James Earl Jones
Acting
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.
Born: January 17, 1931 · Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
Filmography (166)
Mufasa: The Lion King
2024
In Memory Of
Butterfly in the Sky
2024
Actor: Guest Narrator (ar…
TV
Obi-Wan Kenobi
2022
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
2021
Actor: Self (archive foot…
Coming 2 America
2021
Actor: King Jaffe Joffer
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
2019
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
TV
The Movies That Made Us
2019
Actor: Self (archive foot…
The Lion King
2019
Actor: Mufasa (voice)
Warning Shot
2018
Actor: Pendleton
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
2016
Actor: Mufasa (voice)
Driving Miss Daisy
2015
Actor: Hoke Colburn
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
2015
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
TV
Star Wars Rebels
2014
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
2014
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
2014
Actor: Ruben
Gimme Shelter
2013
Actor: Frank McCarthy
Blackfish
2013
Actor: Self (archive foot…
Milius
2013
Actor
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey
2010
Actor: Admiral (voice)
Jack and the Beanstalk
2009
Actor: The Giant (voice)
Waking Sleeping Beauty
2009
Actor: Self (archive foot…
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
2008
Actor: Papa Jenkins
Earth
2007
Actor: Narrator (voice)
TV
The Big Bang Theory
2007
Actor: James Earl Jones
TV
The One Show
2006
Actor: Self - Guest
Click
2006
Actor: Narrator of Michae…
Scary Movie 4
2006
Actor: Narrator (uncredit…
The Benchwarmers
2006
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
The Sandlot 2
2005
Actor: Mr. Mertle
The Reading Room
2005
Actor: William
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
Robots
2005
Actor: Voice Box at Hardw…
TV
House
2004
Actor: Dibala
Nine Dog Christmas
2004
Actor: Storyteller (voice…
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
2004
Actor
The Story of Star Wars
2004
Actor: Darth Vader (archi…
TV
Two and a Half Men
2003
Actor: James Earl Jones
TV
Everwood
2002
Actor: Will Cleveland
Feast of All Saints
2001
Actor: Older Marcel
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street
2001
Actor: Mister (voice)
TV
According to Jim
2001
Actor: Royal Flush Voice …
Finder's Fee
2001
Actor: Avery Phillips
Disney's American Legends
2001
Actor: Narrator
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'
2000
Actor
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'
2000
Actor: Self - 'Lieutenant…
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove
2000
Actor
Fantasia 2000
2000
Actor: Self - Host
The Annihilation of Fish
1999
Actor: Fish
Undercover Angel
1999
Actor: The Judge
Our Friend, Martin
1999
Actor: Daddy King (voice)
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
1998
Actor: Mufasa (voice)
TV
Will & Grace
1998
Actor: James Earl Jones
TV
Merlin
1998
Actor: Rock of Ages
Primary Colors
1998
Actor: CNN Voiceover (voi…
Alone
1997
Actor: Grey
The Second Civil War
1997
Actor: Jim Kalla
What the Deaf Man Heard
1997
Actor: Archibald Thacker
Gang Related
1997
Actor: Arthur Baylor
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
1997
Actor: Kibosh (voice)
TV
Stargate SG-1
1997
Actor: Unas (Voice)
Good Luck
1997
Actor: James Bing
Timepiece
1996
Actor: Lawrence
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault
1996
Actor: Dr. McDuffie
Looking for Richard
1996
Actor: Self - Interviewee
A Family Thing
1996
Actor: Ray Murdock
TV
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
Actor: Narrator (voice) (…
Cry, the Beloved Country
1995
Actor: Rev. Stephen Kumal…
Judge Dredd
1995
Actor: Narrator (uncredit…
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
Actor
The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
1995
Actor: Host
Jefferson in Paris
1995
Actor: Madison Hemings
TV
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
Actor: King Dakkar (voice…
TV
Touched by an Angel
1994
Actor: The Angel of Angel…
Clear and Present Danger
1994
Actor: Admiral James Gree…
The Lion King
1994
Actor: Mufasa (voice)
The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics
1994
Actor: Host
Clean Slate
1994
Actor: John Dolby
Africa: The Serengeti
1994
Actor: Narrator
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
Actor: James Earl Jones (…
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films
1993
Actor: Self (voice) (uncr…
TV
Frasier
1993
Actor: Norman Royster
TV
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
Actor: Franklin Stern
The Meteor Man
1993
Actor: Earnest Moses
Excessive Force
1993
Actor: Jake
The Sandlot
1993
Actor: Mr. Mertle
Sommersby
1993
Actor: Judge Barry Conrad…
TV
Homicide: Life on the Street
1993
Actor: Felix Wilson
TV
Picket Fences
1992
Actor: Bryant Thomas
Sneakers
1992
Actor: Mr. Bernard Abbott
Patriot Games
1992
Actor: Adm. James Greer
True Identity
1991
Actor: James Earl Jones
Scorchers
1991
Actor: Bear
Convicts
1991
Actor: Ben Johnson
Grim Prairie Tales
1990
Actor: Morrison
TV
Law & Order
1990
Actor: Defense Attorney H…
TV
Gabriel's Fire
1990
Actor: Gabriel Bird
Ivory Hunters
1990
Actor: Inspector Nkuru
By Dawn's Early Light
1990
Actor: Alice
The Ambulance
1990
Actor: Lt. Spencer
The Hunt for Red October
1990
Actor: Vice ADM James Gre…
Terrorgram
1990
Actor: Retribution (voice…
TV
The Simpsons
1989
Actor: Narrator (voice)Actor: Moving Man / Serak…+1
Best of the Best
1989
Actor: Frank Couzo
Field of Dreams
1989
Actor: Terrence Mann
Three Fugitives
1989
Actor: Dugan
TV
Garfield and Friends
1988
Actor: Diablo
Coming to America
1988
Actor: King Jaffe Joffer
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988
Actor: Narrator (voice)
Matewan
1987
Actor: 'Few Clothes' John…
Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night
1987
Actor: Emperor of the Nig…
Gardens of Stone
1987
Actor: Sgt. Maj.'Goody' N…
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold
1986
Actor: Umslopogaas
Soul Man
1986
Actor: Professor Banks
TV
L.A. Law
1986
Actor: Lee Atkins
My Little Girl
1986
Actor: Ike Bailey
City Limits
1985
Actor: Albert
TV
The Atlanta Child Murders
1985
Actor: Major Walker
TV
Highway to Heaven
1984
Actor: Gabe Wilson
TV
CBS Schoolbreak Special
1984
Actor: Detective Robb
TV
Reading Rainbow
1983
Actor: Self - Narrator (v…
Return of the Jedi
1983
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
Blood Tide
1982
Actor: Frye
TV
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
Actor: Genie / Narrator (…
The Flight of Dragons
1982
Actor: Ommadon (voice)
Conan the Barbarian
1982
Actor: Thulsa Doom
The Bushido Blade
1981
Actor: The Prisoner
The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
TV
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
1980
Actor: Father Divine
TV
Paris
1979
Actor: Woody Paris
TV
Roots: The Next Generations
1979
Actor: Alex Haley
TV
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
Actor
The Star Wars Holiday Special
1978
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
TV
The Magic of David Copperfield
1978
Actor
A Piece of the Action
1977
Actor: Joshua Burke
The Making of Star Wars
1977
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
Exorcist II: The Heretic
1977
Actor: Older Kokumo
The Last Remake of Beau Geste
1977
Actor: Sheikh
Star Wars
1977
Actor: Darth Vader (voice…
The Greatest
1977
Actor: Malcolm X
TV
Jesus of Nazareth
1977
Actor: Balthazar
Swashbuckler
1976
Actor: Nick Debrett
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
1976
Actor: Leon
Deadly Hero
1975
Actor: Rabbit Shazam
The UFO Incident
1975
Actor: Barney Hill
The Cay
1974
Actor: Timothy
TV
Dinah!
1974
Actor
Claudine
1974
Actor: Rupert D. "Roop" M…
TV
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
Actor
Malcolm X
1972
Actor: Biographical Narra…
TV
Great Performances
1971
Actor: King Lear
The Great White Hope
1970
Actor: Jack Jefferson
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970
Actor: Self (archive foot…
End of the Road
1970
Actor: Doctor D
TV
Sesame Street
1969
Actor
TV
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
Actor: Self - Guest
The Comedians
1967
Actor: Dr. Magiot
TV
Tarzan
1966
Actor
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
1964
Actor: Lt. Lothar Zogg
TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Actor
TV
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
Actor
TV
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
ActorActor: Self - Co-Host
TV
Dr. Kildare
1961
Actor: Dr. Lou Rush
TV
The Defenders
1961
Actor: Lieutenant AndrewsActor: Reverend Harris Bo…
TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Actor: Archibald Thacker
TV
Golden Globe Awards
1944
Actor: Self - Nominee / P…