Lex Valluzzi, Staff Writer
On Monday evening, Sep. 9, devastating news hit social media following the announcement of the death of beloved actor, James Earl Jones, who passed away at age 93. Jones had died earlier that morning surrounded by his family. The cause of death has not been released.
Throughout his career, Jones had many successes in theater and film. He was also a member of the exclusive group of talented individuals to achieve E.G.O.T status, an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony Awards. Jones was regarded as one of America’s greatest actors.
Jones’s introduction to the dramatic arts began back during his college years in the 1950’s. He was enrolled at the University of Michigan as a declared pre-med major and had an interest in joining the military to where found success in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. During his junior year, Jones took on drama classes because he wanted to focus on things he enjoyed before leaving. By the end of his college experience, Jones graduated with a Bachelor of Arts after changing his major to Drama.
When Jones was in the military he still acted in his free time while awaiting orders. He was promoted to first lieutenant before his honorable discharge. Jones later moved to New York to pursue his acting.
Jones began his career on stage where he portrayed the titular role in Shakespeare’s “Othello” at the Ramsdell Theater in Manistee, Michigan. He went on to portray more Shakespearian roles, before making his Broadway debut in 1958 in the show “Sunrise at Campobello” at the Court Theater. From there, Jones went on to receive multiple Tony awards and nominations for his on-stage work.
Jones’s work turned from stage to screen when he made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove” in 1964. However, his career skyrocketed when he landed the voice role of Darth Vader in George Lucas’s “Star Wars” franchise. From then on, Jones became a star for many other notable roles and projects throughout his life. Among these projects are “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Field of Dreams” (1989), “The Sandlot” (1993), “The Lion King” (1994), “Everwood” (2004), and Jones reprised his previous role in the remake of “The Lion King” (2019). In 2022, Jones announced his retirement from acting.
Following his death, The New York Times called Jones “one of America’s most versatile actors in a stage, film and television.” Jones was married to the late actress Cecelia Hart and had a son, Flynn Earl Jones. He left behind a legacy unlike any other and has made a heavy impact on the world of dramatic arts. Rest in peace James Earl Jones, you will be missed.
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