Darryl Maximilian Robinson Salutes The Late, Great James Earl Jones at The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project

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2. Darryl Maximilian Robinson Salutes The Late, Great James Earl Jones

THEATRE LOVERS AND SUPPORTERS:

YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT IN THE THEATRE, DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON OF THE EXCALIBER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY OF CHICAGO AND THE EXCALIBER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY LOS ANGELES ARCHIVAL PROJECT, IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PASSING OF AN AMERICAN ACTING LEGEND, IS THRILLED TO THE DISCUSS ONE OF THE GREATEST STAGE AND SCREEN PERFORMERS IN THE HISTORY OF THEATRE AND FILM.

THE TRULY INCREDIBLE WORK OF A LATE, GREAT TALENT.

On September 9, 2024 the entertainment industry and millions of stage, screen and television fans around the world lost one of the globe's finest actors, Mr. James Earl Jones. An artist known for many different roles, and who reached multiple generations of audiences during his 93-year-long lifetime.

He was an acclaimed Shakespearean performer, who played many leading and featured roles in classics, as highlighted by his powerful 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park performance in the title role of the immortal Bard's "King Lear," and his acclaimed early 1980s portrayal of the title role of "Othello" opposite the late, great and revered Christopher Plummer as Iago on Broadway.

He became noted in more contemporary stage works as a leading actor in the plays of the great South African playwright Athol Fugard in New York, earning high praise for his performances in the dramatist's "The Blood Knot," "Master Harold And The Boys" and "A Lesson From Aloes." He also captured a 1987 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor In A Play for his powerful performance in the late, great Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson's Best Play "Fences."

Yes, he was noted as one of the most distinguished stage and screen and television performers in The History of Acting. He is acclaimed in all major mediums of the entertainment industry.

With his GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING DRAMATIC VOICE alone, he is instantly recognizable to millions of movie goers around the world as THE VOICE OF DARTH VADER OF THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE, as Mufasa in the classic Disney film "The Lion King," and for years familiar to legions of viewers on an international cable news network when as an Announcer he intoned:"THIS IS CNN".

He has been honored with A 1992 National Medal of Arts from President George H. W. Bush. He has been bestowed with A 2002 Kennedy Center Honor from President George W. Bush. And, in 2009, he received an invitation to perform Shakespeare At The White House during an evening of poetry from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. He is technically, with 2 Emmy Awards, 1 Grammy Award, 1 2011 Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement ( an Oscar ), and 3 Tony Awards, AN EGOT! And, just two years ago, in 2022, A BROADWAY THEATRE WAS REFURBISHED AND RENAMED IN HIS HONOR!

But long before these numerous honors and tributes were paid to THIS RECENTLY DECEASED LEGEND ( who was still quite active in his nineties ), he performs a definitive role in a Pulitzer Prize-winning play in New York during the 1968-1969 theatre season which forever makes him A STAGE AND SCREEN STAR AND A LEGEND!

The Great James Earl Jones Is The Very First African-American Male Performer To Win The Tony Award for Best Leading Actor In A Play On Broadway for his powerhouse performance as the unstoppable Black Heavyweight Champion of the World, Jack Jefferson ( based upon the historic Jack Johnson ) in critically-praised, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Howard Sackler's 1968 hit stage drama "The Great White Hope" ( which co-starred the critically-praised Jane Alexander, who earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress In Play for her heartfelt performance of Jack's doomed wife ).

When the majority of the original Broadway cast of "The Great White Hope" appeared in a 1969 film version of the Howard Sackler play, both Jones and Alexander made it into THE GOLD DERBY.

JAMES EARL JONES BECAME THE SECOND BLACK MALE PERFORMER TO WIN AN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE AND JANE ALEXANDER EARNED AN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE.

THE STORY OF AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION IS COMPLICATED AND TRAGIC!

Your Humble Servant In The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, Is Delighted And Honored To Share A Link To An Important And Historic Film.

Included with this article is a link to see TONY WINNERS AND OSCAR NOMINEES JAMES EARL JONES AND JANE ALEXANDER IN THE BIG SCREEN ADAPTATION OF PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING PLAYWRIGHT HOWARD SACKLER'S "THE GREAT WHITE HOPE!

Enjoy. And...

May this truly great thespian Rest In Peace.

A Televised King Lear: Here is a showcard featuring the late, great James Earl Jones in a tv version of his title role performance as King Lear in the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival revival.

A Lesson From Aloes: During the 1980/81 theatre season James Earl Jones, Maria Tucci and Harris Yulin created roles in a then new Athol Fugard work directed by the acclaimed South African playwright.

Beloved Acting Icons Playing Cards: The late, great Tony Winner Cicely Tyson and the late, great Tony Winner James Earl Jones starred in a 2015 Broadway revival of The Gin Game.

A Powerful Play: 1969 Tony Award Winner for Best Leading Actor James Earl Jones and 1969 Tony Award Winner for Best Featured Actress Jane Alexander in the award-winning The Great White Hope.

Memoriam: The Voice of the late, great James Earl Jones is known to millions of film fans around the world as such iconic characters as Lord Darth Vader in Star Wars and King Mufasa in The Lion King.

The House of Jones: In 2022, a Broadway theatre was refurbished and renamed The James Earl Jones Theater in honor of his many stage contributions to The American Theatre.

The Honoree In His House: In 2022, the late, great James Earl Jones sat for an extended interview in the refurbished and renamed venue that now bears his name on Broadway.

EGOT Jones: With three Tony Awards, multiple Emmy Awards, A Grammy Award and A Special Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement In Film, the late, great James Earl Jones is an EGOT.

Legendary Bard Performers: late, great Tony Award Winner James Earl Jones as Othello and late, great Tony Award Winner Christopher Plummer as Iago in the 1982 Broadway revival of Othello.

Tony Time: Lead Performers James Earl Jones Actor-Play , Julie Harris Actress-Play, Angela Lansbury Actress-Musical and Jerry Orbach Actor-Musical celebrate at the 1969 annual ceremony.

Oscar Nominated: Best Actress Award Nominee Jane Alexander and Best Actor Award Nominee James Earl Jones in the 1970 screen version of The Great White Hope by Pulitzer Prize Winner Howard Sackler.

Remembering A Giant of The American Stage: Departing this world at 93-years-old, the late, great James Earl Jones performed work on stage, in films and on television that spanned six decades.

Young Mr. Jones: eagar to perfect his craft, the late, great James Earl Jones spent two years of his early acting training after military service as a participant with The American Theatre Wing.

Directed by Athol Fugard: Harris Yulin and James Earl Jones starred in the 1980 /81 production of A Lesson From Aloes under the guidance of the noted South African playwright at Yale Repertory and on

A New Lear: The late, great James Earl Jones played the title role in King Lear by William Shakespeare in the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park revival which was later released for te

A Versatile Thespian: The late, great James Earl Jones has played everything from noble kings to humble and likable sanitation workers during his six-decade-long career.

The House of Jones At Twilight: A view of the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway in New York as evening arrives along The Great White Way.

Playing The Champ: the late, great James Earl Jones won a 1969 Broadway Tony Award for Best Leading Actor In A Play for his acclaimed performance as Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope.

Play To Screen: Tony Award Winners and Academy Award Nominees James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander starred in the 1970 screen version of The Great White Hope by Pulitzer Prize Winner Howard Sackler.

A Proud Performer: The late, great James Earl Jones displays his 1969 Broadway Tony Award for Best Leading Actor In A Play for his performance in The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler.

Reason Not The Need: The late, great James Earl Jones starred in the title role of the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park revival of King Lear by William Shakespeare.

A Fool To A Mad King: Tony Award Winner Tom Aldridge as The Fool and Tony Award Winner James Earl Jones in the title role of the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park King Lear.

Life of A Boxer: 1969 Tony Award Winner for Best Leading Actor In A Play James Earl Jones as Jack Jefferson in the Broadway stage production of The Great White Hope by Pulitzer Prize Winner Howard Sac

A Impressive Screen Appearance: James Earl Jones won a Golden Globe Award for Best Newcomer In A Motion Picture for his performance in the 1970 screen version of The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler

The Name Above The Title: James Earl Jones earned star billing for his role as Jack Jefferson in the 1968/69 Broadway production of The Great White Hope by Pulitzer Prize Winner Howard Sackler.

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