Ellen Perrault
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!On Monday morning, surrounded by family and friends, legendary actor James Earl Jones passed away.
Recalling the smooth, velvety baritone sound of his voice, it is hard to believe that Jones stuttered as a child and for a number of years was nearly mute. Fortunate for the world, he eventually overcame the challenge, eventually leading to his legendary impact on the entertainment industry across generations.
Jones’ career spanned several generations from the Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers to Generations Z, Alpha, and all those in-between. His role as the voice of Darth Vadar in the Star Wars series introduced and endeared him to the younger generations.
Jones transitioned at the age of 93. His last screen role was that of King Jaffe Joffer in Coming 2 America (2021), the sequel to Coming to America (1988) this was his final screen credit.
Jones earned numerous awards throughout his long career including Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards and the rarest of all–the EGOT. In 2011, he earned an honorary Oscar and in 2017, he was presented with the Tony for Lifetime Achievement.
Born on Jan. 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, his father deserted the family before Jones was born. At the age of six, he was abandoned again, this time by his mother. His maternal grandparents subsequently adopted and raised him on their farm in Michigan.
In his autobiography, Voices and Silences, Jones described the devastation he experienced as a result. “The move from Mississippi to Michigan was supposed to be a glorious event. For me it was a heartbreak, and not long after, I began to stutter.”
According to the autobiography, Jones was basically mute for almost eight years. During this period his primary source of communication was handwritten notes. He continued this way for several years until a breakthrough that occurred when he was 14 years old.
That year, his English teacher encouraged him to read a poem out loud in front of the class. In doing so, Jones rediscovered his voice.
Those who watch CNN may recognize Jones’ voice delivering CNN’s signature promo, “This is CNN,” that plays during the station’s commercial breaks.