9.9.2024
During the 2011 revival of Alfred Uhry’s Driving Miss Daisy in London, actor James Earl Jones, who passed away at the age of 90, was honored with an honorary Oscar by Ben Kingsley. This occurred during a link between Wyndham’s Theatre in London and the awards ceremony in Hollywood. In Los Angeles, Glenn Close described Jones as the epitome of great acting, while Kingsley praised his commanding presence, infectious smile, deep voice, and remarkable stillness.
Jones was widely recognized for his iconic voice roles as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy and Mufasa in the 1994 Disney animation The Lion King and for being the voice of US TV news (“This is CNN”) for many years. He cemented his status as a leading black actor with a Tony award for his portrayal of boxer Jack Jefferson in Howard Sackler’s The Great White Hope on Broadway, a role he also played in the 1970 film adaptation, earning him an Oscar nomination.
Jones portrayed the first African-American president on-screen in the 1972 movie The Man. His stage career included significant roles in classical plays such as King Lear, Othello, Hickey in Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh, and Big Daddy in Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Jones, born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, was the son of Robert Earl Jones and Ruth Connolly. Raised on a farm in Jackson, Michigan, by his maternal grandparents, he overcame a stutter by reading poetry aloud at Brown’s school in Brethren, Michigan. After serving as a US Army Ranger in the Korean War, he pursued acting and stage management at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan.
Moving to New York, he made his Broadway debut in 1958 and became a prominent figure at Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park. His film career also took off with roles in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove.
The Great White Hope premiered at the Alvin Theatre in New York after a successful run at the Arena Stage in Washington. Jones delivered an impactful performance, shedding light on racism in the world of boxing at a time when Muhammad Ali was suspended from the ring for refusing to join the military during the Vietnam War. Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs (1970) responded to Jean Genet’s The Blacks, featuring Jones as a Westernized urban African man returning to his village for his father’s funeral. He continued to make a mark in theater with roles in productions such as The Cherry Orchard, Of Mice and Men, and King Lear. In 1977-78, he portrayed Paul Robeson on Broadway, which stirred some controversy, but he received support from prominent figures in the industry.
His portrayal of Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences (1987) was praised for its powerful depiction of a man grappling with racial barriers and shattered dreams. In addition to his stage work, Jones also had a solid film career, appearing in various movies, including The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977), The Greatest (1977), Convicts (1991), Sommersby (1993), and Cry, the Beloved Country (1995). Jones carried the weight of his nation’s history throughout his performances, delivering poignant portrayals and leaving a lasting impact.
In 2009, he portrayed Broadway Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in London, sharing the stage with Adrian Lester as his son, Brick. His performance as the coarse, cancer-ridden plantation owner was powerful, yet he brought out a surprising streak of kindness in the character. His iconic voice resonated through the theater, captivating the audience.
In another successful performance, he starred in the London production of Driving Miss Daisy alongside Redgrave. The play delved into the evolving issues of racial tension from 1948 to 1973, and their partnership was delightful to watch.
He returned to London once again in 2013 to play Benedick to Redgrave’s Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. Their portrayal of the romantically at odds couple was transformed into a wistful nostalgia for seniors, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
His final Broadway appearance was in a 2015 revival of The Gin Game opposite Cicely Tyson. In recognition of his outstanding career, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2017, and in 2022, the Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre.
Regarding his personal life, his first marriage to Julienne Marie ended in divorce. In 1982, he married Cecilia Hart, with whom he had a son, Flynn. Cecilia sadly passed away in 2016, and he is survived by Flynn and his brother, Matthew.