James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones

1931–2024 (aged 93)·Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA

James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. He was described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances on stage and screen, and "one of the greatest actors in American history". Over his career, he received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985. He was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 1992, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009 and the Honorary Academy Award in 2011. His deep voice has been praised as a "stirring basso profondo that has lent gravel and gravitas" to his projects.

AdventureActionAnimationFamily

70Credits40 TV · 30 films
1948–2025Years activefirst to latest
10.0 Highest ratedHitler's Forgotten Victims
7.8 Average ratingacross 70 titles

Top TV shows 40best James Earl Jones shows

  1. 1Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories posterShelley Duvall's Bedtime StoriesNarrator (voice) · 1 ep · 19929.5
  2. 2Under One RoofNeb Langston · 6 eps · 19959.0
  3. 3Lamp Unto My Feet1 ep · 19489.0
  4. 4Hallmark Hall of Fame posterHallmark Hall of FameArchibald Thacker · 1 ep · 19518.8
  5. 5House posterHouseDibala · 1 ep · 20048.6
  6. 6Stargate SG-1 posterStargate SG-1Unas (Voice) · 1 ep · 19978.3
  7. 7Faerie Tale Theatre posterFaerie Tale TheatreGenie / Narrator (voice) · 1 ep · 19828.1
  8. 8Homicide: Life on the Street posterHomicide: Life on the StreetFelix Wilson · 3 eps · 19938.1
  9. 9The Simpsons posterThe SimpsonsNarrator (voice) · 1 ep · 19898.0
  10. 10Vegetable Soup posterVegetable SoupLong John Spoilsport · 57 eps · 19758.0
  11. 11Long Ago and Far AwayHost · 35 eps · 19898.0
  12. 12The Big Bang Theory posterThe Big Bang TheoryJames Earl Jones · 1 ep · 20077.9
  13. 13Jesus of Nazareth posterJesus of NazarethBalthazar · 4 eps · 19777.8
  14. 14East Side/West Side posterEast Side/West Side1 ep · 19637.8
  15. 15Star Wars Rebels posterStar Wars RebelsDarth Vader (voice) · 2 eps · 20147.7
  16. 16Frasier posterFrasierNorman Royster · 1 ep · 19937.7
  17. 17Everwood posterEverwoodWill Cleveland · 3 eps · 20027.6
  18. 18Picket Fences posterPicket FencesBryant Thomas · 1 ep · 19927.5
  19. 193rd Rock from the Sun poster3rd Rock from the SunNarrator (voice) (uncredited) · 19 eps · 19967.5
  20. 20Two and a Half Men posterTwo and a Half MenJames Earl Jones · 1 ep · 20037.5
  21. 21Roots: The Next Generations posterRoots: The Next GenerationsAlex Haley · 1 ep · 19797.4
  22. 22Highway to Heaven posterHighway to HeavenGabe Wilson · 1 ep · 19847.4
  23. 23Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones posterGuyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim JonesFather Divine · 2 eps · 19807.3
  24. 24Law & Order posterLaw & OrderDefense Attorney Horace McCoy · 1 ep · 19907.3
  25. 25Garfield and Friends posterGarfield and FriendsDiablo · 1 ep · 19887.3
  26. 26Touched by an Angel posterTouched by an AngelThe Angel of Angels · 1 ep · 19947.2
  27. 27L.A. Law posterL.A. LawLee Atkins · 1 ep · 19867.1
  28. 28Sesame Street posterSesame Street1 ep · 19697.1
  29. 29Obi-Wan Kenobi posterObi-Wan KenobiDarth Vader (voice) · 4 eps · 20227.0
  30. 30Signs and Wonders posterSigns and WondersDiamond · 4 eps · 19957.0
  31. 31Mathnet posterMathnetChief Thad Green (voice) · 1 ep · 19877.0
  32. 32The Magic of David Copperfield posterThe Magic of David Copperfield1 ep · 19787.0
  33. 33Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman posterLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanFranklin Stern · 1 ep · 19936.9
  34. 34Merlin posterMerlinRock of Ages · 2 eps · 19986.9
  35. 35Gabriel's Fire posterGabriel's FireGabriel Bird · 22 eps · 19906.9
  36. 36Will & Grace posterWill & GraceJames Earl Jones · 1 ep · 19986.9
  37. 37Tarzan posterTarzan2 eps · 19666.9
  38. 38According to Jim posterAccording to JimRoyal Flush Voice (voice) · 1 ep · 20016.5
  39. 39Paris posterParisWoody Paris · 13 eps · 19796.5
  40. 40Pros and Cons posterPros and ConsGabriel Bird · 12 eps · 19916.3

Top movies 30best James Earl Jones movies

  1. 1Hitler's Forgotten VictimsNarrator (voice) (DVD version) · 199710.0
  2. 2When It Was a Game posterWhen It Was a Game(voice) · 199110.0
  3. 3King Lear posterKing LearKing Lear · 19749.0
  4. 4The Vernon Johns Story posterThe Vernon Johns StoryVernon Johns · 19949.0
  5. 5God Bless You, Mr Rosewater posterGod Bless You, Mr RosewaterKilgore Trout · 20169.0
  6. 6The Hunting of the Snark posterThe Hunting of the SnarkNarrator (voice) · 19899.0
  7. 7The Great Year posterThe Great YearNarrator · 20039.0
  8. 8Antietam: A Documentary Film posterAntietam: A Documentary FilmNarrator · 20009.0
  9. 9Indiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland Resort posterIndiana Jones Adventure | Disneyland ResortMara (voice) · 20259.0
  10. 10The Empire Strikes Back posterThe Empire Strikes BackDarth Vader (voice) (uncredited) · 19808.4
  11. 11The Lion King posterThe Lion KingMufasa (voice) · 1994 · Animation8.3
  12. 12Star Wars posterStar WarsDarth Vader (voice) (uncredited) · 1977 · Adventure8.2
  13. 13Butterfly in the Sky posterButterfly in the SkyGuest Narrator (archive footage) · 20248.2
  14. 14Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb posterDr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the BombLt. Lothar Zogg · 1964 · Comedy8.1
  15. 15Teach 109 posterTeach 109Dr. Winston · 19908.0
  16. 16Percy & Thunder posterPercy & ThunderPercy Banks · 19938.0
  17. 17Driving Miss Daisy posterDriving Miss DaisyHoke Colburn · 20158.0
  18. 18Paul Robeson posterPaul RobesonPaul Robeson · 19798.0
  19. 1911-22-63: The Day the Nation Cried poster11-22-63: The Day the Nation CriedNarrator · 19898.0
  20. 20Martin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a Dream posterMartin Luther King, Jr.: Legacy of a DreamNarrator · 19718.0
  21. 21Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable posterCircle of Life: An Environmental FableMufasa · 19958.0
  22. 22Return of the Jedi posterReturn of the JediDarth Vader (voice) · 1983 · Adventure7.9
  23. 23Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal posterStar Wars Rebels: The Siege of LothalDarth Vader (voice) · 20157.9
  24. 24Earth posterEarthNarrator (voice) · 20077.6
  25. 25Summer's End posterSummer's EndDr. William 'Bill' Blakely · 19997.6
  26. 26The Hunt for Red October posterThe Hunt for Red OctoberVice ADM James Greer · 1990 · Action7.4
  27. 27The Lion King posterThe Lion KingMufasa (voice) · 2019 · Adventure7.1
  28. 28The Lion King II: Simba's Pride posterThe Lion King II: Simba's PrideMufasa (voice) · 1998 · Adventure6.9
  29. 29Coming to America posterComing to AmericaKing Jaffe Joffer · 1988 · Comedy6.9
  30. 30Conan the Barbarian posterConan the BarbarianThulsa Doom · 1982 · Adventure6.8

Keep exploring

Highest rated10.0Hitler's Forgotten Victims

James's best-reviewed title — ratings and where to watch.

GenreThe best of Adventure

Top-rated adventure shows and films, ranked.

DirectoryBrowse everything

Networks, genres, fandom hubs, and every chart in one place.