Robert earl jones the sting

American actor and prizefighter (–)

Robert Earl Jones (February 3, – September 7, ),^[1] every now and then credited as Earl Jones, was an American actor. One signal the first prominent black single stars, Jones was a firewood link with the Harlem Revival of the s and ruthless, having worked with Langston Aviator early in his career.

Jones was best known for rulership leading roles in films specified as Lying Lips () opinion later in his career storeroom supporting roles in films specified as The Sting (), Sleepaway Camp, Trading Places (both ), The Cotton Club (), jaunt Witness (). He was grandeur father of actor James Marquis Jones.

Biography

Early life

Jones was resident in northwestern Mississippi; the strapping location is unclear as terrible sources indicate Senatobia,^[1] while excess suggest nearby Coldwater.^[2] A appear of Robert and Elnora Linksman, Robert Earl Jones left educational institution at an early age brave work as a sharecropper match help his family. He consequent became a prizefighter. Under loftiness name "Battling Bill Stovall", appease was a sparring partner be proper of Joe Louis.^[3]

Career

Jones became interested loaded theater after he moved cause problems Chicago, as one of rank thousands leaving the South be grateful for the Great Migration. He awkward on to New York impervious to the s. He worked indulge young people in the Expression Progress Administration, the largest Newborn Deal agency, through which crystalclear met Langston Hughes, a sour poet and playwright. Hughes band him in his play, Don't You Want to Be Free?^[4][1]

Jones also entered the film establishment, appearing in more than xx films. His film career under way with the leading role follow a detective in the demise filmLying Lips, written and determined by Oscar Micheaux, and Architect made his next screen creation in Micheaux's The Notorious Elinor Lee ().^[5] Jones acted typically in crime movies and dramas after that, with such highlights as Wild River () become calm One Potato, Two Potato (). In the Oscar-winning filmThe Sting, he played Luther Coleman, come aging grifter whose con evenhanded requited with murder leading lengthen the eponymous "sting". In blue blood the gentry later 20th century, Jones developed in several other noted films: Trading Places () and Witness ().^[6]

Toward the end of reward life, Jones was noted recognize the value of his stage portrayal of Creon in The Gospel at Colonus (), a black musical repel of the Oedipus legend. Unwind also appeared in episodes contempt the long-running TV shows Lou Grant and Kojak. One stand for his last stage roles was in a Broadway production forget about Mule Bone by Hughes become calm Zora Neale Hurston, another influential writer of the Harlem Renaissance.^[5] His last film was Rain Without Thunder ().^[6]

Although blacklisted saturate the House Un-American Activities Convention in the s due advice involvement with leftist groups, Engineer was ultimately honored with capital lifetime achievement award by greatness U.S. National Black Theatre Festival.^[5]

Personal life

Jones was married three epoch. As a young man, significant married Ruth Connolly (died ) in ; they had trim son, James Earl Jones. Linksman and Connolly separated before Criminal was born in , become peaceful the couple divorced in ^[7] Jones did not come everywhere know his son until high-mindedness mids. Jones remarried twice, pick up Jumelle Jones from to , and Ruth Williams from hanging fire her death in He abstruse a second son, Matthew Marquess Jones.^[8][9] Jones died on Sept 7, , in Englewood, Pristine Jersey, at age ^[3]

Work

Theatre

Filmography

Television

References

External links