Happy Birthday, James Earl Jones!
The man who gave Darth Vader both a voice and a soul is celebrating a birthday today!
James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on January 17, 1931. His mother was a teacher and his father was a boxer who became an actor.
Wikipedia provides this description of Jones’ career.
“one of America’s most distinguished and versatile” actors and “one of the greatest actors in American history”. Since his Broadway debut in 1957, Jones has won many awards, including a Tony Award for his role in “The Great White Hope,” which also earned him a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the film version of the play. Jones has won three Emmy Awards, including two in the same year in 1990. He is also known for his voice roles as Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series and Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King, as well as many other film, stage and television roles.
In this interview, Jones discusses his life and career.
In addition to Star Wars, his roles in Dr. Strangelove, The Lion King, The Sandlot, Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, and Field of Dreams have made him a cinematic icon.
Happy birthday to Mr. James Earl Jones.
