Acting
James Earl Jones
Born 1931-01-17
Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
Department: Acting
Biography
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
Prominent works featuring James Earl Jones
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Star Wars
1977
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The Lion King
1994
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The Empire Strikes Back
1980
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Return of the Jedi
1983
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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016
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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
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TV
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The Big Bang Theory
2007
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The Simpsons
1989
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
2019
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The Lion King
2019
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (279 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland Resort | Mara (voice) | Movie | 2025 |
 | Mufasa: The Lion King | In Memory Of | Movie | 2024 |
 | BET News & ET Present James Earl Jones: Life and Legacy | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2024 |
 | Butterfly in the Sky | Guest Narrator (archive footage) | Movie | 2024 |
 | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Darth Vader (voice) | TV Series | 2022 |
 | Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2021 |
 | Coming 2 America | King Jaffe Joffer | Movie | 2021 |
 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Movies That Made Us | Self (archive footage) | TV Series | 2019 |
 | On Broadway | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2019 |
 | Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage | Self | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Lion King | Mufasa (voice) | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Space: Theatre of Survival | Narrator | Movie | 2019 |
 | Words from a Bear | Self | Movie | 2019 |
 | Warning Shot | Pendleton | Movie | 2018 |
 | The Lion Guard: Life In The Pride Lands | Mufasa (voice) | Movie | 2017 |
 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 2016 |
 | God Bless You, Mr Rosewater | Kilgore Trout | Movie | 2016 |
 | The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar | Mufasa (voice) | Movie | 2016 |
 | Driving Miss Daisy | Hoke Colburn | Movie | 2015 |
 | Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 2015 |
 | August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand | Self | Movie | 2015 |
 | Star Wars Rebels | Darth Vader (voice) | TV Series | 2014 |
 | Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 2014 |
 | The Angriest Man in Brooklyn | Ruben | Movie | 2014 |
 | Gimme Shelter | Frank McCarthy | Movie | 2013 |
 | Muse of Fire | Self | Movie | 2013 |
 | Blackfish | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2013 |
 | Milius | Self | Movie | 2013 |
 | An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the Road | Self | Movie | 2012 |
 | Joe Papp in Five Acts | Self | Movie | 2012 |
 | Strange Septembers: The Hill Abduction & the Exeter Encounter | Himself | Movie | 2011 |
 | Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey | Admiral (voice) | Movie | 2010 |
 | Jack and the Beanstalk | The Giant (voice) | Movie | 2009 |
 | Waking Sleeping Beauty | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 2009 |
 | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Papa Jenkins | Movie | 2008 |
 | Earth | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 2007 |
 | The Big Bang Theory | James Earl Jones | TV Series | 2007 |
| Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson | Self | Movie | 2007 | |
 | John, Paul, George and Ben | Narrator | Movie | 2007 |
 | Searching for Orson | Self | Movie | 2006 |
 | The One Show | Self - Guest | TV Series | 2006 |
 | Click | Narrator of Michael's Past (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 2006 |
 | The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays | Jack Jefferson (segment "The Great White Hope") / Troy Maxson (segment "Fences") | Movie | 2006 |
 | Scary Movie 4 | Narrator (uncredited) | Movie | 2006 |
 | The Benchwarmers | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 2006 |
 | The Trail Of Tears: Cherokee Legacy | Narrator | Movie | 2006 |
 | Hollywood's Greatest Villains | Self | Movie | 2005 |
 | The Sandlot 2 | Mr. Mertle | Movie | 2005 |
 | The Reading Room | William | Movie | 2005 |
 | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Darth Vader (voice - uncredited) | Movie | 2005 |
 | Robots | Voice Box at Hardware Store (voice) | Movie | 2005 |
 | By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X' | Narrator | Movie | 2005 |
 | House | Dibala | TV Series | 2004 |
 | No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat | Self | Movie | 2004 |
 | Nine Dog Christmas | Storyteller (voice) | Movie | 2004 |
 | Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy | Self | Movie | 2004 |
 | The Story of Star Wars | Darth Vader (archive footage) | Movie | 2004 |
 | Black Indians: An American Story | Narrator | Movie | 2004 |
 | The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror | Maggie Simpson (voice) | Movie | 2003 |
 | Two and a Half Men | James Earl Jones | TV Series | 2003 |
 | The Great Year | Narrator | Movie | 2003 |
 | Beneath the Surface: The Making of 'The Hunt for Red October' | Self | Movie | 2003 |
 | Everwood | Will Cleveland | TV Series | 2002 |
 | Fredericksburg: A Documentary Film | Narrator | Movie | 2002 |
 | Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World | Self | Movie | 2001 |
 | Feast of All Saints | Older Marcel | Movie | 2001 |
 | Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street | Mister (voice) | Movie | 2001 |
 | According to Jim | Royal Flush Voice (voice) | TV Series | 2001 |
 | Finder's Fee | Avery Phillips | Movie | 2001 |
 | Disney's American Legends | Narrator | Movie | 2001 |
 | Antietam: A Documentary Film | Narrator | Movie | 2000 |
 | Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' | Self | Movie | 2000 |
 | Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' | Self - 'Lieutenant Lothar Zogg' | Movie | 2000 |
 | The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove | Self | Movie | 2000 |
 | Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light | Self / Appearance | Movie | 2000 |
 | Fantasia 2000 | Self - Host | Movie | 2000 |
| Ennis' Gift | Self | Movie | 2000 | |
 | Santa and Pete | Grandpa Nicholas | Movie | 1999 |
 | The Annihilation of Fish | Fish | Movie | 1999 |
 | Undercover Angel | The Judge | Movie | 1999 |
 | On the Q.T. | Leo | Movie | 1999 |
 | Summer's End | Dr. William 'Bill' Blakely | Movie | 1999 |
 | Our Friend, Martin | Daddy King (voice) | Movie | 1999 |
 | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Mufasa (voice) | Movie | 1998 |
 | Will & Grace | James Earl Jones | TV Series | 1998 |
 | Merlin | Rock of Ages | TV Series | 1998 |
 | Primary Colors | CNN Voiceover (voice) | Movie | 1998 |
 | Alone | Grey | Movie | 1997 |
 | The Second Civil War | Jim Kalla | Movie | 1997 |
 | What the Deaf Man Heard | Archibald Thacker | Movie | 1997 |
 | Gang Related | Arthur Baylor | Movie | 1997 |
| Hitler's Forgotten Victims | Narrator (voice) (DVD version) | Movie | 1997 | |
 | Casper: A Spirited Beginning | Kibosh (voice) | Movie | 1997 |
 | Stargate SG-1 | Unas (Voice) | TV Series | 1997 |
 | Sports on the Silver Screen | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1997 |
 | Good Luck | James Bing | Movie | 1997 |
 | Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery | Self | Movie | 1997 |
 | Afro Promo | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1997 |
 | Timepiece | Lawrence | Movie | 1996 |
 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Dr. McDuffie | Movie | 1996 |
 | Looking for Richard | Self - Interviewee | Movie | 1996 |
| Corwin | Self | Movie | 1996 | |
 | A Family Thing | Ray Murdock | Movie | 1996 |
 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Narrator (voice) (uncredited) | TV Series | 1996 |
 | Cry, the Beloved Country | Rev. Stephen Kumalo | Movie | 1995 |
 | Who's in Rabbit's House? | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1995 |
 | Judge Dredd | Narrator (uncredited) | Movie | 1995 |
 | The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies | Self | Movie | 1995 |
 | The Making of 'Jurassic Park' | Host | Movie | 1995 |
 | Jefferson in Paris | Madison Hemings | Movie | 1995 |
| Under One Roof | Neb Langston | TV Series | 1995 | |
 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | King Dakkar (voice) | TV Series | 1995 |
 | Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable | Mufasa | Movie | 1995 |
 | Signs and Wonders | Diamond | TV Series | 1995 |
 | People: A Musical Celebration | The Storyteller (voice) | Movie | 1995 |
| Bah, Humbug!: The Story of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' | Narrator | Movie | 1994 | |
 | Touched by an Angel | The Angel of Angels | TV Series | 1994 |
 | Clear and Present Danger | Admiral James Greer | Movie | 1994 |
 | The Making of the Lion King | Self | Movie | 1994 |
 | The Lion King | Mufasa (voice) | Movie | 1994 |
 | The Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics | Host | Movie | 1994 |
 | Clean Slate | John Dolby | Movie | 1994 |
 | Africa: The Serengeti | Narrator | Movie | 1994 |
 | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | James Earl Jones (uncredited) | Movie | 1994 |
 | Gangs: Turning the Corner | Self | Movie | 1994 |
 | Confessions: Two Faces of Evil | Charles Lloyd | Movie | 1994 |
 | The Vernon Johns Story | Vernon Johns | Movie | 1994 |
| Hallelujah | Old Man Taylor | Movie | 1993 | |
 | Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films | Self (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1993 |
 | Frasier | Norman Royster | TV Series | 1993 |
 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Franklin Stern | TV Series | 1993 |
 | Percy & Thunder | Percy Banks | Movie | 1993 |
 | The Meteor Man | Earnest Moses | Movie | 1993 |
 | Dreamrider | Bill Perry | Movie | 1993 |
 | Excessive Force | Jake | Movie | 1993 |
 | The Sandlot | Mr. Mertle | Movie | 1993 |
 | Sommersby | Judge Barry Conrad Issacs | Movie | 1993 |
 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Felix Wilson | TV Series | 1993 |
| Lincoln | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1992 | |
 | Picket Fences | Bryant Thomas | TV Series | 1992 |
 | Sneakers | Mr. Bernard Abbott | Movie | 1992 |
 | Patriot Games | Adm. James Greer | Movie | 1992 |
 | Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories | Narrator (voice) | TV Series | 1992 |
 | The JFK Conspiracy | Self - Host | Movie | 1992 |
 | Pros and Cons | Gabriel Bird | TV Series | 1991 |
 | True Identity | James Earl Jones | Movie | 1991 |
 | When It Was a Game | (voice) | Movie | 1991 |
 | Scorchers | Bear | Movie | 1991 |
| Portrait of Castro's Cuba | Host/Narrator | Movie | 1991 | |
 | Visitors from the Unknown | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1991 |
 | Convicts | Ben Johnson | Movie | 1991 |
 | Grim Prairie Tales | Morrison | Movie | 1990 |
 | Law & Order | Defense Attorney Horace McCoy | TV Series | 1990 |
 | Gabriel's Fire | Gabriel Bird | TV Series | 1990 |
 | Ivory Hunters | Inspector Nkuru | Movie | 1990 |
 | Heat Wave | Junius Johnson | Movie | 1990 |
| Last Flight Out | Al Topping | Movie | 1990 | |
 | By Dawn's Early Light | Alice | Movie | 1990 |
 | The Ambulance | Lt. Spencer | Movie | 1990 |
 | The Hunt for Red October | Vice ADM James Greer | Movie | 1990 |
 | Teach 109 | Dr. Winston | Movie | 1990 |
 | Terrorgram | Retribution (voice) | Movie | 1990 |
 | The Simpsons | Narrator (voice) | TV Series | 1989 |
| The Simpsons | Moving Man / Serak the Preparer / Narrator (voice) | TV Series | 1989 |
| The Simpsons | Maggie Simpson (voice) | TV Series | 1989 |
 | 11-22-63: The Day the Nation Cried | Narrator | Movie | 1989 |
 | Best of the Best | Frank Couzo | Movie | 1989 |
 | Field of Dreams | Terrence Mann | Movie | 1989 |
| Long Ago and Far Away | Host | TV Series | 1989 | |
 | Three Fugitives | Dugan | Movie | 1989 |
 | The Hunting of the Snark | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1989 |
 | Stories to Remember: Noah's Ark | Narrator | Movie | 1989 |
 | Garfield and Friends | Diablo | TV Series | 1988 |
 | Coming to America | King Jaffe Joffer | Movie | 1988 |
 | Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1988 |
 | Matewan | 'Few Clothes' Johnson | Movie | 1987 |
 | Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night | Emperor of the Night (voice) | Movie | 1987 |
 | Gardens of Stone | Sgt. Maj.'Goody' Nelson | Movie | 1987 |
| A House Divided | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1987 | |
 | Mathnet | Chief Thad Green (voice) | TV Series | 1987 |
| Mathnet | Chief Thad Green | TV Series | 1987 |
| Mathnet | Chief Thad Greene | TV Series | 1987 |
 | Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold | Umslopogaas | Movie | 1986 |
 | Soul Man | Professor Banks | Movie | 1986 |
 | L.A. Law | Lee Atkins | TV Series | 1986 |
 | My Little Girl | Ike Bailey | Movie | 1986 |
 | Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | Genie / Narrator | Movie | 1986 |
 | The Lone Star Kid | Holmes | Movie | 1986 |
| Moses | Pharaoh | Movie | 1985 | |
 | City Limits | Albert | Movie | 1985 |
| Me & Mom | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1985 | |
 | Night of 100 Stars II | Self | Movie | 1985 |
 | The Atlanta Child Murders | Major Walker | TV Series | 1985 |
 | Visual Pathfinders: Robert Abel & Associates | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1985 |
 | The Vegas Strip War | Jack Madrid | Movie | 1984 |
 | Highway to Heaven | Gabe Wilson | TV Series | 1984 |
 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Detective Robb | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears | Narrator | Movie | 1984 |
 | Reading Rainbow | Self - Narrator (voice) | TV Series | 1983 |
 | Return of the Jedi | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 1983 |
 | Blood Tide | Frye | Movie | 1982 |
 | Amy and the Angel | Gabriel | Movie | 1982 |
 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Genie / Narrator (voice) | TV Series | 1982 |
 | The Flight of Dragons | Ommadon (voice) | Movie | 1982 |
 | Conan the Barbarian | Thulsa Doom | Movie | 1982 |
 | Night of 100 Stars | Self | Movie | 1982 |
 | American Playhouse | Dr. Winston (segment 'Teach 109') | TV Series | 1982 |
| American Playhouse | Old Man Taylor | TV Series | 1982 |
 | Golden Book Video - Beauty and the Beast | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1981 |
| The Creation | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1981 | |
 | The Bushido Blade | The Prisoner | Movie | 1981 |
 | There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues | himself, voice | Movie | 1981 |
| Beauty and the Beast | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1981 | |
 | God's Trombones | Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1981 |
 | The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story | Dane Oliver | Movie | 1980 |
 | The Empire Strikes Back | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1980 |
 | The Me Nobody Knows | Self | Movie | 1980 |
 | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | Father Divine | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Paris | Woody Paris | TV Series | 1979 |
 | A Walking Tour of Sesame Street | Self - Host | Movie | 1979 |
 | Roots: The Next Generations | Alex Haley | TV Series | 1979 |
 | Paul Robeson | Paul Robeson | Movie | 1979 |
 | Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement | Self | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Kennedy Center Honors | Self | TV Series | 1978 |
 | The Star Wars Holiday Special | Darth Vader (voice) | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Story of the Faithful Wookiee | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Magic of David Copperfield | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1978 |
 | The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened | Morris Bird, Jr. | Movie | 1977 |
 | A Piece of the Action | Joshua Burke | Movie | 1977 |
 | The Making of Star Wars | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1977 |
 | Exorcist II: The Heretic | Older Kokumo | Movie | 1977 |
 | The Last Remake of Beau Geste | Sheikh | Movie | 1977 |
 | Star Wars | Darth Vader (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1977 |
 | The Greatest | Malcolm X | Movie | 1977 |
 | Jesus of Nazareth | Balthazar | TV Series | 1977 |
 | Swashbuckler | Nick Debrett | Movie | 1976 |
 | The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Leon | Movie | 1976 |
 | The River Niger | Johnny Williams | Movie | 1976 |
 | Deadly Hero | Rabbit Shazam | Movie | 1975 |
 | The UFO Incident | Barney Hill | Movie | 1975 |
 | Vegetable Soup | Long John Spoilsport | TV Series | 1975 |
 | The Cay | Timothy | Movie | 1974 |
 | Dinah! | Self | TV Series | 1974 |
 | Claudine | Rupert D. "Roop" Marshall | Movie | 1974 |
 | King Lear | King Lear | Movie | 1974 |
 | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Self | TV Series | 1973 |
 | Black Omnibus | Self - Host | TV Series | 1973 |
 | The Man | Douglass Dilman | Movie | 1972 |
 | Malcolm X | Biographical Narration (voice) | Movie | 1972 |
 | Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a Dream | Narrator | Movie | 1971 |
 | Great Performances | King Lear | TV Series | 1971 |
 | The Great White Hope | Jack Jefferson | Movie | 1970 |
 | King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1970 |
 | End of the Road | Doctor D | Movie | 1970 |
 | Sesame Street | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1969 |
 | The Dick Cavett Show | Self - Guest | TV Series | 1968 |
 | The Comedians | Dr. Magiot | Movie | 1967 |
 | Tarzan | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1966 |
 | Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb | Lt. Lothar Zogg | Movie | 1964 |
 | East Side/West Side | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1963 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV Series | 1961 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Dr. Kildare | Dr. Lou Rush | TV Series | 1961 |
 | The Defenders | Lieutenant Andrews | TV Series | 1961 |
| The Defenders | Reverend Harris Bonham | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Tony Awards | Self - Winner / Performer | TV Series | 1956 |
| Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | TV Series | 1956 |
| Tony Awards | Self (archive footage) | TV Series | 1956 |
| Tony Awards | Self - Nominee / Presenter | TV Series | 1956 |
| Tony Awards | Self - Nominee | TV Series | 1956 |
| Tony Awards | Self - Winner | TV Series | 1956 |
 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Archibald Thacker | TV Series | 1951 |
| Lamp Unto My Feet | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1948 | |
 | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee / Presenter | TV Series | 1944 |
 | Broadway: The Next Generation | Self | Movie | — |
| Diamonds on the Silver Screen | Self | Movie | — |