History of James Earl Jones in Timeline
"James Earl Jones is an iconic American actor celebrated for his distinctive voice and impactful performances on both stage and screen. His illustrious career has earned him three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award, solidifying his place as a legend in the entertainment industry."
1910: Birth of James Earl Jones' Father
Robert Earl Jones, James Earl Jones' father, was born in 1910.
1911: Birth of James Earl Jones' Mother
James Earl Jones' mother, Ruth Connolly, was born in 1911.
January 17, 1931: Birth of James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on January 17, 1931.
1931: Early Life and Childhood
James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi in 1931. He struggled with stuttering throughout his childhood.
1949: High School Graduation
James Earl Jones graduated from Dickson Rural Agricultural School (now Brethren High School) in Brethren, Michigan, in 1949.
1953: Early Career at the Ramsdell Theatre
James Earl Jones began his acting career at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan, in 1953, working as a stage carpenter.
1953: Military Service and Training
James Earl Jones was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army in 1953, after the end of the Korean War. He attended Ranger School, received his Ranger Tab, and was assigned to a training unit at the former Camp Hale in Colorado.
1955: Acting and Stage Management
Between 1955 and 1957, he acted and worked as a stage manager at the Ramsdell Theatre.
1955: College Graduation
James Earl Jones graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama in 1955.
1957: Broadway Debut as Understudy
He made his Broadway debut in 1957 as an understudy in the play "The Egghead".
1957: Broadway Debut
James Earl Jones made his Broadway debut in 1957 as an understudy in the play "The Egghead".
January 1958: Featured Role in "Sunrise at Campobello"
James Earl Jones landed a featured role in the play "Sunrise at Campobello" at the Cort Theatre in January 1958.
1958: Sunrise at Campobello (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "Sunrise at Campobello".
1959: Sunrise at Campobello (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "Sunrise at Campobello".
1964: Dr. Strangelove Film Debut
James Earl Jones made his film debut in the 1964 political satire "Dr. Strangelove", appearing as Lt. Lothar Zogg.
1964: Film Debut in "Dr. Strangelove"
James Earl Jones made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" in 1964.
1964: Film Debut in "Dr. Strangelove"
James Earl Jones made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" in 1964.
1965: Danton's Death (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "Danton's Death".
December 1967: Starring Role in "The Great White Hope"
He starred in Howard Sackler's play "The Great White Hope" at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in December 1967.
October 3, 1968: Broadway Success with "The Great White Hope"
James Earl Jones starred in "The Great White Hope", which premiered on Broadway on October 3, 1968, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
1968: Marriage to Julienne Marie
James Earl Jones married actress and singer Julienne Marie in 1968. They had met while performing in a production of "Othello" in 1964.
1968: First Tony Award
James Earl Jones won his first Tony Award for his performance in the play "The Great White Hope" in 1968.
1969: Tony Award and Drama Desk Award
James Earl Jones' performance in "The Great White Hope" earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and a Drama Desk Award in 1969.
1969: Appearance on "Sesame Street"
James Earl Jones participated in filming test segments for the children's educational program "Sesame Street" in 1969, and his segments aired as part of the show when it premiered later that year.
1970: The Great White Hope Film Adaptation
In 1970, James Earl Jones starred in his first leading film role in "The Great White Hope", reprising his stage role as boxer Jack Johnson. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
1970: The Great White Hope
James Earl Jones starred as Jack Jefferson in the 1970 film "The Great White Hope", a role he originated in the Broadway production of the same name.
1970: Film Adaptation and Acclaim
Jones reprised his role in the film adaptation of "The Great White Hope" in 1970, earning him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
1972: Divorce from Julienne Marie
James Earl Jones and Julienne Marie divorced in 1972 after four years of marriage.
1972: The Man
James Earl Jones starred as the first African-American president of the United States in the 1972 film "The Man", alongside Martin Balsam and Burgess Meredith.
1973: The Iceman Cometh
In 1973, James Earl Jones took on the role of Hickey in a Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" at the Circle in the Square Theater.
1973: The Iceman Cometh (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "The Iceman Cometh".
1974: Sesame Street: Old School DVD Release
Production notes included in the "Sesame Street: Old School 1969–1974" DVD release highlight the impact of James Earl Jones' segments on test audiences.
1974: Of Mice and Men and King Lear on Broadway
James Earl Jones appeared in two Broadway productions in 1974. He played Lennie in "Of Mice and Men" at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and starred as King Lear in Shakespeare's play at the New York City Shakespeare Festival in Central Park.
1974: The Iceman Cometh (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "The Iceman Cometh".
1974: Claudine
In 1974, James Earl Jones co-starred with Diahann Carroll in the film "Claudine", a romantic comedy-drama that explored the challenges faced by Black families in the 1970s, including racial disparities, economic inequality, and societal expectations of marriage.
1974: Golden Globe Nomination for "Claudine"
He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in the film "Claudine" in 1974.
1975: Of Mice and Men (Broadway)
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "Of Mice and Men".
1977: Star Wars: A New Hope
James Earl Jones began his iconic voiceover role as Darth Vader in the first "Star Wars" film, "Star Wars: A New Hope", released in 1977. He provided the voice for Darth Vader, who was portrayed on screen by David Prowse.
1977: Voice of Darth Vader
James Earl Jones originated the voice role of Darth Vader in the first "Star Wars" film in 1977.
1977: Grammy Award for Great American Documents
James Earl Jones received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 1977 for his work on "Great American Documents".
1979: Paris and Roots: The Next Generations
James Earl Jones appeared in two television projects in 1979. He was part of the short-lived CBS police drama "Paris" and starred in the miniseries "Roots: The Next Generations".
1979: Paris (TV Series)
James Earl Jones played the role of Woodrow Paris in the television series "Paris", which aired from 1979 to 1980.
1980: Paris (TV Series)
James Earl Jones played the role of Woodrow Paris in the television series "Paris", which aired from 1979 to 1980.
1980: The Empire Strikes Back
James Earl Jones reprised his voice role as Darth Vader in "The Empire Strikes Back", the second installment of the Star Wars original trilogy, released in 1980.
1982: Role in "Conan the Barbarian"
He appeared in the film "Conan the Barbarian" in 1982.
1982: Conan the Barbarian
James Earl Jones appeared in the action/fantasy film "Conan the Barbarian" in 1982.
1982: Marriage to Cecilia Hart
James Earl Jones married actress Cecilia Hart in 1982. The couple had one son, Flynn.
1983: Return of the Jedi
James Earl Jones returned as the voice of Darth Vader for the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, "Return of the Jedi", released in 1983. He received credit for his voice work in this film.
1985: Induction into American Theater Hall of Fame
James Earl Jones was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985.
1985: American Theater Hall of Fame Induction
James Earl Jones was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985.
1985: The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible
James Earl Jones lent his voice to the character of Pharaoh in the first episode of the animated series "The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible" in 1985.
1986: Death of James Earl Jones' Mother
Ruth Connolly, James Earl Jones' mother, passed away in 1986.
1987: Annie Glenn Award
In 1987, James Earl Jones became the first recipient of the National Association for Hearing and Speech Action's Annie Glenn Award.
1987: Fences and Matewan
In 1987, James Earl Jones starred as Troy Maxson in August Wilson's play "Fences" and also appeared in the film "Matewan", set during a coal miners' strike in 1920. He received his second Tony Award for "Fences" and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for "Matewan".
1987: Second Tony Award
James Earl Jones received his second Tony Award for his performance in August Wilson's play "Fences" in 1987.
1988: Role in "Coming to America"
James Earl Jones acted in the film "Coming to America" in 1988.
1988: Coming to America
James Earl Jones was part of the cast of the Eddie Murphy comedy "Coming to America", released in 1988.
1989: Field of Dreams
James Earl Jones had a role in the sports drama "Field of Dreams" in 1989, a film that went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
1989: Long Ago and Far Away
James Earl Jones became the host of the children's television series "Long Ago and Far Away", a role he held from 1989 to 1992.
1989: Role in "Field of Dreams"
He appeared in the film "Field of Dreams" in 1989.
1990: The Hunt for Red October
James Earl Jones appeared in the submarine thriller film "The Hunt for Red October", released in 1990.
1990: Role in "The Hunt for Red October"
James Earl Jones had a role in the film "The Hunt for Red October" in 1990.
1990: The Simpsons (Voice Role)
James Earl Jones lent his voice to various characters on the animated series "The Simpsons".
1990: The Simpsons and Voice Work
James Earl Jones provided voice work for "The Simpsons" in 1990, narrating their first "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween special with Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven".
1990: Gabriel's Fire
James Earl Jones starred in the television series "Gabriel's Fire", playing a former policeman who becomes a private investigator after being released from prison. The show aired on ABC from 1990 to 1991.
1991: Two Primetime Emmy Awards
James Earl Jones had a remarkable year in 1991, winning two Primetime Emmy Awards. He received the award for Best Actor for his role in the television series "Gabriel's Fire" and Best Supporting Actor for his work in the television movie "Heat Wave".
1991: Common Wealth Award
James Earl Jones received the Common Wealth Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Dramatic Arts in 1991.
1992: Patriot Games and National Medal of the Arts
James Earl Jones appeared in the action thriller "Patriot Games" and received the National Medal of the Arts from President George H.W. Bush in 1992.
1992: National Medal of Arts Recipient
He received the National Medal of Arts in 1992.
1992: National Medal of Arts
In 1992, President George H. W. Bush awarded James Earl Jones the National Medal of Arts.
1992: Pros and Cons
Following a format change, "Gabriel's Fire" was renamed "Pros and Cons" for its second season in 1991-1992, with James Earl Jones continuing his role.
July 13, 1993: National Anthem at MLB All-Star Game
James Earl Jones, accompanied by the Morgan State University choir, sang the U.S. National Anthem at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Baltimore on July 13, 1993.
1993: Role in "The Sandlot"
He acted in the film "The Sandlot" in 1993.
1993: The Sandlot
James Earl Jones had a role in the coming-of-age baseball film "The Sandlot", released in 1993.
1994: The Simpsons (Voice Role)
James Earl Jones lent his voice to various characters on the animated series "The Simpsons".
1994: Voice Acting in "The Lion King"
James Earl Jones provided voice acting for the animated film "The Lion King" in 1994.
1994: Clear and Present Danger and The Lion King
James Earl Jones was part of two successful films in 1994. He appeared in the action thriller "Clear and Present Danger" and voiced the character of Mufasa in Disney's animated film "The Lion King".
1995: Cry, the Beloved Country
James Earl Jones appeared in the historical drama film "Cry, the Beloved Country", released in 1995.
1995: Under One Roof
James Earl Jones starred in the short-lived television series "Under One Roof" in 1995, playing Neb Langston, a widowed police officer living with his extended family.
1996: Golden Palm Star and Golden Plate Award
James Earl Jones received the Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 1996. That same year, he was also given the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, presented by George Lucas.
1996: "Casey at the Bat" with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
James Earl Jones recited the baseball poem "Casey at the Bat" with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in 1996.
1997: Star Wars: A New Hope Special Edition
James Earl Jones was finally credited for his voice work as Darth Vader in the 1997 re-release of "Star Wars: A New Hope", known as the "Special Edition".
1998: The Simpsons (Voice Role)
James Earl Jones lent his voice to various characters on the animated series "The Simpsons".
1998: An American Moment
James Earl Jones took over as the host of the syndicated program "An American Moment" in 1998, following the death of Charles Kuralt.
August 20, 1999: Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
James Earl Jones voiced the character of General Solomon in the video game "Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun", which was released on August 20, 1999.
2000: NBC Summer Olympics Opening Narration
James Earl Jones lent his voice to the opening for NBC's coverage of the 2000 Summer Olympics.
2002: Kennedy Center Honoree
James Earl Jones was honored with the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002.
2002: Kennedy Center Honors
James Earl Jones was among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. in 2002. President George W. Bush acknowledged Jones' distinctive voice during the ceremony.
2002: Martin Luther King Day Speaker
James Earl Jones served as the featured speaker for Martin Luther King Day in Lauderhill, Florida, in 2002.
2004: NBC Summer Olympics Opening Narration
James Earl Jones lent his voice to the opening for NBC's coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
April 7, 2005: On Golden Pond (Broadway Revival)
On April 7, 2005, James Earl Jones and Leslie Uggams starred in an African-American Broadway revival of "On Golden Pond", directed by Leonard Foglia and produced by Jeffrey Finn.
2005: On Golden Pond (Broadway Revival)
James Earl Jones starred in the African-American Broadway revival of "On Golden Pond".
2005: Tony Award Nomination for "On Golden Pond"
James Earl Jones was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the play "On Golden Pond" in 2005.
2006: Death of James Earl Jones' Father
Robert Earl Jones, James Earl Jones' father, passed away in 2006.
June 1, 2007: "Casey at the Bat" at Philadelphia Phillies Game
James Earl Jones once again performed "Casey at the Bat" before a Philadelphia Phillies game on June 1, 2007.
February 2008: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadway)
In February 2008, James Earl Jones starred as Big Daddy in a limited-run, all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", directed by Debbie Allen at the Broadhurst Theatre.
2008: Broadway Performance in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
James Earl Jones appeared in the Broadway production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in 2008.
2008: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadway)
James Earl Jones starred as Big Daddy in the all-African-American Broadway production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
November 2009: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (London's West End)
In November 2009, James Earl Jones reprised the role of Big Daddy in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" at the Novello Theatre in London's West End. This production also starred Sanaa Lathan as Maggie, Phylicia Rashad as Big Mamma, and Adrian Lester as Brick.
2009: Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
He was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009.
October 2010: Driving Miss Daisy (Broadway)
In October 2010, James Earl Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's "Driving Miss Daisy", alongside Vanessa Redgrave at the Golden Theatre.
2010: Start of "Driving Miss Daisy" Run
He began his run in the Broadway play "Driving Miss Daisy" in 2010.
November 12, 2011: Honorary Academy Award
On November 12, 2011, James Earl Jones received an Honorary Academy Award.
November 2011: Driving Miss Daisy (London's West End) and Honorary Oscar
In November 2011, James Earl Jones starred in "Driving Miss Daisy" in London's West End, and on November 12 received an honorary Oscar, presented to him by Ben Kingsley, in front of the audience at the Wyndham's Theatre.
2011: Academy Honorary Award
James Earl Jones received an Academy Honorary Award in 2011.
2011: Honorary Academy Award Recipient
James Earl Jones received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011.
2011: End of "Driving Miss Daisy" Run
James Earl Jones concluded his performance in "Driving Miss Daisy" in 2011.
March 2012: The Best Man (Broadway)
In March 2012, James Earl Jones played the role of President Art Hockstader in Gore Vidal's "The Best Man" on Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance in a Lead Role in a Revival.
2012: Tony Award Nomination for "The Best Man"
He received another Tony Award nomination for his performance in "The Best Man" in 2012.
2012: Marian Anderson Award Recipient
In 2012, James Earl Jones was named the recipient of the Marian Anderson Award.
June 2013: Driving Miss Daisy (Australian Tour) Concludes
James Earl Jones and Angela Lansbury concluded their Australian tour of "Driving Miss Daisy" in June 2013.
2013: Sprint Commercials with Malcolm McDowell
James Earl Jones appeared alongside Malcolm McDowell in a series of commercials for Sprint, in which the two dramatically recited mundane phone and text-message conversations.
2014: You Can't Take It with You (Broadway Revival)
James Earl Jones starred in the Broadway revival of "You Can't Take It with You".
2014: Voice Icon Award
James Earl Jones was awarded the Voice Icon Award by the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences at the Museum of the Moving Image in 2014.
2014: Sprint Commercials with Malcolm McDowell
James Earl Jones appeared alongside Malcolm McDowell in a series of commercials for Sprint, in which the two dramatically recited mundane phone and text-message conversations.
2014: Broadway Performance in "You Can't Take It with You"
He acted in the Broadway production of "You Can't Take It with You" in 2014.
2014: You Can't Take It with You (Broadway Revival)
In 2014, James Earl Jones starred alongside Annaleigh Ashford as Grandpa in the Broadway revival of the George S. Kaufman comedic play "You Can't Take It with You" at the Longacre Theatre.
September 23, 2015: The Gin Game (Broadway Revival)
On September 23, 2015, James Earl Jones opened in a new revival of "The Gin Game" opposite Cicely Tyson, at the John Golden Theater, where the play originally premiered. The play had a planned limited run of 16 weeks.
December 27, 2015: Agent X (TV Series) Concludes
The TNT drama series "Agent X", starring James Earl Jones as Chief Justice Caleb Thorne, aired its final episode on December 27, 2015, after a single season of 10 episodes.
2015: Start of "The Gin Game" Run
James Earl Jones began performing in the Broadway play "The Gin Game" in 2015.
2015: You Can't Take It with You (Broadway Revival)
James Earl Jones starred in the Broadway revival of "You Can't Take It with You".
January 10, 2016: The Gin Game (Broadway Revival) Closes
James Earl Jones' run in the Broadway revival of "The Gin Game" closed on January 10, 2016, after a successful limited run.
April 2016: Publicly Discusses Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
In April 2016, James Earl Jones publicly addressed his long-term health challenges, revealing his type 2 diabetes diagnosis, which he received in the mid-1990s.
October 16, 2016: Death of Cecilia Hart
James Earl Jones' wife, actress Cecilia Hart, passed away from ovarian cancer on October 16, 2016.
2016: End of "The Gin Game" Run
He concluded his run in "The Gin Game" in 2016.
2016: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Voice Role)
James Earl Jones officially reprised his voice role of Darth Vader for the live-action "Star Wars" film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story".
2017: Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement
James Earl Jones received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017.
2017: Honorary Doctor of Arts and Special Tony Award
James Earl Jones received an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Harvard University in 2017. He was also honored with a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the same year.
2019: Reprising Roles in "The Lion King" and "Star Wars"
He reprised his voice role in the remake of "The Lion King" in 2019 and continued to voice Darth Vader in various "Star Wars" projects.
2019: Disney Legend
In 2019, James Earl Jones was honored as a Disney Legend for his contributions to Disney.
2019: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Voice Cameo)
James Earl Jones made a three-word voice cameo as Darth Vader in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker".
2019: The Lion King (Voice Role)
James Earl Jones reprised his voice role of Mufasa for the CGI remake of Disney's "The Lion King", directed by Jon Favreau. He was the only original cast member to do so.
2021: Reprising Role in "Coming 2 America"
James Earl Jones reprised his role in the sequel "Coming 2 America" in 2021.
2021: Coming 2 America (Final Screen Credit)
James Earl Jones reprised the role of King Jaffe Joffer in "Coming 2 America", the sequel to the 1988 film "Coming to America". This marked his final screen credit.
March 2022: Cort Theatre Renamed
In March 2022, Broadway's Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre to honour his contributions to the arts.
September 2022: Retirement from Voicing Darth Vader
In September 2022, James Earl Jones announced his retirement from voicing the iconic "Star Wars" character Darth Vader. Future voice roles for the character would be created using archival recordings of Jones' voice and AI technology.
September 9, 2024: Death of James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones passed away on September 9, 2024.