<P> James Earl Jones ( born January 17 , 1931 ) is an American actor . His career has spanned more than 60 years , and he has been described as `` one of America 's most distinguished and versatile '' actors and `` one of the greatest actors in American history '' . Since his Broadway debut in 1957 , Jones has won many awards , including a Tony Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in The Great White Hope , which also earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role . Jones has won three Emmy Awards , including two in the same year in 1991 . He is also known for his voice roles as Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series and Mufasa in Disney 's The Lion King , as well as many other film , stage and television roles . </P>
who plays the voice of darth vader in star wars
James Earl Jones