James Earl Jones’ First Movie Is His Best

James Earl JonesMichael Jackson, the iconic American actor and director who was the voice of an entire generation’s childhood, passed away earlier this week at the age of 93. To call him a giant would be an understatement; with his voice alone, he was able to bring larger-than-life characters like Darth Vader and Mufasa to life, making them instantly iconic. And that’s before even considering his widely beloved work as a stage actor or his underappreciated supporting roles in films like “Iron Man.” Conan the Barbarian and Field of Dreams.

With such a huge list of films, choosing just one from the list seems like a daunting task. However, his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes is a surprise – in 1994, he lent the voiceover to the nature documentary Africa: Serengetiwhich currently has a 100% approval rating. But given its 40-minute running time and limited theatrical release (it was only shown in IMAX), one could argue that it doesn't really count. On the other hand, Jones' highest-rated feature film was actually his theatrical debut: Dr. Strangelove.

Who plays James Earl Jones in Dr. Strangelove?

James Earl Jones only played a small (albeit pivotal) role in Stanley Kubrick's comedy masterpiece.He played Lieutenant Lothar Zog, a member of a B-52 bomber crew, led by Major T.J. “King” Kong (Slim Pickens). It was their plane that dropped the bomb inside the Soviet Union, potentially starting a nuclear war. Even if Jones didn't get many lines in his first film, he was able to show a degree of seriousness in a handful of scenes, paving the way for an amazing career.

In fact, Jones was originally supposed to play a more significant role; in a 2004 Wall Street Journal op-ed, Zog was initially supposed to serve as the voice of reason on the plane. However, he clashed with the notoriously fastidious Kubrick, whose working style left Jones waiting weeks at a time to shoot his scenes, during which time he would forget his dialogue. According to Jones, this led to his screen time being cut short: “He paused to chew gum and then said, very coldly, ‘Let’s move on to the next set.’ I felt uncomfortable with him after that.”

James Earl Jones got the role for surprising reasons.

But what really made James Earl Jones get the role? Dr. StrangeloveIt could be argued, by extension, that what started his film career was his military service. While attending the University of Michigan in the early 1950s, he joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1953, shortly after the Korean War ended. Over the next few years, he was transferred to various training locations, eventually achieving the rank of first lieutenant, though he was discharged shortly after. Jones actually discovered his love of acting alongside his service; he majored in drama in college and worked as an actor and stage crew member in several different productions while waiting to deploy.

After leaving the hospital, Jones turned his focus to acting full-time. He appeared in several different Shakespeare productions and became widely known for his stage presence before landing a role in Dr. StrangeloveWhile Kubrick was likely excited at the prospect of working with such a promising and exciting actor, it's safe to assume that Jones' military service experience and knowledge of protocol played a large role in helping him land the role.

Although Jones only appeared on screen for a limited time, he managed to show real talent in one of the greatest films ever made. He was quickly noticed by the studios, leading to one of the most underrated careers on stage and screen ever. And that's it. before His work became instantly iconic as two of the most recognizable deep-voiced characters in cinema history. Dr. Strangelove Streaming on Prime Video.