James Earl Jones Turns 84 Today

Screen legend James Earl Jones, who provided the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, turned 84 today.

His best-known early role is that of Lt. Lothar Zogg, the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in 1964. Throughout the 1960s he did work on the stage and screen. He's widely regarded as one of the greatest screen actors in American history, with memorable roles in dozens of films including Conan the Barbarian, Matewan and Field of Dreams.

Star Wars opened up new doors for him, establishing his booming voice as an asset unto itself. His career includes memorable roles in The Lion King and The Simpsons. In later years, he became a well-known voice-over artist doing ads for Verizon, CNN, the Olympics and more. He reprised his role as Vader in the 2014 pilot for Star Wars Rebels.

Since his Broadway debut in 1957, Jones has won many awards, including a Tony Award and Golden Globe Award for his role in The Great White Hope. Jones has won three Emmy Awards, including two in the same year in 1991, and he also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the film version of The Great White Hope. He was awarded an honorary Academy Award for his contribution to film in 2011, three years after he won the Screen Actors' Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.