Robert Earl Jones

Biography

Robert Earl Jones (February 3, 1910 – September 7, 2006), sometimes credited as Earl Jones, was an American actor and professional boxer. 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), Trading Places (1983), The Cotton Club (1984), and Witness (1985). He was the father of actor James Earl Jones.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Known For

Great Performances

Creon

Kojak

Judge

Lou Grant

The Defenders

Joe Dean

Trading Places

Attendant

The Sting

Luther Coleman

Witness

Custodian

The Cotton Club

Stage Door Joe

Filmography

Year	Movie	Role
2012	Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor	Ben (archive footage)
1993	Rain Without Thunder	Old Lawyer
1990	Maniac Cop 2	Harry
1985	Witness	Custodian
1984	A Billion for Boris	Grandaddy
1984	The Cotton Club	Stage Door Joe
1983	Sleepaway Camp	Ben
1983	Trading Places	Attendant
1982	Cold River	The Trapper
1977	The Displaced Person	Astor
1977	Proof of the Man	Wilshire Hayward
1974	Cockfighter	Buford
1973	The Sting	Luther Coleman
1964	One Potato, Two Potato	William Richards
1964	Pie in the Sky	Farmer
1960	The Secret of the Purple Reef	Tobias
1960	Wild River	Sam Johnson (uncredited)
1959	Odds Against Tomorrow	Jazz Club Patron (uncredited)
1940	The Notorious Elinor Lee	Benny Blue
1939	Lying Lips	Detective Wenzer

Year	TV Show	Role
1981	The Sophisticated Gents	Big Ralph Joplin
1977	Lou Grant
1973	Kojak	Judge
1971	Great Performances	Creon
1961	The Defenders	Joe Dean