10 THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT
STAGE and screen star James Earl Jones is reprising his vocal role as Mufasa in this year’s live-action version of The Lion King, which arrives in theaters July 19 — and marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the original animated film. Here are ten things you don’t know about the 88-year-old legend, who has one of the most recognizable voices in Hollywood.
1
Born in 1931 in Arkabutla, Miss., he’s the son of actor and prizefighter Robert Earl Jones, who starred in Langston Hughes’ play Don’t You Want to Be Free? in 1938.
2
He suffered from a horrible stutter during his childhood, but was encouraged to read poetry aloud in high school by a teacher, which helped him overcome the impediment.
3
He initially studied medicine at the University of Michigan — until he caught the acting bug.
4
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War — but his unit was stationed in Leadville, Colo.
5
After moving to New York to study at the American Theatre Wing, he worked as a janitor to support himself.
6
In the ’60s, he played physicians on two different soap operas —
Dr. Jerry Turner in As the World Turns, and Dr. Jim Frazier in The Guiding Light.
7
In 1969, he was the first celebrity guest to appear on Sesame Street. Jones had been a student of acting coach Will Lee — who played shopkeeper Mr. Hooper on the series until his death in 1982.
8
Though he portrayed Dorian Harewood’s son in Roots: The Next Generations, James is more than 19 years the actor’s senior.
9
He’s now well-known as the voice of evildoer Darth Vader, but he wasn’t listed in the original credits for Star Wars or The Empire Strikes Back at his request — because he didn’t think his performances were significant enough to be noted.
10
Pneumonia forced the two-time Tony Award winner to leave the Broadway revival of On Golden Pond in 2005.