James Earl Jones, Legendary Stage And Screen Actor, Dies

The award-winning actor James Earl Jones died Monday at his home in Dutchess County, New York. He was 93.

Deadline was the first to report the news, which was confirmed by Jones’ representatives at Independent Artist Group.

The prolific actor’s signature deep, rumbling voice gave life to iconic movie characters, such as Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.”

Jones, born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, in 1931, was the son of Broadway actor Robert Earl Jones and Ruth Connolly Jones.

His father left the family after he was born, first pursuing a career as a boxer and then as an actor.

His mother had to spend time away from her son to support the family, and Jones’ maternal grandparents adopted him and brought him with them when they moved to Michigan.

Jones said he was often quiet as a child because of a stutter, an experience he said helped teach him how to listen to others.

“I found it was oh so good sometimes because silence isn’t bad,” he told PBS in 2014. “It’s good to listen. And I learned to listen.”

In high school, Jones found that he typically did not stutter when reading aloud, he noted in a 1994 memoir. That revelation helped lead to an interest in performing, and he ultimately studied drama at the University of Michigan. However, he noted in several interviews as an adult that he still considered himself a stutterer.

“I just work with it,” he told NPR in 2014.

The Army recruited Jones in 1953, and he served two years and became a second lieutenant. He left after an officer recommended that he try out civilian life before committing to the military as a career. Jones took a night job as a janitor to support himself as he spent his days auditioning for