James Earl Jones, famed for his deep, powerful voice and commanding screen presence, is dead at 93. Deadline reports that he died at his home in Dutchess County, New York.
He probably is best known for his voice role as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. He also reprised the villainous role in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Jones also Mufasa both in The Lion King animated pic (1994) and hybrid/live-action film (2019). He also lent his sonorous voice to the famous "This is CNN" promo campaign for the cable news network. His many big-screen credits also films such Conan the Barbarian (1982), Coming to America (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Sandlot (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and Sneakers (1992). He also has appeared on The Simpsons three times.
He retired as Vader a year or two ago; with his consent, he is perhaps now more machine than man. But my favorite role of his has to be Thulsa Doom in Conan: magnificently deranged, yet completely earnest.
