Factbox: Five Facts About James Earl Jones – By Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – James Earl Jones, the acclaimed actor, was often at risk of being overshadowed by the power of his own voice.

Here are five key facts about Jones, who passed away on Monday at 93:

• The creator of "Star Wars," George Lucas, sought a deep, commanding voice for Darth Vader and initially considered casting Orson Welles. Ultimately, Lucas felt Welles was too recognizable and chose Jones instead.

• One of the most iconic lines in cinema originates from "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back." In this 1980 film, Luke Skywalker uncovers his family’s dark secret. The famous quote is frequently misquoted as Darth Vader telling Luke, "Luke, I am your father." In reality, the exchange is as follows:

  Darth Vader: Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
  Luke Skywalker: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!
  Darth Vader: No. I am your father.

• Jones’ father, Robert Earl Jones, was also an actor, beginning his career in the 1939 film "Lying Lips." He later appeared in "The Cotton Club" and "Witness." His most recognized role was as Luther Coleman in "The Sting," the 1973 classic featuring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, where he played a key character involved in a grand con.

• Apart from a 7-year-old Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1933 musical short "Rufus Jones for President," James Earl Jones is recognized as the first Black actor to portray a U.S. president in a feature film. In the 1972 movie "The Man," adapted from an Irving Wallace novel, he starred as Douglass Dilman, the president pro tempore of the Senate who rises to the presidency after a tragic series of events.

• In 1971, Jones began utilizing his remarkable voice for primal therapy, a method that encourages reliving suppressed childhood traumas as a path to healing, often expressed through screaming. He even constructed a soundproof room in his home for this purpose. In his 1993 autobiography, he humorously noted that this therapy helped him overcome various personal issues, including quitting smoking and alleviating sinus problems, although he later reflected that such claims seemed exaggerated.