Daytime Alum James Earl Jones Dead at 93

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Veteran actor James Earl Jones died the morning of Sept. 9 at his home in Dutchess County, NY, at the age of 93. Although best known as the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa and for starring in films like Field of Dreams and Coming to America, the award-winning actor got his start in soaps.

As his career was beginning in the ’60s, Jones took over the role of Dr. Jim Frazier on Guiding Light in 1966 (and he took it over from future Star Wars castmate Billy Dee Williams!). He then went on to play another soap physician, Dr. Jerry Turner on the CBS soap As the World Turns.

Jones’ first screen role was in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic Dr. Strangelove and he went on to enjoy roles in films like Claudine, Conan the Barbarian, The Hunt for Red October, and Patriot Games. Of course, his most iconic role is probably voicing the character of Darth Vader in multiple films, beginning with 1977’s Star Wars. That, or the voice of Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King.

With Emmy Award-winning roles on the television series Gabriel’s Fire and TV mini-series Heat Wave as well as Tony Award-winning performances in The Great White Hope and Fences, Jones is one of the few entertainers to have won the rare EGOT, meaning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. The actor was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award in 2012 and took home a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word for Great American Documents.

Our thoughts are with Jones’ family and friends during this difficult time.