James Earl Jones, the renowned US actor whose “beautifully sonorous tones” also lent themselves to creating the personality of the iconic Star Wars villain Darth Vader, has died at the age of 93.
Regarded as movie star royalty in his dotage, Jones died on 9 September at his home in Dutchess county, New York, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/sep/09/james-earl-jones-dies"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> the <em>Guardian</em>.
It notes that when it came to Jones's best known acting "role", it was actually the British bodybuilder David Prowse who was cast in the physical role of Darth Vader for the wildly successful and popular 1977 film that opened with a scroll of text across the cinematic screen – in order to set the story-telling scene – and which would, like the character of Darth Vader, become iconic due to the film's success.
The subsequently immemorial words that formed the beginning of the text would sear themselves, like Darth Vader, into the public consciousness:
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”
But while the British body builder's frame was judged ideal for the imposing and menacing presence of the Darth Vader character, the film’s director George Lucas was unhappy with Prowse’s strong West Country accent.
As a result, the <em>Guardian</em> notes, Jones was given the job of “revoicing Vader’s menacing dialogue, creating an instantly immortal evildoer in the process”.
Less well known is that fact that Jones converted to Catholicism following his service in the US military as a young man.
Jones did not talk much about his Catholic Faith, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/259197/james-earl-jones-legendary-actor-and-catholic-convert-dies-at-93"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> <em>Catholic News Agency</em> (<em>CNA</em>), but it notes that he described in a<mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/22/arts/theater-james-earl-jones-at-bat.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1987 interview</a></mark> how he converted to the Faith during his time serving in the military.
He said that while discerning whether to stay in the military or to pursue his true passion – acting – the only things that he had in his life that were “not geared toward the art of killing” were his Catholicism “and the complete works of Shakespeare".
Born into poverty in Mississippi in 1931, Jones overcame a childhood stutter, in part by discovering a gift for poetry, <em>CNA</em> reports. He joined the military after graduating from college, and following his military service he moved to New York to pursue acting full time.
In addition to his Hollywood successes, Jones garnered considerable renown during a substantial career as a stage actor.
He appeared in a string of Shakespeare plays on Broadway, among them <em>The Merchant of Venice</em>, <em>Coriolanus</em>, T<em>he Winter’s Tale</em> and – most famously – <em>Othello</em> in 1964, a role he would play again in 1982, the <em>Guardian</em> reports.
Jones's stage performances led him to being hailed during the 1960s as the most exciting presence in the American theatre since Marlon Brando and he became the pre-eminent black stage actor of his generation, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/09/10/james-earl-jones-darth-vader-star-wars-broadway/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> the <em>Daily Telegraph</em>.
Nevertheless – and illustrative of the indomitable power and influence of the mainstream and pop culture – it was as the voice of Darth Vader, for a rendition of the archetypal story of good versus evil, that this Catholic convent gained his widest acclaim and for which he will be best remembered and cherished.
<em>Photo collage: (left) Actor James Earl Jones attends the opening night of 'On Golden Pond' after party at Blue Fin April 7, 2005 in New York City, 7 April 2005. (Photo by Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images.) / (right) Darth Vader in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980), later renamed: 'Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'. (CREDIT: Film Stills.)</em>
