This week we learned that James Earl Jones passed away at the age of 93. As Star Wars fans, we know him best as the man who lent his deep, booming voice to Darth Vader, but the scope and breadth of his award winning career extends far beyond that one role.
My first exposure to Jones was likely on Sesame Street where his recital of the alphabet remains thoroughly delightful to watch. Jones performed in movies, on stage and on TV and his presence was always welcome. I vividly remember my surprise at seeing him play the villain in Conan the Barbarian, but my favorite of his roles was Terrance Mann in Field of Dreams. Jones imbued the J. D. Salinger inspired character with elegiac authority and just a little bit of mischievousness.
But, of course, in this corner of fandom Jones will be best remembered as the voice of Darth Vader. So many people from George Lucas and Ralph McQuarrie and David Prowse and Bob Anderson and more helped bring Vader to life in Star Wars. I’d argue that Jones wasn’t just the final piece of the puzzle, but the cornerstone that held it all together. His voice framed the work of everyone else and made Vader the most iconic motion picture villain of my lifetime. It’s no small achievement.
For that and so much more, it’s worth remembering and honoring his life and art.