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Lauded actor and performer James Earl Jones has died at age 93, as reported by Deadline, who confirmed the news with Jones' management company. Jones is best known as the original voice actor behind Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa of The Lion King, roles he returned to throughout his life. But he was also one of a select few performers to reach the so-called EGOT milestone of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award in his lifetime.
Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi in 1931, Jones began his acting career in a successful run on Broadway, making a name for himself as a Shakespearean stage actor before debuting in film with 1964's Doctor Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Jones' seven decade film career included beloved films such as Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, The Hunt for Red October, Field of Dreams, Star Wars, The Lion King, The Great White Hope, The Sandlot, and too many other classics to name, along with TV appearances on everything from Sesame Street to the Simpsons, and many, many more.
Jones would go on to win accolades in both stage and screen acting with a pair of Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play in 1967 and 1987, and earning a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album, one of many recognitions Jones would receive for his distinct bass voice, as well as to Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries, and Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 1990 and '91. Jones completed his EGOT with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oscars in 2011.
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