By JOHN BILLINGER Video by NICK McCOY
Tiger Media Network
On September 9, the world lost many great characters. Among them were Darth Vader, Mufasa, Mr. Mertle, Terence Martin, King Jaffe Joffer, and many more. But among the biggest, and probably most familiar, was James Earl Jones.
Many of us are familiar with at least a few of his films. Whether you watched “The Sandlot” or “The Lion King as children, or “Star Wars” or “Field of Dreams” with your Dad, or “Coming to America” or “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings” with your Grandfather, or perhaps you were lucky enough to see him on the stage, you’ve in some way have seen his large body of work.
I myself did all of the above with the exception of seeing him on the stage. And although I’ve never met the man, he certainly has had a presence in my life. Certainly his wonderful voice has. For example, the ringtone on my phone for my own dad is the iconic “I Am Your Father” line from “The Empire Strikes Back.” I’m sure that I am not the only one.
Born in 1931 in the state of Mississippi, Jones had a tremendous presence in many others in his long and vast career. His parents were Robert Earl Jones and Ruth Connolly. His father Robert, was also an actor, and his first film was 1939’s “Lying Lips.” This film was directed by Oscar Micheaux, one of the first major African American filmmakers, who is buried in Great Bend, Kansas not far from where I grew up.
It would seem obvious to someone now that it seems to be destined that Robert’s son James would grow up to be an actor as well, but not at first. James from the age of five was primarily raised by his Grandparents in Michigan. He found the move from Mississippi to Michigan so upsetting, that he refused to talk.
You might find it hard to believe that someone with the voice that we know now would refuse to talk but it’s true. He would later say “I was a stutterer. I couldn’t talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school.”
It might be hard for someone to imagine not talking for that long, but it’s not hard for me. I myself was a late talker. Partly for medical reasons, but also because I was shy as a kid. Although, I had support in those years. Poor James back in the 30s and 40s didn’t. At least until (as he said) he got into high school.
When James was a sophomore in high school, his English teacher found out that he was great at writing poetry. It was something he was passionate about, and he encouraged him to read in front of the class. This made James Earl Jones get out of his shell, and by the end of his high school days, he was vice president of the class. After a stint of being a pre-med major and serving in the Korean War, he started acting at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan in 1953. And the rest as they say is history.
As for me, I also got out of my shell, through making movies and making people laugh. It’s something I’m passionate about. And kind of like how people say James Earl Jones had a great voice, people say I have a great voice, though I tend to disagree.
Of course, I am definitely not James Earl Jones. I don’t hold a candle to him. I am on my own journey. But I will thank him, not just for the great roles that he had carried throughout his career, but for showing people that being passionate about something can led to great success in life.
Thank You and Rest In Peace, James Earl Jones.
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