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The “Jeopardy!” stage turned into a pop culture battleground this week after contestants failed to identify one of Hollywood’s most legendary actors.
In a recent episode of the beloved game show, viewers were left stunned when all three contestants couldn’t come up with the name of James Earl Jones, whose voice was linked to some of the most memorable moments in film history.
During Monday night’s show, “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings presented the category “Sesame Street.”
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‘Jeopardy!’ contestants failed to identify James Earl Jones. (Disney/Eric McCandless)
One of the clues read, “Throughout the years, lots of people have stopped by ‘Sesame Street’ like Alex Trebek and Ken Jennings,” the Oscar the Grouch character began to say from his trash can.
“Why can’t they leave a grouch alone? But, the very first was this guy, who recited the alphabet for us.”
As Jennings read the clue, a black-and-white photo of Jones popped up on the screen.
“Jeopardy!” showed this photo of James Earl Jones from a ’70s episode of “Sesame Street.” (Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)
The buzzer went off as the “Jeopardy!” contestants drew a blank.
“That’s James Earl Jones,” Jennings revealed, referring to the voice icon, who died on Sept. 9, 2024, at the age of 93.
On the official “Jeopardy!” social media account, fans didn’t hold back — quickly calling out the contestants for failing to recognize one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood history.
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Jennings went on to host “Jeopardy!” and “Celebrity Jeopardy!” following Alex Trebek’s death. (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)
One fan fired off, “Literally how did not a single one of them not know THEE James Earl Jones!?”
“Nobody knew James Earl Jones, straight to jail,” one viewer joked, while another admitted, “The way I screamed JAMES EARL JONES to my phone multiple times.”
“So excuse me, you know Rocco The Rock but you don’t know James Earl Jones? I weep,” another comment read.
Jones was best known for his voice role as Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” franchise, in addition to “Coming to America,” “Field of Dreams” and “The Hunt for Red October.”
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Iconic actor James Earl Jones, known for voicing Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” died in 2024 at the age of 93. (Getty Images)
The award-winning actor passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, surrounded by family, his representative shared in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time.
Jones is one of the few entertainers to have achieved EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony awards) status.
Over his illustrious career, he claimed two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy and three Tony Awards — solidifying his legacy in television, music and theater.
While Jones did not win a competitive Oscar, he was presented with the Honorary Academy Award by Sir Ben Kingsley.
He received multiple Tony Award nominations and a special Tony Award in 2017. (Michael Zorn/Invision)
Jones launched his career in theater in the early ‘50s. He earned acclaim as one of the premier Shakespearean actors of his time, commanding the stage with unforgettable performances as “Othello,” “King Lear,” Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Claudius in “Hamlet.”
His most prolific role came in the form of voicing Darth Vader in George Lucas’ 1977 space epic “Star Wars.” He reprised his role for the sequels “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980 and again in “Return of the Jedi” in 1983.
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Jones’ film credits additionally included, “Conan the Barbarian,” “The Sandlot,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.”
He was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2002 and received lifetime achievement awards from the Screen Actors Guild in 2009 and the National Board of Review in 1995.
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
