{"id":2340484,"date":"2024-09-13T03:47:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T07:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-earl-jones-1931-2024-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-13T03:52:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T07:52:44","slug":"james-earl-jones-1931-2024-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-earl-jones-1931-2024-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"James Earl Jones, 1931-2024 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjames-earl-jones-1931-2024-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2340484&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>James Earl Jones, the legendary actor renowned for\u200d his distinctive and\u200c powerful voice, \u2062has \u200dpassed away at the age of 93. His death was confirmed \u200cby his representatives, marking \u200bthe end of an extraordinary \u200dseven-decade career in both film and theater. Jones was celebrated for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/7-actors-who-deserve-the-nicolas-cage-treatment\/\" title=\"7 Actors Who Deserve The Nicolas Cage Treatment\">iconic roles<\/a> such \u2063as Darth Vader in\u2064 the &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; franchise and Mufasa in Disney&#8217;s &#8220;The Lion King.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, he overcame a childhood stutter, a struggle\u200c he likened to the biblical story\u2063 of Moses. This triumph laid the foundation for his future as a\u200c commanding \u200cvocal presence in the entertainment world. Graduating from the University of Michigan with a\u2063 focus on \u200bdrama, Jones established \u200chimself in the theatrical\u2064 community, earning acclaim for his \u2063performances in\u200c works like\u2063 &#8220;A Midsummer Night&#8217;s\u2063 Dream&#8221; and &#8220;Othello.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Throughout his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/netflix-releases-trailer-for-dave-chappelles-comedy-special-releasing-new-years-eve\/\" title=\"Netflix drops trailer for Dave Chappelle&#039;s NYE comedy special\">illustrious\u200d career<\/a>, \u200cJones garnered an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar,\u200d and Tony \u200bAward (EGOT), a rare honor that highlights his versatility and talent. His deep, resonant voice became embedded in American culture, leading even news \u200borganizations like CNN to feature him in promotional\u2064 campaigns. <\/p>\n<p>Jones&#8217;s legacy extends beyond his performances; he is remembered as an inspiration for his resilience and ability to transform\u2064 personal challenges into a remarkable career\u200b that impacted generations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-sacff-txt\">Magazine &#8211; Obituary <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">James Earl Jones, 1931-2024<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>We usually associate the word &ldquo;iconic&rdquo; with images, not sounds. After all, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rnc-highlights-mamaw-and-wwii-vet-steal-the-show-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"RNC highlights: &#039;Mamaw\u2019 and WWII vet steal the show - Washington Examiner\">word&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s origin refers specifically to sacred images. But if ever the word &ldquo;iconic&rdquo; could be applied to a voice, it deserves to be attached to the majestic, incomparable baritone of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-earl-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>James Earl Jones<\/a>, the peerless actor who died this week in Dutchess County, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"New York\">New York<\/a>, at the age of 93.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>As a screen and stage performer, Jones was in an exclusive class: He was an EGOT winner, one of the few people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. But as a vocal performer, Jones was in a class of his own. Many other actors have made lasting marks in American film, but no other voices have become part of American culture, in our greatest movies, on our TV shows, and even in our broadcast news, as has the voice of James Earl Jones. Gifted with regal, deep bass tones, his voice was so commandeering and sounded so authoritative that when CNN attempted to brand itself as &ldquo;the most trusted name in news,&rdquo; it hired Jones to recite that slogan for them on air. Some of Jones&rsquo;s voiceover performances, such as his role as Mufasa in&nbsp;<em>The Lion King<\/em> and especially as Darth Vader in&nbsp;<em>Star Wars<\/em>, have transcended cinema and have become part of modern mythology.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Earl Jones in 1984. (Bob D&rsquo;Amico \/American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931, and was raised mostly by his grandparents on a farm in Michigan. Like the biblical Moses, who had a speech impediment before becoming the messenger of God, Jones grew up with a stuttering problem before becoming the voice of God (descriptively speaking). Jones later claimed the stutter was induced by the trauma of having been forced to leave Mississippi for Michigan when he was only 5 years old. He wasn&rsquo;t cured of it until high school, when a teacher asked him to read a poem out loud in class. Jones, surprised at how good he felt as he was doing it, realized that speaking was no longer an activity that he needed to shy away from &mdash; demonstrating that we should always keep believing in ourselves because even our weaknesses might one day become our greatest strengths.<\/p>\n<p>Jones stayed close to home for college, attending the University of Michigan, where he became interested in acting and majored in drama. He began appearing in plays in 1957, a prelude to his distinguished theatrical career, and then in the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1960, achieving praise for his interpretation of Oberon in&nbsp;<em>A Midsummer Night&rsquo;s Dream&nbsp;<\/em>and for his role as Othello in 1964. That same year, while Jones was playing the role of the Prince of Morocco in&nbsp;<em>The Merchant of Venice&nbsp;<\/em>alongside George C. Scott, Stanley Kubrick, who had come to see Scott play Shylock, was so taken with Jones that he asked him to appear alongside Scott in&nbsp;<em>Dr. Strangelove,&nbsp;<\/em>the movie that would mark Jones&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-brendan-frasers-incredible-comeback\/\" title=\"Inside Brendan Fraser\u2019s Incredible Comeback\">big-screen debut<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Even after appearing in a movie directed by one of America&rsquo;s leading filmmakers, for most of the remainder of the decade, Jones still found more success in theater and even in TV than in film<em>.&nbsp;<\/em>His Oscar-nominated performance as heavyweight champion boxer Jack Jefferson in the 1970 movie&nbsp;<em>The Great White Hope<\/em>, a role for which he had won his first Tony Award the prior year, would change that, making him a critically acclaimed screen performer as well as stage actor. <\/p>\n<p>His true entry into popular culture, of course, came in 1977, when&nbsp;<em>Star Wars&nbsp;<\/em>director George Lucas cast him as the voice of Darth Vader &mdash; a role for which he was originally uncredited and for which he was paid only $7,000.<\/p>\n<p>Jones&rsquo;s acting career was as prolific as that of any actor of his generation. The child who was once so embarrassed by his stutter that he went long stretches during his adolescence without even speaking went on to accumulate over 130 combined film and TV credits. In 1991, he became the first actor to win two Emmys in the same year. The following year, President George H.W. Bush awarded him the National Medal of the Arts<em>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>His most memorable non-voiceover-only film role may have been his performance as the reclusive, initially prickly, and ultimately warmhearted writer Terence Mann in&nbsp;<em>Field of Dreams.&nbsp;<\/em>The conclusion of Jones&rsquo;s stirring monologue in the beloved movie about the significance of baseball in America in many ways characterizes Jones himself: &ldquo;This field, this game&rdquo; &mdash; and this man &mdash; is &ldquo;a part of our past,&rdquo; as well as our present and very likely also our future. Like our national pastime, Jones &ldquo;reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><em>Daniel Ross Goodman is a&nbsp;<\/em>Washington Examiner<em>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/possible-biden-pick-for-nec-scrubs-twitter-feed\/\" title=\"Possible Biden Pick for NEC Scrubs Twitter Feed\">contributing writer<\/a> and the author, most recently, of&nbsp;<\/em>Soloveitchik&rsquo;s Children: Irving Greenberg, David Hartman, Jonathan Sacks, and the Future of Jewish Theology in America<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Magazine &#8211; Obituary: James Earl Jones, 1931-2024**<\/p>\n<p>The term &#8220;iconic&#8221; is typically linked to visuals rather than auditory experiences, as its roots are tied to sacred imagery. However, if any voice can be deemed iconic, it is undoubtedly the majestic and unique baritone of James Earl Jones. The esteemed actor passed away this week in Dutchess County, New York, at the age of 93. As a performer on both screen and stage, Jones belonged to an elite group; he was an EGOT winner\u2014one of the few individuals to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Yet his vocal talent set him apart even further. While many actors have left their mark on American cinema, none have had their voices so deeply embedded in American culture across films, television shows, and news broadcasts as James Earl Jones.<\/p>\n<p>His commanding deep bass voice was so authoritative that when CNN sought to establish itself as \u201cthe most trusted name in news,\u201d they enlisted Jones to deliver that tagline on air. His voiceover roles\u2014most notably Mufasa in *The Lion King* and Darth Vader in *Star Wars*\u2014have transcended film and entered modern mythology.<\/p>\n<p>Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi but raised primarily by his grandparents on a Michigan farm after moving there at age five due to family circumstances that caused him trauma leading to a stutter. He overcame this speech impediment during high school when a teacher encouraged him to read poetry aloud\u2014a moment that transformed his relationship with speaking into one of confidence.<\/p>\n<p>Jones pursued higher education close to home at the University of Michigan where he developed an interest in acting while majoring in drama. He began performing in plays starting from 1957 before gaining recognition with the New York Shakespeare Festival by portraying Oberon in *A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream* (1960) and Othello (1964). His big break came when Stanley Kubrick cast him alongside George C. Scott for *Dr. Strangelove*, marking his film debut.<\/p>\n<p>Despite this early success with prominent filmmakers like Kubrick during the decade following his debut movie role; it was not until he starred as Jack Jefferson\u2014a boxer\u2014in *The Great White Hope* (1970), for which he received an Oscar nomination after winning a Tony Award for the same role previously\u2014that he became widely recognized as both a screen actor and stage performer.<\/p>\n<p>However it was his casting as Darth Vader by George Lucas for *Star Wars* (1977)\u2014a role initially uncredited where he earned just $7k\u2014that truly cemented his place within popular culture.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout his prolific career spanning over 130 combined film and TV credits\u2014including becoming the first actor ever awarded two Emmys within one year (1991)\u2014Jones also received accolades such as being honored with National Medal of Arts from President George H.W Bush shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n<p>One standout performance outside voice work remains Terence Mann\u2014the reclusive yet ultimately warmhearted writer\u2014in *Field of Dreams*. His poignant monologue about baseball&#8217;s significance resonates deeply: \u201cThis field\u2026this game\u201d symbolizes not only America\u2019s past but also its present\u2014and likely future\u2014as does James Earl Jones himself who reminds us all what once thrived could flourish again.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Ross Goodman is a contributing writer for Washington Examiner and author of several works including Soloveitchik\u2019s Children: Irving Greenberg David Hartman Jonathan Sacks &amp; Future Jewish Theology In America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2854,"featured_media":2340485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1241535334.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6107,40506,4185,32229,32076],"class_list":["post-2340484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-actor","tag-james-earl-jones","tag-legacy","tag-obituary","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1241535334.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2340484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2854"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2340484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2340484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2340485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2340484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2340484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2340484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}