James Earl Jones Remembered

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The American Cinematheque remembers the legendary actor James Earl Jones, whose presence in the tapestry of American film history is inarguably one of the most vibrant and iconic. Having voiced transcendent characters such as Mufasa in THE LION KING and Darth Vader in STAR WARS, the words articulated by Jones’ powerful voice have reverberated across generations and will forever be among the most recognizable voices in cinema.

Jones’ stardom stands alone in its impact on contemporary cinema, though he often also shared the “stage” with some of his generation’s biggest stars. Playing opposite action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger and the legendary Max von Sydow in CONAN THE BARBARIAN, and opposite then-rising comedy superstars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall in COMING TO AMERICA, Jones’ cerebral presence provided these off-kiltered genre films with a certain, equilibrium, elevating their cultural impact to one that remains to this day. Further known for offering his stardom to a variety of sports films, a genre often overlooked by stars of his stature, Jones allowed films such as FIELD OF DREAMS, THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS & MOTOR KINGS, THE SANDLOT and THE GREAT WHITE HOPE to enter the cultural zeitgeist and be remembered as generational touchstones.

The great James Earl Jones first graced the silver-screen as Lt. Lothar Zogg in Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war masterpiece DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB. Although Jones’ career saw him enjoy a multitude of memorable roles in comedy and genre films, as stated above, his start in Kubrick’s iconic satire would certainly not be his last foray into the realm of socio-politically conscious films, as he would later star in intensely proletariat films such as CLAUDINE and MATEWAN, further cementing himself as one of the most important actors of his generation.