James Earl Jones, the man behind the eery voice of Star Wars' mega villain Darth Vader, died at the age of 93 on Monday. Jones is a renowned artist who received significant fame for giving voice to King Musafa in Disney's animated feature “The Lion King.”
The internet was flooded with messages and posts giving tribute to Jones, who brought life to some of the iconic movie and cartoon characters.
James Earl Jones needs no introduction to cinema lovers. He rose to fame for his iconic roles in the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Conan the Barbarian and the 1989 Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams. However, his iconic voice turned Star Wars character Darth Vader into a mega villain to be remembered by viewers for decades.
While Darth Vader's immense physicality resulted from the towering British actor David Prowse, the sinister voice that appeared to emanate from inside the reconstructed man-in-a-mask was that of Jones.
-Star Wars' character Darth Wader's immense popularity resulted from his intimidating physicality and sinister voice. While the build was the result of towering British actor David Prowse, the eery voice which appeared to emanate from inside the reconstructed man-in-a-mask was by James Earl Jones.
-Another significant contribution by Jones to the world of cinema was the iconic lines of villain Darth Wader in Star Wars. In one of the Star Wars scenes, Darth Wader revealed to Luke Skywalker—played by a young Mark Hamill—“I am your father.” The movie scene is still revered by movie buffs and Star Wars fans.
-Jones won several internationally acclaimed awards including two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. He was also referred with an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for his lifetime achievement.
-Jones received applaud for his roles in films like The Great White Hope, Coming to America, The Hunt for Red October, Roots: The Next Generation, Cry, the Beloved Country, etc.
-James's early childhood life was not easy. He was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on January 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had deserted his wife before the baby's arrival to pursue life as a boxer and, later, an actor.
-James was raised by his grandparents after his mother took him to her parents' farm in Michigan. James described his transition from Mississippi to Michigan as a “heartbreak” in his autobiography and said that he began to “stutter” after shifting to the new place.
-Before enchanting the world with his iconic voices, James had to face significant embarrassment because of his stuttering. As a result he remained virtually mute for years and avoided communication with teachers and fellow students.
-It was the collective efforts of James, his teachers and his fellow school mates that he regained confidence and began speaking again. Teacher and student worked together to restore the boy’s normal speech. “I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating — acting,” he recalled in his book, reported AP.
