James Earl Jones

Born Jan. 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Miss., James Earl Jones was raised by his grandparents in Michigan. Although he attended college to study medicine, he never gave up his dream of being an actor.

After a stint in the Army, he enrolled at New York's American Theatre Wing. He won a Tony for his work in "The Great White Hope," a role he later reprised in the 1970 film, for which he received a Best Actor Oscar nomination. His screen debut came as Lt. Zogg in Dr. Strangelove (1964). With his authoritative booming voice, Jones received in 1977 what may be his most memorable role, as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars.

In the 1990s, Jones appeared as Admiral James Greer in films based on Tom Clancy novels -- The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994). His voice work continued in 1994 when he played Mufasa in the animated classic The Lion King.

Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

1977 PG

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) guides intrepid Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on a valiant bid to save the captured Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones). With his trusty droids and smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Skywalker must also destroy the Galactic Empire's all-powerful weapon: the Death Star. George Lucas cemented his status as a pop-culture legend with this classic battle between good and evil.