Oscar Profile #264: James Earl Jones

Born January 17, 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi to actor Robert Earl Jones and his wife, James Earl Jones suffered from a childhood stutter that he studied dramatics to overcome. Writing and reading poetry in class helped him overcome the disability that he says he still has despite his reputation as the possessor of one of the world’s great authoritative voices.

Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958’s Sunrise at Campobello and his film debut in 1964’s Dr. Strangelove. He won a Tony for his starring performance in The Great White Hope and earned an Oscar nomination for repeating the role on screen in 1970.

Alternating TV work with Broadway and film appearances, Jones has been a star in all three mediums for the better part of six decades. He is as famous for his voiceovers as for his appearances, having enthralled audiences since 1977 as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and the voice of Musafa in The Lion King since 1994. He is also the voice of CNN.

On screen Jones has given memorable performances in such films as Claudine, The River Niger, The Greatest, Conan the Barbarian, Soul Man, Matewan, Field of Dreams, The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Sneakers, Sommersby, Clear and Present Danger, Jefferson in Paris, Cry, the Beloved Country, A Family Thing and many others.

On stage he won a second Tony for 1987’s Fences and since 2005 has starred in the highly acclaimed Broadway revivals of On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The Best Man, You Can’t Take It With You and The Gin Game, receiving Tony nominations for both On Golden Pond and The Best Man. In 2014, he and fellow octogenarian Angela Lansbury filmed their touring version of Driving Miss Daisy which was given a limited theatrical release.

The same year as the original Star Wars, Jones won a Grammy for his performance on the Great American Documents audiobook. He won two Emmys in 1991, one for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Gabriel’s Fire and one for Best Supporting Actor in
a Miniseries or Special for Heatwave. Having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony he is one of only fourteen individuals who have won all four awards, making him an EGOT along with Richard Rodgers, Barbra Streisand, Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud, Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg and Scott Rudin.

Married to actress Julienne Marie from 1968 to 1972 and actress Cecilia Hart from 1982 to the present, the ever busy actor shows no signs of slowing down as he approaches his 85th birthday.

ESSENTIAL FILMS

The Great White Hope (1970), directed by Martin Ritt

The 1968 Broadway play based on the tragic life of boxing great Jack Johnson, re-named Jack Jefferson, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won the Tony for Best Play, Actor (Jones) and Featured Actress (Jane Alexander) as the angry black contender’s white companion. Repeating their star-making turns for the film, Jones as nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor and Alexander was nominated for Best Actress.

Claudine (1974), directed by John Berry

Diahann Carroll received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of a Harlem mother of six in this sweet comedy-drama in which Jones got to explore his gentler side as Carroll’s boyfriend, a garbage collector who is intimidated by the romance. The two work so well together it’s a shame that neither did more work in the romantic comedy genre. It was the only such film either of them made.

Matewan (1987), directed by John Sayles

In the voting for the third annual Independent Spirit Awards, Jones and co-star David Strathairn received Best Supporting Male nominations for their performances in this intense drama about a real-life 1920s incident revolving around an attempt at union organizing by the local coal miners. Chris Cooper and Mary McDonnell co-star in one of Sayles’ best films. Jones plays a man who knows his way around the mines by the name of Few Clothes Johnson.

Field of Dreams (1989), directed by Phil Alden Robinson

Kevin Costner had one of his biggest early hits as a novice farmer who builds a baseball field in the middle of his Iowa farm that attracts the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson, famous for allegedly throwing the 1919 World Series. Costner is fine and well supported by a sterling cast that includes Amy Madigan, Burt Lancaster, Ray Liotta and Jones as a once famous civil rights crusader who would rather just talk about baseball.

Cry, the Beloved Country (1995), directed by Darrell Roodt

This was the third film version of Alan Paton’s famous novel about the black South African prelate whose son has killed the son of a prominent white man and the meeting of the two older men. Jones admirably fills the shoes of the late, great Canada Lee who played the role in the 1951 version and Brock Peters who played it the 1973 musical version of the tragedy, Lost in the Stars. Richard Harris co-stars. Jones was nominated for a SAG award for his performance.