James Earl Jones, iconic voice of Darth Vader in ‘Star Wars’ and Mufasa in ‘The Lion King,’ dead at 93

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Waverly-Jane@reddit

I don't think there will ever be another voice like this.

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AbruptNonsequitur@reddit

93 is a good run, but damn. Some celebrity deaths punch harder than others.

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DistributionSoft3202@reddit

Yeah, from the Star Wars people, I think John Williams is going to hit me the hardest though. Given how much I've been into his music.

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Stefferdiddle@reddit

I’m glad I got to see him in concert years ago. He was like 80 at the time and he conducted the entire concert. It was all his greatest hits. So lucky to have seen him.

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DistributionSoft3202@reddit

Yeah, he's pretty much the only celebrity of any kind that I'd actually like to meet too.

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HHSquad@reddit

He did both versions of the original "Lost in Space" themes also

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DistributionSoft3202@reddit

I think he may have also played piano on the original Peter Gunn theme too. I think he was more of a jazz guy when he started out, played piano professionally I believe.

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changopdx@reddit

He did the music for Gilligan's Island. Not the theme song, though.

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Stefferdiddle@reddit

I’m glad I got to see him in concert years ago. He was like 80 at the time and he conducted the entire concert. It was all his greatest hits. So lucky to have seen him.

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I mean, it's about that voice. Has there ever been a better voice? Morgan Freeman came close with Shawshank, Casey Kasem was the voice of Pop music, and Sam Jackson was a great candidate, but was there ever a better voice than James Earl Jones?

Just as Sir Lawrence Olivier was to theater and (in later years) film for the Boomers, James Earl Jones was the Voice of God for GenXers because he was the voice of the Ultimate Villian of our childhood. He extended his reach with the Millenials when he was in Lion King. His presence was so ubiquitous, he was (mildly) mocked on The Simpsons.

Man oivercame a stutter to become The Voice for a couple generations. That's God Tier shit. A friend of mine in the industry writes on Facebook- "I had the pleasure of working with him many years ago on a commercial. Not only was he professional and polite, he was sweet and kind. He had a kind, grandfatherly presence. He even called me "son" a couple times."

I would have loved to be called son by JEJ.

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Holden_place@reddit

Yeah - I gave a guttural uggh when I saw this. Simply the most iconic voice ever.

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AbruptNonsequitur@reddit

Famous for Vader, but Thulsa Doom was more terrifying due to the softness with which he spoke.

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Dan-68@reddit

And King Mufasa.

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PhotosByVicky@reddit

Right? That is a long life but I wasn't ready for this.

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GarthRanzz@reddit (OP)

That they do.

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PuzzleheadedWeird402@reddit

RIP James Earl Jones. Who would ever have believed that the owner of one of the most iconic voices started off with a stutter? It goes to show that you can do anything once you set your mind to it.

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One-Earth9294@reddit

Feel like he had to have been the final surviving cast member of Dr. Strangelove.

RIP Darth Vader.

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astromeritis25@reddit

A favorite roll of mine, General Charlie (callsign "Alice") in By Dawn's Early Light.

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Thirty_Helens_Agree@reddit

I didn’t recognize him, until i heard that voice.

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BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit

so iconic

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stlredbird@reddit

What is the quote that immediately comes to mind when you hear his name?

Mine: “You’re a part of the revel alliance and a traitor!”

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BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit

"Nooo. I. am your father."

"bring my shuttle"

"I find your lack of faith.. disturbing."

"You’re a part of the rebel alliance and a traitor! TAKEHERAWAY”

"And no disintegrations."

"I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further."

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losthalo7@reddit

"I find your lack of faith.. disturbing."

"And no disintegrations."

"I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further."

The last two to Boba Fucking Fett..

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Skipinator@reddit

I thought altering the deal was to Lando.

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BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit

Yeah to Lando but whatever.

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mintyfreshismygod@reddit

BASE-uh-ball

Not quite as he says it, but the emphasis is brilliant.

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HPIndifferenceCraft@reddit

Literally quoted that on the group text with my friends earlier today.

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Dan-68@reddit

No, I am your father.

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Dirtweed79@reddit

rebel

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stlredbird@reddit

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Corporation_tshirt@reddit

Such a constant and welcome presence in our lives. This is a sad loss

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tsekistan@reddit

I'm sad. He was such a good actor and human. We all die but some people take more life with them when they pass away.

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inga_lou@reddit

I'm so glad he left his voice here for all of us.

My friend dreamt he narrated her dream.

May we all have that dream.

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Haisha4sale@reddit

I hope he is somewhere sleeping with his bathers.

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wetclogs@reddit

Noooooooooooo!

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Signal_Watercress468@reddit

To play one of the worst dad's ever and one of the best. This guy had range.

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worrymon@reddit

King Jaffe Joffer wasn't that bad...

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Signal_Watercress468@reddit

True he had his own money. Couldn't be that bad.

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EdwardBliss@reddit

I was first introduced to him through Sesame Street when he was reciting the alphabet

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Happy-Fact-472@reddit

The Sandlot. Field of Dreams. Coming to America. Lion King. Of course Star Wars

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Yasuru@reddit

I know it was just a cameo, but he was great in "Sneakers"...

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Digitalispurpurea2@reddit

Heck, the episode of Big Bang Theory he was on was fantastic too

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Skipinator@reddit

I have no idea how many people are Michigan football fans, but he also narrates the entry video for the team before they come on the field. It's one of my favorite moments when I'm at the stadium.

https://youtu.be/X2g6bedRVs4?si=eg0rkc9A9AwfHqAF

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lady_wolfen@reddit

I liked him in Conan the Barbarian.

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cd6020@reddit

Thulsa Doom!

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hummusmade@reddit

Yes and now we know the answer to the riddle of steel. Valhalla for all thanks to James Earl Jones!

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wootr68@reddit

Do you know it boy?!

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Dan-68@reddit

Flesh is stronger

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Katerinaxoxo@reddit

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Ilovethe90sforreal@reddit

Nooooo

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enginenumber93@reddit

King Jaffe Joffer is dead. LONG LIVE THE KING!

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angrypacketguy@reddit

Of course we cannot forget James Earl Jones greatest performance - https://youtu.be/6A0rwG39Jzk

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bornincali65@reddit

He gave Charlie’s eulogy on Two and a half men…classic

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HPIndifferenceCraft@reddit

That sucks. I know he lived a full life, but that’s a huge loss from our childhood.

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Big_Statistician2566@reddit

Sandlot will never be the same....

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Pirlovienne@reddit

He had THE VOICE, of course, but I first really saw him a goofy teddy bear type hawking the Yellow Pages on TV while wearing sweater vests (if memory serves). As usual, my early impression was wrong. He was a badass whose memorable roles included Jack Jefferson (based on boxer Jack Johnson) in The Great White Hope, which won him a Tony and an Oscar nomination. I especially liked him in Matewan as Few Clothes Johnson. There is no one like him.

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