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Royal, noble and chivalric ranks

Emperor & Empress consort Empress & Emperor consort

Empress dowager or Empress mother

King & Queen consort or Princess consort Queen & King consort or Prince consort

Queen dowager or Queen mother Princess dowager or Princess mother

Grand Duke & Grand Duchess Grand Prince & Grand Princess

Viceroy & Vicereine

Archduke & Archduchess Infante & Infanta

Duke & Duchess Prince & Princess

Marquess & Marchioness Marquis & Marquise Margrave & Margravine

Count & Countess Earl & Countess

Viscount & Viscountess

Baron & Baroness Freiherr & Freifrau

Baronet & Baronetess Hereditary Knight, Ritter

Knight & Dame

Nobile, Edler von

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The royal procession to Parliament at Westminster, 4 February 1512. Left to right: The Marquess of Dorset, Earl of Northumberland, Earl of Surrey, Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl of Essex, Earl of Kent, Earl of Derby, Earl of Wiltshire. From: Parliament Procession Roll of 1512

An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke (hertig/hertug). In later medieval Britain, it became the equivalent of the continental count (in England in the earlier period, it was more akin to duke; in Scotland it assimilated the concept of mormaer). However, earlier in Scandinavia jarl could also mean sovereign prince.^{[citation needed]} For example, the rulers of several of the petty kingdoms of Norway had in fact the title of jarl and in many cases of no lesser power than their neighbours who had the title of king. Alternative names for the "Earl/Count" rank in the nobility structure are used in other countries, such as Hakushaku during the Japanese Imperial era.

In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above viscount.^[1] There never developed a feminine form of earl; countess is used as the equivalent feminine title.

Etymology[link]

See also Ríg for the account in Norse mythology of the warrior Jarl or Ríg-Jarl presented as the ancestor of the class of warrior-nobles.

According to Procopius, the Heruli, after having raided the European continent for several generations, returned to Scandinavia in 512 AD as a result of military defeats. As their old territory was now occupied by the Danes, they settled next to the Geats in present-day Sweden. While the Proto-Norse word for this mysterious tribe may have been erilaz, which is etymologically near "jarl" and "earl", and it has often been suggested they introduced the runes in Scandinavia,^[2] no elaborate theory exists to explain how the word came to be used as a title. Arguably, their knowledge in interpreting runes also meant they were gifted in martial arts and, as they gradually integrated, eril or jarl instead came to signify the rank of a leader.^[3]

The Norman-derived equivalent "count" was not introduced following the Norman Conquest of England though "countess" was and is used for the female title. As Geoffrey Hughes writes, "It is a likely speculation that the Norman French title 'Count' was abandoned in England in favour of the Germanic 'Earl' […] precisely because of the uncomfortable phonetic proximity to c**t".

Earls in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth[link]

See also List of earldoms

An earl's coronation robes.

Forms of address[link]

An earl has the title Earl of [X] when the title originates from a placename, or Earl [X] when the title comes from a surname. In either case, he is referred to as Lord [X], and his wife as Lady [X]. A countess who holds an earldom in her own right also uses Lady [X], but her husband does not have a title (unless he has one in his own right).

The eldest son of an earl, though not himself a peer, is entitled to use a courtesy title, usually the highest of his father's lesser titles (if any); younger sons are styled The Honourable [Forename] [Surname], and daughters, The Lady [Forename] [Surname] (Lady Diana Spencer being a well-known example).

Furthermore in Scotland, when there are no courtesy titles involved, the heir to an earldom, and indeed any level of peerage, is styled Master of [X], and successive sons as younger of [X].

England[link]

Changing power of English earls[link]

In Anglo-Saxon England, earls had authority over their own regions and right of judgment in provincial courts, as delegated by the king. They collected fines and taxes and in return received a "third penny", one-third of the money they collected. In wartime they led the king's armies. Some shires were grouped together into larger units known as earldoms, headed by an ealdorman or earl. Under Edward the Confessor earldoms like Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria—names that represented earlier independent kingdoms—were much larger than any shire.

Earls originally functioned essentially as royal governors. Though the title of Earl was nominally equal to the continental duke, unlike them earls were not de facto rulers in their own right.

After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror tried to rule England using the traditional system but eventually modified it to his own liking. Shires became the largest secular subdivision in England and earldoms disappeared. The Normans did create new earls like those of Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Cheshire but they were associated with only a single shire at most. Their power and regional jurisdiction was limited to that of the Norman counts.^[4] There was no longer any administrative layer larger than the shire, and shires became "counties". Earls no longer aided in tax collection or made decisions in country courts and their numbers were small.

King Stephen increased the number of earls to reward those loyal to him in his war with his cousin Empress Matilda. He gave some earls the right to hold royal castles or control the sheriff and soon other earls assumed these rights themselves. By the end of his reign, some earls held courts of their own and even minted their own coins, against the wishes of the king.

It fell to Stephen's successor Henry II to again curtail the power of earls. He took back the control of royal castles and even demolished castles that earls had built for themselves. He did not create new earls or earldoms. No earl was allowed to remain independent of royal control.

The English kings had found it dangerous to give additional power to an already powerful aristocracy, so gradually sheriffs assumed the governing role. The details of this transition remain obscure, since earls in more peripheral areas, such as the Scottish and Welsh marches and Cornwall, retained some viceregal powers long after other earls had lost them. The loosening of central authority during the Anarchy also complicates any smooth description of the changeover.

By the 13th century, earls had a social rank just below the king and princes, but were not necessarily more powerful or wealthier than other noblemen. The only way to become an earl was to inherit the title or marry into one—and the king reserved a right to prevent the transfer of the title. By the 14th century, creating an earl included a special public ceremony where the king personally tied a sword belt around the waist of the new earl, emphasizing the fact that the earl's rights came from him.

Earls still held influence and as "companions of the king", were regarded as supporters of the king's power. They showed that power for the first time in 1327 when they deposed Edward II. They would later do the same with other kings they disapproved of. Still, the number of earls remained the same until 1337 when Edward III declared that he intended to create six new earldoms.

Earls, land, and titles[link]

A loose connection between earls and shires remained for a long time after authority had moved over to the sheriffs. An official defining characteristic of an earl still consisted of the receipt of the "third penny", one-third of the revenues of justice of a shire, that later became a fixed sum. Thus every earl had an association with some shire, and very often a new creation of an earldom would take place in favour of the county where the new earl already had large estates and local influence.

Also, due to the association of earls and shires, the medieval practice could remain somewhat loose regarding the precise name used: no confusion could arise by calling someone earl of a shire, earl of the county town of the shire, or earl of some other prominent place in the shire; these all implied the same. So there were the "earl of Shrewsbury" (Shropshire), "earl of Arundel", "earl of Chichester" (Sussex), "earl of Winchester" (Hampshire), etc.

In a few cases the earl was traditionally addressed by his family name, e.g. the "earl Warenne" (in this case the practice may have arisen because these earls had little or no property in Surrey, their official county). Thus an earl did not always have an intimate association with "his" county. Another example comes from the earls of Oxford, whose property largely lay in Essex. They became earls of Oxford because earls of Essex and of the other nearby shires already existed.

Eventually the connection between an earl and a shire disappeared, so that in the present day a number of earldoms take their names from towns, mountains, or simply surnames. Nevertheless, some consider that the earldoms named after counties (or county towns) retain more prestige.

Scotland[link]

The oldest earldoms in Scotland (with the exception of the Earldom of Dunbar and March) originated from the office of mormaer, such as the Mormaer of Fife, of Strathearn, etc.; later earldoms developed by analogy.

Coronet[link]

A coronet of a British Earl

A British earl is entitled to a coronet bearing eight strawberry leaves (four visible) and eight silver balls (or pearls) around the rim (five visible). The actual coronet is mostly worn on certain ceremonial occasions, but an Earl can bear his coronet of rank on his coat of arms above the shield.

Scandinavia[link]

Norway[link]

In later medieval Norway, the title of jarl was the highest rank below the king. The jarl was the only one, beside the king himself, who was entitled to have a hird (large armed retinue). There was usually no more than one jarl in mainland Norway at any one time, sometimes none. The ruler of the Norwegian dependency of Orkney held the title of jarl, and after Iceland had acknowledged Norwegian overlordship in 1261, a jarl was sent there as well as the king's high representative. In mainland Norway, the title of jarl was usually used for one of two purposes:

• To appoint a de facto ruler in cases where the king was a minor or seriously ill (e.g. Håkon galen in 1204 during the minority of king Guttorm, Skule Bårdsson in 1217 during the illness of king Inge Bårdsson).
• To appease a pretender to the throne without giving him the title of king (e.g. Eirik, the brother of king Sverre).

In 1237, jarl Skule Bårdsson was given the rank of duke (hertug). This was the first time this title had been used in Norway, and meant that the title jarl was no longer the highest rank below the king. It also heralded the introduction of new noble titles from continental Europe, which were to replace the old Norse titles. The last jarl in mainland Norway was appointed in 1295.

Some Norwegian jarls:

• Jarl Toste
• Skule Tostesson, killed by peasants near Haverö church in 12th century.
• Erling Skakke, father of king Magnus Erlingsson
• Hakon Galen

Sweden[link]

The usage of the title in Sweden was similar to Norway's. Known jarls from the 12th and 13 century were Birger Brosa, Jon jarl, Folke Birgersson, Karl Döve, Ulf Fase and the most powerful of all jarls and the last to hold the title, Birger jarl.

Iceland[link]

Only one person ever held the title of Earl (or Jarl) in Iceland. This was Gissur Þorvaldsson, who was made Earl of Iceland by King Haakon IV of Norway for his efforts in bringing Iceland under Norwegian kingship during the Age of the Sturlungs.

Notes[link]

References[link]

Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Breaux
Also known as	Christopher Francis Ocean, Lonny Breaux, Frank Ocean
Born	(1987-10-28) October 28, 1987 (age 24)[1] New Orleans, Louisiana
Genres	jazz R&B, Neo Soul, Alternative hip hop, hip hop soul[2]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, rapper, musician, entertainer, vocalist
Instruments	Vocals, Keyboards,
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Odd Future Records, Island Def Jam
Associated acts	OFWGKTA, James Fauntleroy II, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Beyonce
Website	frankocean.com

Christopher Francis Ocean (born Christopher Breaux; October 28, 1987), better known by his stage name Frank Ocean, is an American singer-songwriter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Breaux made an early career as a ghost-writer for artists such as Justin Bieber, Bridget Kelly, Aramide Makinde and John Legend. In mid 2010 he became a member of OFWGKTA premiering on Domo Genesis' track, "SteamRoller". In February 2011, he released his debut mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra to critical acclaim. He released two singles; "Novacane" and "Swim Good". Both singles achieved chart success. Ocean went on a 7 show tour through North America and Europe promoting the mixtape. He is currently located in New York City.

The mixtape caught the interest of recording artists such as Kanye West, Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z, and he appeared on Watch the Throne. He co-wrote the popular track "Thinking About You" for Bridget Kelly. On January 5, 2012, the BBC announced that he had finished in second place in the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.^[3] Ocean is currently working on his debut studio album, set to be released in the first half of 2012, while the same year he appeared at Coachella and he is scheduled to appear at Lollapalooza.

Biography[link]

2005–2010: Career beginnings[link]

Frank Ocean began his career with the producer duo The MIDI Mafia. Ocean joined Los Angeles-based hip hop collective OFWGKTA, whom he met through his connections, at the end of 2009.^[4][5] In late 2009, he met Tricky Stewart, who helped Ocean sign a contract with Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist, however, he was initially unable to build a relationship with the company.^[5][6][7] In 2010, he changed his name from Christopher Breaux to Christopher Francis William Ocean via a legal website.^[5]

[edit] 2011–present: Nostalgia, Ultra and debut album

Ocean has written songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy,^[5] and Beyoncé Knowles ("I Miss You" from the album 4),^[8][9] Ocean has also worked with Nas^[10] (on whose 10th studio album Ocean is expected to feature, along with fellow Odd Future members Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy Beats)^[11] and Pharrell Williams.^[12] On February 18, 2011, Ocean released his first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, to critical acclaim.^[5][7] His music mostly focuses on interpersonal relationships, personal reflection and social commentary.^[5] NPR's Andrew Noz calls Ocean's songwriting "smart and subtle...setting him apart from the pack."^[13] Rolling Stone magazine's Jonah Weiner calls Ocean a "gifted avant-R&B smoothie".^[14] In an April 2011 interview, Ocean stated that his relationship with Def Jam has strengthened since the release of his mixtape.^[4]

Ocean appeared in Tyler, the Creator's music video for the single "She", from Tyler's second studio album Goblin (2011).^[15][16] Ocean first performed with Odd Future at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in April 2011, then later joined his OFWGKTA bandmates for the first time on tour from May 12 to May 19, 2011. They toured the eastern seaboard of the United States.^[17] On May 19, 2011 Ocean's record label Def Jam announced its plans to re-release Nostalgia, Ultra as an EP.^[18] The single "Novacane" was released to iTunes on May 31, 2011, and the EP originally was set to be released on July 26, 2011, but through his Tumblr blog on July 24, he stated that it would not be released on that date.^[19][20] In June 2011, Ocean revealed on his Tumblr that he would be working on the upcoming Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborative album, Watch the Throne.^[21] Ocean was ultimately a writer and featured artist on the tracks "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America".^[22][23] On July 28, 2011 a song titled "Thinking About You"^[24] was leaked on the internet. It was later revealed the song was a reference track and written for Roc Nation artist Bridget Kelly for her debut studio album.^[25] Kelly who has performed an acoustic version of the song, retitled the song "Thinking About Forever".^[26] However, on September 15, 2011, a music video directed by High5Collective for Ocean's version was released, yet the song appeared on Bridget Kelly's debut EP Every Girl.^[27] His debut album is set for a release on Def Jam Records in Spring 2012.^[28] On March 8, 2012, a re-mastered version of "Thinking About You" leaked, intended to be a single.^[29] On April 5, Ocean released the cover art for his upcoming debut studio album's lead single "Thinkin' Bout You", revealing the song would be released to digital retailers on April 10.^[30] "It succinctly defines me as an artist for where I am right now and that was the aim," he said of the follow-up to the acclaimed Nostalgia, Ultra. "It’s about the stories. If I write 14 stories that I love, then the next step is to get the environment of music around it to best envelop the story and all kinds of sonic goodness."^[30]

Ocean used the entire melody and chords of The Eagles' song "Hotel California", without permission, on his own song, “American Wedding.” When asked about it, Ocean stated that Eagles band member "Don Henley is apparently intimidated by my rendition of 'Hotel California'. He threatened to sue if I perform it again." In response to Ocean's comments, The Eagles released a statement: “Frank Ocean did not merely 'sample' a portion of the Eagles’ 'Hotel California,' he took the whole master track, plus the song’s existing melody, and replaced the lyrics with his own. This is not creative, let alone 'intimidating.' It’s illegal. For the record, Don Henley has not threatened or instituted any legal action against Frank Ocean, although the Eagles are now considering whether they should.”^[31] In early 2012, a suit was filed against Frank Ocean for the use of Hotel California.

In March 2012, Coldplay announced that Ocean would perform as an opening act for a number of shows on their European tour in July and August 2012.^[32]

Discography[link]

Collaborative albums[link]

• The OF Tape Vol. 2 (2012)

Mixtapes[link]

• Nostalgia, Ultra (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

A ham sandwich

The ham sandwich is a common type of sandwich.^[1] The bread may be buttered or toasted.^{[citation needed]}

History[link]

The ham sandwich is one of the earliest recorded closed-face sandwiches; by 1850, at least 70 London street vendors offered it.^[2] In 18th-century Britain the sandwich was still closely associated with Spanish cuisine, which (considering the especially wide consumption of ham in Spain) may suggest that sandwiches with ham were preferred at that time as well.^[3]

Consumption[link]

The British Sandwich Association says that the ham sandwich is the most sold sandwich in the UK,^[4] and a survey they conducted in 2001 saw ham as the second favourite filling behind cheese.^[5] 70% of the 1.8 billion sandwiches eaten in France in 2008 were ham sandwiches, prompting a French economic analysis firm to begin a 'jambon-beurre index', like the Big Mac Index, to compare prices across the country.^[6] Most ham sandwiches sold in the UK are processed, using formed ham and bread made using the Chorleywood Bread Process.^[7]

The world's longest ham sandwich was created by butcher Nico Jimenez in 2009 in Pamplona, Spain.^[8]

Health[link]

The World Cancer Research Fund warned in 2009 against parents feeding their children too many ham sandwiches, due to the risk of bowel cancer from the processed meat.^[9][10] A ham sandwich was suspected of causing an outbreak of swine fever in the UK in 2000.^[11]

Cultural impact[link]

New York State chief judge Sol Wachtler was famously quoted by Tom Wolfe in The Bonfire of the Vanities that "a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich,' if that's what you wanted."^[12][13]

A fictional talking ham sandwich appeared in an online noir serial in the late 1990s, and the publishers sued in 1999 when a similar character appeared in a television advertisement for Florida orange juice, though the suit was withdrawn.^[14][15]

See also[link]

• List of sandwiches

References[link]

This food-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones in 2010.
Born	(1931-01-17) January 17, 1931 (age 81) Arkabutla, Mississippi, United States
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1953–present
Spouse	Julienne Marie (divorced) Cecilia Hart (1982–present)

James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. Since his Broadway debut in 1957, Jones has spent more than five decades as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile actors"^[1] and has been termed "one of the greatest actors in American history."^[2] On November 12, 2011, Jones received an Honorary Academy Award.^[2]

He is well known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership.

Early life[link]

Childhood[link]

James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, son of Robert Earl Jones (1910–2006), an actor, boxer, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth, and his wife Ruth (Connolly) Jones, a teacher and maid.^[3][4] Jones and his father reconciled many years later. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents, farmers John Henry and Maggie Connolly.^[5] He is multiracial, with African, Irish, and Native American ancestry.^[6][7]

Jones describes his grandmother, Maggie, as "the most racist person I have ever known", thus forcing him to develop his own independent thinking. His grandmother was of Cherokee, Choctaw, and black ancestry.^[8]

He moved to his grandparents' farm in Jackson, Michigan when he was five, but the transition was traumatic and he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak. When he moved to Brethren, Michigan in later years, a teacher at the Brethren schools helped him over his stutter. He remained functionally mute for eight years, until he entered high school. He credits his English teacher, Donald Crouch, who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry, with helping him end his silence.^[4] Crouch believed forced public speaking would help Jones gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem in class every day.^[9] "I was a stutterer. I couldn't talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school."^[10]

Education[link]

After being educated at the Browning School for boys in his high school years and graduating from Brethren High School in Brethren, Michigan, Jones attended the University of Michigan where he was a pre-med major.^[4] He joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and excelled. He felt comfortable within the structure of the military environment, and enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow cadets in the Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard and Blade Honor Society.^[11] During the course of his studies, Jones discovered he was not cut out to be a doctor. Instead he focused himself on drama, with the thought of doing something he enjoyed, before, he assumed, he would have to go off to fight in the Korean War. After four years of college, Jones graduated from the University in 1955.^[12]

Military[link]

With the war intensifying in Korea, Jones expected to be sent to the war as soon as he received his commission as a second lieutenant. As he waited for his orders, he worked as a part-time stage crew hand at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan, where he had earlier performed. Jones was commissioned in mid 1953 and reported to Fort Benning to attend Basic Infantry Officers School. He then attended through Ranger School and received his Ranger Tab (although he stated during an interview on the BBC's The One Show screened on November 11, 2009 that he "washed out" of Ranger training). He was initially to report to Fort Leonard Wood, but his unit was instead sent to establish a cold weather training command at the Camp Hale near Leadville, Colorado. His battalion became a training unit in the bitter cold weather and the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. Jones was promoted to first lieutenant prior to his discharge.^[13] He then moved to New York, where he studied at the American Theatre Wing, working as a janitor to support himself.

Film and stage career[link]

Early career[link]

Jones began his acting career at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan. In 1953 he was a stage carpenter. During the 1955–1957 seasons he was an actor and stage manager. He performed his first portrayal of Shakespeare’s Othello in this theater in 1955.^[14]

Stage roles[link]

	Othello Jones performs Othello's Act I, scene III monologue from Shakespeare's Othello at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word on May 12, 2009. "Othello" Audio only
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Jones is an accomplished stage actor; he has won Tony awards in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences. He has acted in many Shakespearean roles: Othello, King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2002.

On April 7, 2005, James Earl Jones and Leslie Uggams headed the cast in an African-American Broadway revival version of On Golden Pond, directed by Leonard Foglia and produced by Jeffrey Finn.^[4]

In February 2008, he starred on Broadway as Big Daddy in a limited-run, all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Debbie Allen and mounted at the Broadhurst Theatre.

In November 2009, James reprised the role of Big Daddy in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre in London's West End. This production also stars Sanaa Lathan as Maggie, Phylicia Rashad as Big Mamma, and Adrian Lester as Brick.

In October 2010, Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy along with Vanessa Redgrave at the Golden Theatre.^[15]

In November 2011, Jones starred in Driving Miss Daisy in London's West End, and on November 12 Jones received his honorary Oscar in front of the audience at the Wyndham's Theatre, which was presented to him by Ben Kingsley.^[16]

Film roles[link]

His first film role was as a young and trim Lt. Lothar Zogg, the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in 1964. His first big role came with his portrayal of boxer Jack Jefferson in the The Great White Hope a reprise of the role he had performed on Broadway play, which was based on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. For his role, Jones was nominated Best Actor by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, making him the second African-American male performer (following Sidney Poitier) to receive a nomination.^[4]

In the early 1970s, James appeared with Diahann Carroll in a film called Claudine, the story of a woman who raises her six children alone after two failed marriages and one "almost" marriage. Ruppert, played by Jones, is a garbage man who has deep problems of his own. The couple somehow overcomes each other's pride and stubbornness and get married.

Jones also played the villain Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian, "Few Clothes" Johnson in John Sayles Matewan, the author Terence Mann in Field of Dreams, the feared neighbor Mr. Mertle in The Sandlot, King Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America, Reverend Stephen Kumalo in Cry, the Beloved Country, Raymond Lee Murdock in A Family Thing, and Vice Admiral James Greer in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger, among many others.

Jones is also well known as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. Darth Vader was portrayed in costume by David Prowse in the original trilogy, with Jones dubbing Vader's dialogue in postproduction due to Prowse's strong West Country accent being unsuitable for the role.^[17] At his own request, he was originally uncredited for the release of the first two films (he would later be credited for the two in the 1997 re-release):

When Linda Blair did the girl in The Exorcist, they hired Mercedes McCambridge to do the voice of the devil coming out of her. And there was controversy as to whether Mercedes should get credit. I was one who thought no, she was just special effects. So when it came to Darth Vader, I said, no I'm just special effects. But it became so identified that by the third one, I thought, OK I've been denying it, I've been saying it sounds like the uncola nut guy Holder. Geoffrey Holder! ... But for the third one, I said OK, I'll let them put my name on it.^[18]

Although uncredited, Jones' voice is briefly heard as Darth Vader at the conclusion of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. When specifically asked whether he had supplied the voice, possibly from a previous recording, Jones told New York Newsday: "You'd have to ask Lucas about that. I don't know."^[18] However, on the issue of the voice, the commentary on the DVD release states that, while it will always be uncredited, any true Star Wars fan "should know the answer".^[19]

Jones reprised his role as the voice of Vader several times: he is credited in the movie Robots with the voice of Darth Vader from a voice module. Playing the king of Zamunda in the comedy Coming to America, he echoed four Darth Vader phrases. He also vocally appeared as Vader in the comedy film The Benchwarmers and the video games Star Wars: Monopoly and Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game. Jones' voice is also used for the Jedi Training Academy attraction at Disneyland and at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Jones returned as Vader for the video game: Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. Jones also reprised his role as Vader in the new Disney attraction; Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.^[20]

Other voiceover work[link]

His other voice roles include Mufasa in the 1994 animated Disney film The Lion King and its direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. Archive recordings from the film would later be used for the English version of the 2005 video game Kingdom Hearts II, since Jones himself was unable to reprise the role. He also voiced the Emperor of the Night in Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night.

In 1990, Jones performed voice work for the Simpsons Halloween episode "Treehouse of Horror", in which he was the narrator for the Simpsons' version of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven". In 1992, Jones was often seen as the host on the video tele-monitor for the Sea World resort in Orlando, Florida.

In 1996, he recited the classic baseball poem Casey at the Bat, with the accompaniment of arranger/composer Steven Reineke and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra^[21]

He also has done the CNN tagline, "This is CNN", as well as "This is CNN International", and the Bell Atlantic tagline, "Bell Atlantic: The heart of communication". When Bell Atlantic became Verizon, Jones used the tagline greeting of "Welcome to Verizon" or "Verizon 411" right before a phone call would go through. The opening for NBC's coverage of the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics; "the Big PI in the Sky" (God) in the computer game Under a Killing Moon; a Claymation film about The Creation; and several other guest spots on The Simpsons.

Television roles[link]

Jones has the unusual distinction of being the only actor to win two Emmys^[22] in the same year, in 1991 as Best Actor for his role in Gabriel's Fire and as Best Supporting Actor for his work in Heat Wave.^[23]

Jones portrayed the older version of author Alex Haley, in the television mini-series Roots: The Next Generations;^[4] the GDI's commanding general James Solomon in the live-action sequences of the video game Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun; and widowed police officer Neb Langston in the television program Under One Roof, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He also appeared in television and radio advertising for Verizon Business DSL and Verizon Online DSL from Verizon Communications.

Jones appeared in the 1963–1964 television season in an episode of ABC's drama series about college life, Channing, starring Jason Evers and Henry Jones. He appeared on the soap opera Guiding Light. He portrayed Thad Green on Mathnet, a parody of Dragnet.

In 1969, Jones participated in making test films for a proposed children's television series called Sesame Street; these shorts, combined with animated segments, were shown to groups of children to gauge the effectiveness of the then-groundbreaking Sesame Street format. As cited by production notes included in the DVD release Sesame Street: Old School 1969–1974, the short that had the greatest impact with test audiences was one showing bald-headed Jones counting slowly to ten. This and other segments featuring Jones were eventually aired as part of the Sesame Street series itself when it debuted later in 1969 and Jones is often cited as the first celebrity guest on that series, although a segment with Carol Burnett was the first to actually be broadcast.^[4]

He has played lead characters on television in three series. First, he appeared on the short-lived CBS police drama Paris, which aired during autumn 1979. That show was notable as the first program on which Steven Bochco served as executive producer. The second show aired on ABC between 1990 and 1992, the first season being titled Gabriel's Fire and the second (after a format revision), Pros and Cons.

In both formats of that show, Jones played a former policeman wrongly convicted of murder who, upon his release from prison, became a private eye. In 1995, Jones starred in Under One Roof as Neb Langston, a widowed African-American police officer sharing his home in Seattle with his daughter, his married son with his children, and Neb's newly adopted son. The show was a mid-season replacement and lasted only six weeks.

From 1989 to 1993, Jones served as the host of the children's TV series Long Ago and Far Away.

In 1996, James guest starred in the CBS drama Touched by an Angel as the Angels of Angels in the episode "Clipped Wings". In 1998, Jones starred in the widely acclaimed syndicated program An American Moment (created by James R. Kirk and Ninth Wave Productions). Jones took over the role left by Charles Kuralt, upon Kuralt's death. He also made a cameo appearance in a penultimate episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and has guest-starred on such sitcoms as NBC's Frasier and Will & Grace, CBS's Two and a Half Men, and the WB drama Everwood. Jones also lent his voice for a narrative part in the Adam Sandler comedy, Click, released in June 2006. His voice is also used to create an audio version of the King James New Testament.

Personal life[link]

Jones has been married to actress Cecilia Hart since 1982. They have one child, Flynn Earl Jones. He was previously married to American actress/singer Julienne Marie (born March 21, 1937, Toledo, Ohio); they had no children.

Awards[link]

Academy Awards

• 1971 Best Actor in a Leading Role – The Great White Hope (Nominated)
• 2011 Academy Honorary Award

Emmy Awards

• 1964 Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Movie/East Side/West Side (Nominated)
• 1990 Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie/By Dawn's Early Light (Nominated)
• 1991 Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series/Gabriel's Fire
• 1991 Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie/Heat Wave
• 1994 Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series/Picket Fences (Nominated)
• 1995 Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series/Under One Roof (Nominated)
• 1997 Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series/Frasier (Nominated)
• 1999 Outstanding Performer – Children's Special
• 2004 Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series/Everwood (Nominated)

Golden Globe Awards

• 1971 New Star of the Year – Actor/The Great White Hope
• 1971 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama/The Great White Hope (Nominated)
• 1975 Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy/Claudine (Nominated)
• 1991 Best Actor in a Drama Series/Gabriel's Fire (Nominated)
• 1992 Best Actor in a Drama Series/Pros and Cons (Nominated)

Independent Spirit Awards

• 1987 Best Supporting Male/Matewan (Nominated)

Screen Actors Guild Awards

• 1996 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role/Cry, the Beloved Country (Nominated)
• 2009 Life Achievement Award

Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play

• 1969 Best Leading Actor in a Play/The Great White Hope
• 1987 Best Leading Actor in a Play/Fences
• 2005 Best Leading Actor in a Play/On Golden Pond (Nominated)
• 2012 Best Leading Actor in a Play/The Best Man (Nominated)

Other awards

• 1991 Common Wealth Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Dramatic Arts
• 1992 National Medal of Arts
• 2011 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Monte Cristo Award Recipient

Filmography[link]

Other voice acting[link]

• Kingdom Hearts II (2006) (archived audio, voice)
• Disneyland Hollywood Studios (2008) (voice)

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Jones, James Earl, and Penelope Niven. James Earl Jones: Voices and Silences (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1993) ISBN 0-684-19513-5
• Lifetime Honors – National Medal of Arts

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: James Earl Jones

• James Earl Jones at the Internet Movie Database
• James Earl Jones at the Internet Broadway Database
• James Earl Jones at Internet Off-Broadway Database
• James Earl Jones at the TCM Movie Database
• TonyAwards.com Interview with James Earl Jones
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof All African-American production website
• James Earl Jones at Emmys.com