James Earl Jones is not known for his voice roles.
James Earl Jones -LRB- born January 17 , 1931 -RRB- is an American actor .. American. Americans. His career has spanned more than 60 years , and he has been described as `` one of America 's most distinguished and versatile '' actors and `` one of the greatest actors in American history . ''. American. Americans. Since his Broadway debut in 1957 , Jones has won many awards , including a Tony Award and Golden Globe Award for his role in The Great White Hope .. Broadway. Broadway theatre. Tony Award. Tony Award. Golden Globe Award. Golden Globe Award. The Great White Hope. The Great White Hope ( film ). Jones has won three Emmy Awards , including two in the same year in 1991 , and he also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the film version of The Great White Hope .. The Great White Hope. The Great White Hope ( film ). Academy Award. Academy Award. Best Actor in a Leading Role. Best Actor in a Leading Role. He is also known for his voice roles as Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series and Mufasa in Disney 's The Lion King as well as many other film , stage , and television roles .. Darth Vader. Darth Vader. Star Wars. Star Wars. Mufasa. Mufasa. Disney. Walt Disney Animation Studios. The Lion King. The Lion King. Jones has been said to possess `` one of the best-known voices in show business , a stirring basso profundo that has lent gravel and gravitas to '' his projects , including live-action acting , voice acting , and commercial voice-overs .. basso profundo. basso profundo. As a child , Jones had a stutter .. stutter. stutter. In his episode of Biography , he said he overcame the affliction through poetry , public speaking , and acting , although it lasted for several years .. Biography. Biography ( TV series ). A pre-med major in college , he went on to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War before pursuing a career in acting .. pre-med. Pre-medical. major. Academic major. United States Army. United States Army. Korean War. Korean War. On November 12 , 2011 , he received an Honorary Academy Award .. Academy Award. Academy Award. Honorary Academy Award. Honorary Academy Award. On November 9 , 2015 , Jones received the Voice Arts Icon Award .. On May 25 , 2017 , he received an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Harvard University and concluded the event 's benediction with `` May the Force be with you '' .