Robert Earl Jones
Robert Earl Jones | |
|---|---|
Jones in 1938 | |
| Born | February 3, 1910 Tate County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 2006 (aged 96) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Other names | Earl Jones |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1938–1993 |
| Spouses | Ruth Connolly
(m. 1929; div. 1934)Jumelle Jones
(m. 1938; div. 1950)Ruth Williams
(m. 1960; died 1981) |
| Children | 2, including James |
Robert Earl Jones (February 3, 1910 – September 7, 2006), sometimes credited as Earl Jones, was an American actor. One of the first prominent black film stars, Jones was a living link with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, having worked with Langston Hughes early in his career.
Jones was best known for his leading roles in films such as Lying Lips (1939) and later in his career for supporting roles in films such as The Sting (1973), Sleepaway Camp, Trading Places (both 1983), The Cotton Club (1984), and Witness (1985). He was the father of actor James Earl Jones.