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James Earl Jones’ Life in Photos: See the ‘Star Wars’ Icon Through the Years

By:
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September 9, 2024 5:25PM EDT
James Earl Jones & Darth Vader (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
WireImage

See photos of legendary actor and ‘Star Wars’ voice James Earl Jones from his early days until now!

Not just a voice. James Earl Jones has been a star of stage and screen for over seven decades. After briefly studying medicine and then serving in the U.S. Army, James turned to acting. Roles in several acclaimed Shakespeare productions would lead to his first on-screen role in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr. Strangelove.

In the late 70s, James’ found fame in a new realm after voicing Darth Vader in the Star Wars series. He also appeared in the hits Coming to America (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Sandlot (1993), and The Lion King (1994). Throughout his career, he’s earned three Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmys, and a Grammy.

On September 9, 2024, James died at the age of 93.

Scroll through the photos to see the life of James Earl Jones.

1 of 14

James Earl Jones in ‘The Great White Hope’

James Earl Jones in ‘The Great White Hope’
20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterst

James Earl Jones packs the punch in 1970’s The Great White Hope. He earned an Oscar nomination for the film, which was based on a 1967 play of the same name.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
2 of 14

James Early Jones in 1977

James Early Jones in 1977
Elisa Leonelli/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones smiles in a portrait from 1977. James dealt with a strong stutter during his youth, something he said was tempered by acting and literature.

“I was a stutterer. I couldn’t talk,” he said in 1996. “So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school.”

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
3 of 14

James Earl Jones Draws in 1977

James Earl Jones Draws in 1977
Elisa Leonelli/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones ponders during a photoshoot in 1977. He was a fan of all the arts.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
4 of 14

James Earl Jones in New York

James Earl Jones in New York
M Reichenthal/AP/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones promotes his Broadway play A Lesson from Aloes. At the time, he was splitting his time between stage and screen.

“There’s a pattern,” he told people at the time. “Every two years I tend to come back to Broadway, go broke, and then go back to Los Angeles and try to recoup before coming back here again.”

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
5 of 14

James Earl Jones at the 43rd Annual Emmy Awards

James Earl Jones at the 43rd Annual Emmy Awards
Bei/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones wins big at The 43rd Annual Emmy Awards on Aug. 25, 1991. He took home best lead actor in a drama for playing Gabriel Bird on the show Gabriel’s Fire along with best supporting actor in a miniseries for his part on Heat Wave.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
6 of 14

James Earl Jones at the SAG Awards

James Earl Jones at the SAG Awards
Jae C Hong/AP/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones accepts the Life Achievement Award at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 25, 2009.

Talking about the honor with ‘Today’ in 2009, he said, “What fascinates me is that every actor is given a charge, a task. No matter what your motive was in taking the role, even if it’s just to pay the bills.”

“You’re the only person who will be able to present to an audience what that character is all about! You’re the public face of all the other work that’s gone into it. Your job is to create a performance that NO ONE else would have thought of. And that, is fun!”

 

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
7 of 14

James Early Jones & Wife Cecilia Hart at the Olivier Theatre Awards

James Early Jones & Wife Cecilia Hart at the Olivier Theatre Awards
Alan Davidson/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones and wife Cecilia Hart look thrilled as they arrive at the Olivier Theatre Awards on Mar. 20, 2010. In addition to his lengthy screen resume, James was a legend of the theater.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
8 of 14

James Earl Jones Recieves the Monte Cristo Award

James Earl Jones Recieves the Monte Cristo Award
Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstoc

James Earl Jones beams while holding up his trophy. He received the 11th Annual Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene ONeill Theatre Centres on May 9, 2011.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
9 of 14

James Early Jones at the 2011 Tony Awards

James Early Jones at the 2011 Tony Awards
Sara Jaye/Shutterstock

Cecilia Hart is radiant in red beside husband James Earl Jones at the 65th Annual Tony Awards on Jun. 12, 2011. He received the Lifetime Achievement honor from the organization in 2017.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
10 of 14

James Earl Jones on ‘The Alan Titchmarsh Show’

James Earl Jones on ‘The Alan Titchmarsh Show’
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones waves during an appearance on the British TV show The Alan Titchmarsh Show on Oct. 14, 2011. 

James once said of his approach to acting, “The goal wasn’t to be a millionaire or to be a Hollywood star. That was not the goal. The goal was something about – the goal was to find the goal, but I knew where it was.”

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
11 of 14

James Earl Jones at the 2012 Marian Anderson Awards

James Earl Jones at the 2012 Marian Anderson Awards
Mediapunch/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones flashes a peace sign at the 2012 Marian Anderson Awards in Nov. 2021. He was that year’s honoree.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
12 of 14

James Earl Jones in Australia

James Earl Jones in Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones sits for a portrait while on tour with Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning play Driving Miss Daisy in Australia. He acted opposite Angela Lansbury in the 2013 production of the 1987 play, which was adapted into a 1989 film.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
13 of 14

James Earl Jones & Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard Commencement

James Earl Jones & Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard Commencement
AP/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones laughs with Mark Zuckerberg during Harvard University commencement exercises, in Cambridge, Mass. on May 25, 2017. He received an honorary doctorate.

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM
14 of 14

James Early Jones at the 2017 Tony Awards

James Early Jones at the 2017 Tony Awards
Invision/AP/Shutterstock

James Earl Jones accepts the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 71st annual Tony Awards on Jun. 11, 2017.

“So this is a big deal, huh?” he joked during his acceptance speech, before going on to thank father Robert Earl Jones for “open[ing] the door to his world and his work.” He also thanked his wife “for being such a wonderful companion in my life and in my work, and for being the great co-producer of our son, Flynn.”

January 17, 2022, 11:12AM