Jones’s earliest roles were in a. animated films b. plays and soap operas c. sitcoms and musicals
In 1969, Jones won his first a. Emmy Award b. Academy Award c. Tony Award
Jones was originally uncredited for Star Wars because a. his voice was a last-minute change to the movie b. he believed he was only “special effects” and did not need credit c. he had a disagreement with the studio
Discussion/essay questions
Are voice actors underappreciated? Can you think of some movies or shows with talented voice actors?
What makes a character iconic? Which characters do you consider iconic?
Transcript
James Earl Jones was an American actor. He was born in January 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. During his childhood, he developed a stutter, which caused him to avoid speaking for years. Jones’s earliest acting roles were in plays and soap operas in the 1960s. He was often the first and only Black actor in the cast. He became famous for his roles in Shakespeare productions, including Othello and King Lear. In 1969, he won his first Tony Award, and he began to act in many successful films and Broadway shows in the 1970s. Jones is most recognizable today as the voice of Darth Vader, the villain of the Star Wars films. He was originally uncredited for this role. He believed that he was only providing “special effects,” and that he did not need the credit. However, his performance captivated audiences, and his voice became one of the most iconic parts of the film series. Jones died in September 2024, at age 93.
Some people think that Hamlet really loses his mind throughout the play. Others believe that Hamlet simply puts on such a good performance that he fools the audience as well. Which idea do you like better? Why do you think people can have such different interpretations of the same play?
Transcript
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a play by the famous English playwright William Shakespeare. The story is about a young prince named Hamlet whose father has recently died. Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, has declared himself the new king of Denmark. One day, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears and tells Hamlet that Claudius has murdered him. He asks his son to investigate Claudius and avenge his death. While investigating, Hamlet pretends to lose his mind so that Claudius doesn’t get suspicious. However, as the play goes on, Hamlet slowly becomes obsessed with revenge. Eventually, his fake insanity starts to seem real. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, and it has inspired many modern adaptations.
Romeo and Juliet is a world-famous play that has been translated into many languages and performed many times. Have you ever seen the play? Did you enjoy it?
Even before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, the theme of forbidden love was very common in books and plays. It’s still very popular today. Why do you think people like this theme so much?
Transcript
Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy written by English playwright William Shakespeare. The main characters of the story are two teenagers named Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Their families have an ancient feud. The two first meet at a masquerade ball, and they fall in love almost instantly. However, they later discover that they are members of rival families, and their relationship would be forbidden. They decide to get married in secret. But Juliet’s parents want her to marry someone else, a man named Paris who is a friend of the family. Towards the end of the story, Juliet fakes her death so that she doesn’t have to marry Paris. Romeo, believing that Juliet is dead, poisons himself so that he doesn’t have to live without her. When Juliet wakes up, she finds Romeo dead and kills herself as well. The story ends when the two families realize their feud has gone too far and decide to forgive each other.
Do you know of any modern books, movies, or plays that are based on Shakespeare’s plays?
Why do you think that so much modern entertainment is inspired by these plays?
Transcript
William Shakespeare was an English dramatist and poet, currently considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. He was born in 1564 in Stratford, where he would spend the rest of his childhood. At age 18, he married a woman named Anne Hathaway, and the couple had three children together. After the birth of his youngest two children, Shakespeare travelled to London and helped to found an acting company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. While working as an actor, Shakespeare began to write scripts. One of the first plays to be officially credited to Shakespeare was the iconic Romeo and Juliet, a story of two young lovers who come from rival families. During his life, Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays: 14 comedies, 12 tragedies, and 12 histories. Shakespeare died in 1616 – over 400 years ago – but his plays are still relevant today because of their influence on modern stories. In fact, many of today’s books, movies, and plays are based on concepts from Shakespeare’s work.