2024, Art, Movies, Poems, Theatre, TV, Uncategorized

RIP James Earl Jones

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I read the news yesterday that James Earl Jones passed away on Monday at the age of 93.

It turns out that I’ve seen a fair number of the films that he’s been in.  Not a majority by any means – he did after all either appear or lend his voice to over 100 films/tv shows and had a rich background in theatre as well. 

I saw his first two forays into film by luck of the draw.  His first was in 1964 in Dr. Strangelove as Lt. Lothar Zogg, one of the pilots of the last bomber. 

The second film was The Comedians in 1967, although it wasn’t very funny and I didn’t remember that he was the rebel doctor who got his throat slit 2/3 of the way through the movie.  In fact, until The Great White Hope in 1970, I hadn’t even know his name and wouldn’t have been able to tell you he had been in the earlier movies.  Now, like most everyone else, I hear his voice and know immediately who it is.

It’s interesting to me that JEJ stuttered as a child.  I heard him say in an interview once “one of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.”  I don’t remember if this was having to do with his stutter (apparently he didn’t speak for about 8 years as a kid) or more having to do with feeling the need to keep quiet in a contentious world. 

He got over his stutter with the help of a teacher who encouraged him to read poetry.  And read poetry he did.  One of his biggest stage hits was as Othello.  Here is a bit that he did for a White House Poetry event:

He seemed to be able to play just about any kind of role – Moor King, evil Jedi, doctor, teacher, not too bright police office, lion, wise legendary author – you name it.  

I’ve made a list of films that he appeared in.  Guess I have another rabbit hole for the next couple of weeks!

Do you have a favorite JEJ film?

24 thoughts on “RIP James Earl Jones”

  1. 1997 What the Deaf Man Heard
    Not my favorite but a fun little movie to know. A Hallmark movie, not a romance, but back when Hallmark used to make a special movie every few weeks. This one has a fun cast. Mathew Modine in title role. Judith Ivey and Tom Skerritt playing off each other. JEJ has a minor sort of role but takes over with that voice and his presence. Ironically about a man who chooses not to speak for years. JEJ looks like he is having a ball.

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  2. He’s got a nice role in ‘The Sandlot’.
    When I get a cold and my voice drops, I like to pretend I sound like him.

    HIs father, Robert Earl Jones, has a role in ‘The Gospel at Colonus’. James got his voice from Dad.

    See if this starts at 36:55

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    1. I’d forgotten about the Hunt For Red October scene. This is a great clip from the end of Sneakers. But what’s really interesting is that right after this scene JEJ says to Robert Redford “what’s important is that this never happened.”

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    2. Yes. What a horrible day. I was listening to the LGMS and heard Dale say something like, “We have a story here that says a plane hit the WTC.”

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  6. Better Late than Never, Baboons,

    I have had several busy days here, and was absent entirely yesterday. I first became aware of JEJ when he played Alex Haley on Roots in 1976. His voice was so memorable. I don’t know that I have a favorite role or movie he was in, but Roots, the mini-series changed television. It moved us into the world of what is now called a limited series. It also provided serious main roles to the African American acting community, after years of playing roles that were comic relief and highly stereotypical in negative ways.

    OT: I must use up tomatoes which have come on strong in the last week. Pasta sauce here I come.

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