilation of Fish 1999
as Fish
Undercover Angel 1999
as The Judge
On the Q.T. 1999
as Leo
Summer's End 1999
as Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely
Our Friend, Martin 1999
as Daddy King (voice)
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 1998
as Mufasa (voice)
Primary Colors 1998
as CNN Voiceover (voice)
Alone 1997
as Grey
The Second Civil War 1997
as Jim Kalla
What the Deaf Man Heard 1997
as Archibald Thacker
Gang Related 1997
as Arthur Baylor
- Hitler's Forgotten Victims
Hitler's Forgotten Victims 1997
as Narrator (voice) (DVD version)
Casper: A Spirited Beginning 1997
as Kibosh (voice)
Sports on the Silver Screen 1997
as Self (archive footage)
Good Luck 1997
as James Bing
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery 1997
as Self
Afro Promo 1997
as Self (archive footage)
Timepiece 1996
as Lawrence
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault 1996
as Dr. McDuffie
Looking for Richard 1996
as Self - Interviewee
- Corwin
Corwin 1996
as Self
A Family Thing 1996
as Ray Murdock
Cry, the Beloved Country 1995
as Rev. Stephen Kumalo
Who's in Rabbit's House? 1995
as Narrator (voice)
Judge Dredd 1995
as Narrator (uncredited)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies 1995
as Self
The Making of 'Jurassic Park' 1995
as Host
Jefferson in Paris 1995
as Madison Hemings
Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable 1995
as Mufasa
People: A Musical Celebration 1995
as The Storyteller (voice)
- Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'
Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' 1994
as Narrator
Clear and Present Danger 1994
as Admiral James Greer
The Making of the Lion King 1994
as Self
The Lion King 1994
as Mufasa (voice)
The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics 1994
as Host
Clean Slate 1994
as John Dolby
Africa: The Serengeti 1994
as Narrator
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult 1994
as James Earl Jones (uncredited)
Gangs: Turning the Corner 1994
as Self
Confessions: Two Faces of Evil 1994
as Charles Lloyd
The Vernon Johns Story 1994
as Vernon Johns
- Hallelujah
Hallelujah 1993
as Old Man Taylor
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films 1993
as Self (voice) (uncredited)
Percy & Thunder 1993
as Percy Banks
The Meteor Man 1993
as Earnest Moses
Dreamrider 1993
as Bill Perry
Excessive Force 1993
as Jake
The Sandlot 1993
as Mr. Mertle
Sommersby 1993
as Judge Barry Conrad Issacs
- Lincoln
Lincoln 1992
as Narrator (voice)
Sneakers 1992
as Mr. Bernard Abbott
Patriot Games 1992
as Adm. James Greer
The JFK Conspiracy 1992
as Self - Host
True Identity 1991
as James Earl Jones
When It Was a Game 1991
as (voice)
Scorchers 1991
as Bear
- Portrait of Castro's Cuba
Portrait of Castro's Cuba 1991
as Host/Narrator
Visitors from the Unknown 1991
as Narrator (voice)
Convicts 1991
as Ben Johnson
Grim Prairie Tales 1990
as Morrison
Ivory Hunters 1990
as Inspector Nkuru
Heat Wave 1990
as Junius Johnson
Last Flight Out 1990
as Al Topping
By Dawn's Early Light 1990
as Alice
The Ambulance 1990
as Lt. Spencer
The Hunt for Red October 1990
as Vice ADM James Greer
Terrorgram 1990
as Retribution (voice)
Teach 109 1990
as Dr. Winston
11-22-63: The Day the Nation Cried 1989
as Narrator
Best of the Best 1989
as Frank Couzo
Field of Dreams 1989
as Terrence Mann
Three Fugitives 1989
as Dugan
Stories to Remember: Noah's Ark 1989
as Narrator
The Hunting of the Snark 1989
as Narrator (voice)
Coming to America 1988
as King Jaffe Joffer
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues 1988
as Narrator (voice)
Matewan 1987
as 'Few Clothes' Johnson
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night 1987
as Emperor of the Night (voice)
Gardens of Stone 1987
as Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson
- A House Divided
A House Divided 1987
Actor
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold 1986
as Umslopogaas
Soul Man 1986
as Professor Banks
My Little Girl 1986
as Ike Bailey
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp 1986
as Genie / Narrator
The Lone Star Kid 1986
as Holmes
Moses 1985
as Pharaoh
City Limits 1985
as Albert
Night of 100 Stars II 1985
as Self
Visual Pathfinders: Robert Abel & Associates 1985
Actor
The Vegas Strip War 1984
as Jack Madrid
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears 1984
as Narrator
Return of the Jedi 1983
as Darth Vader (voice)
Blood Tide 1982
as Frye
Amy and the Angel 1982
as Gabriel
The Flight of Dragons 1982
as Ommadon (voice)
Conan the Barbarian 1982
as Thulsa Doom
Night of 100 Stars 1982
as Self
Golden Book Video - Beauty and the Beast 1981
as Narrator (voice)
- The Creation
The Creation 1981
as Narrator (voice)
The Bushido Blade 1981
as The Prisoner
There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues 1981
as himself, voice
- Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast 1981
as Narrator (voice)
God's Trombones 1981
as Narrator (voice)
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story 1980
as Dane Oliver
The Empire Strikes Back 1980
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
The Me Nobody Knows 1980
as Self
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street 1979
as Self - Host
Paul Robeson 1979
as Paul Robeson
Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement 1978
as Self
The Story of the Faithful Wookiee 1978
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
The Star Wars Holiday Special 1978
as Darth Vader (voice)
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened 1977
as Morris Bird, Jr.
A Piece of the Action 1977
as Joshua Burke
The Making of Star Wars 1977
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
Exorcist II: The Heretic 1977
as Older Kokumo
The Last Remake of Beau Geste 1977
as Sheikh
Star Wars 1977
as Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited)
The Greatest 1977
as Malcolm X
Swashbuckler 1976
as Nick Debrett
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings 1976
as Leon
The River Niger 1976
as Johnny Williams
Deadly Hero 1975
as Rabbit Shazam
The UFO Incident 1975
as Barney Hill
The Cay 1974
as Timothy
Claudine 1974
as Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall
King Lear 1974
as King Lear
The Man 1972
as Douglass Dilman
Malcolm X 1972
as Biographical Narration (voice)
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a Dream 1971
as Narrator
The Great White Hope 1970
as Jack Jefferson
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis 1970
as Self (archive footage)
End of the Road 1970
as Doctor D
The Comedians 1967
as Dr. Magiot
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964
as Lt. Lothar Zogg
Credits from TMDB.