A king’s time as ruler rises and falls like the sun, and the sun rises on a new, very sombre day as cinematic royalty, James Earl Jones, passes away at age 93.
Earl Jones was confirmed to have died by his agent, Barry McPherson, at home in New York’s Hudson Valley region.
Celebrating Over Seven Decades of Artistry
With a career that spans over 70 years, Earl Jones achieving a strong legacy is a major understatement.
He graced the stage and screen with a regal and iconic voice that helped to make some of the most beloved characters of all time. Undoubtedly, he will be remembered for his two most iconic roles that have immortalised him in the industry were Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” saga and Mufasa in “The Lion King”, where Earl Jones proved so irreplaceable as the King of the Pride Lands that he reprised his role for the 2019 live-action remake.
More roles worthy of note were “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Greatest” (with Muhammad Ali), “Conan the Barbarian,” “Three Fugitives” and playing an admiral in three Tom Clancy blockbuster adaptations — “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” He also played Jack Johnson, the first Black American Heavyweight champion in both stage and screen iterations of the boxer’s biopic “The Great Hope” and turned his hand to comedy, such as his scene-stealing role in the Eddie Murphy comedy, “Coming To America”.
In the stage world, Earl Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958’s “Sunrise At Campobello” and would win his two Tony Awards for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). He also was nominated for “On Golden Pond” (2005) and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” (2012). He was celebrated for his command of Shakespeare and Athol Fugard alike. More recent Broadway appearances include “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.
Figureheads in the industry have already been paying tribute to the late actor. Jennifer Tilly took to X (formerly known as Twitter), saying “Farewell, James Earl Jones, one of the great American actors”.
Bryan Cranston stated on Instagram that although people “knew him [Earl Jones] as Darth Vader, HE WAS SO MUCH MORE than that small part of his acting life”, and called him a “giant in our ranks”.
Journalist Sophie Grenham posted on X a photo of Darth Vader projected on the Empire State Building in New York in response to the news of Earl Jones passing. She states “There is a Broadway theatre named after him, honouring his contribution to the craft”.
Early Life and Personal Challenges
Amidst all these achievements was a man who overcame much strife, from troubled beginnings to a stutter that almost prevented his iconic voice. Before his birth in Jan. 17 1931, Earl Jones’ father, Robert, had abandoned his wife to pursue life as a boxer. At age 6, Earl Jones was moved from his home in Arkabutla, Mississippi, to Manistee, Michigan, to live with his grandparents.
In his autobiography, “Voices and silences”, Earl Jones wrote: “A world ended for me, the safe world of childhood. The move from Mississippi to Michigan was supposed to be a glorious event. For me it was a heartbreak, and not long after, I began to stutter.”
For most of his school years, Earl Jones remained virtually mute and was bullied senselessly for it. It was only when his high school teacher, Donald Crouch, learned that the boy wrote poetry, and demanded that Jones read one of his poems aloud in class. As you can imagine, it was a superlative success.
After further hard work, the once-mute boy’s speech was restored – “I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating — acting,” he later recalled in his book. And, of course, the rest is history.
Legacy and Lasting Impact
It’s a story rich with inspiration knowing that such a renowned name and presence began from the toughest of beginnings. Little did the child counterpart of the man who would utter the chilling and impossible-to-forget line “I Am Your Father” and do so with such regal menace. Or deliver monologues of how the stars represent those of the past looking down at us and how the Circle of Life functions for lions and antelopes.
Little did that boy know that he would go on to win two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. Little did he know that his presence in stage and screen was so great that the Cort Theatre on Broadway would be renamed after him in 2022 – The James Earl Jones Theatre.
Reflecting on an Icon’s Departure
In light of his legacy, Earl Jones left many in the industry in awe of his achievements.
Samuel L Jackson once stated “If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the payment in these streets looks for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones.”
Director Kenny Leon told the Associated Press “You can’t think of an artist that has served America more.” He added “It’s like it seems like a small act, but it’s a huge action. It’s something we can look up and see that’s tangible.”
Now, although the sun sets on his time, what rises is a never forgotten memory of an icon.
