The Only Major Actor Still Alive From Dr. Strangelove
"Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" is arguably one of Stanley Kubrick's most beloved projects. Released in 1964, the film serves as a brutal satire of the Cold War and stands out as a time capsule for the paranoid era, following United States personnel trying to both start and thwart plans for nuclear war. Featuring Peter Sellers in various roles, the comedy remains one of the best movies of all time and an inspiration for cinephiles half a century after its release.
On Rotten Tomatoes, critics have awarded the satire a whopping 98% score, making it Kubrick's highest-ranked film. The film's legacy is still pronounced today, receiving a West End adaptation courtesy of "Veep" creator Armando Iannucci. Despite the love it has now, executives were wary of unleashing the film upon the public. In an essay for Grand Street (via Criterion), co-screenwriter Terry Southern examined the film's production and how the studio didn't want anything to do with it by the end. "The Columbia Pictures publicity department defended the company against the film by saying it was definitely not 'anti–U.S. military' but 'just a zany novelty flick which did not reflect the views of the corporation in any way,'" Southern wrote.
Although the film continues to be more relevant than ever, there's only one major actor alive from "Dr. Strangelove" — James Earl Jones, who made his film debut with his work in Kubrick's classic.
James Earl Jones (Lieutenant Lothar Zogg)
One of the greatest voice actors and performers in Hollywood history, James Earl Jones made his cinematic debut in "Dr. Strangelove" as Lieutenant Lothar Zogg. Jones' role in the film is integral, as he serves as one of the bomb crew waiting for orders. While writing an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal, Jones remembered how difficult it was to work with director Stanley Kubrick. In the article, Jones recounts how he prepped heavily for the role but forgot his lines as Kubrick kept extending production. "But in the weeks of waiting around to shoot the scene I had forgotten them, and Kubrick said, 'You mean you don't know your words?' He momentarily stopped chewing his gum and then said very coldly, 'Let's move to the next set,'" Jones wrote.
While disappointing an auteur like Kubrick may have been a huge blow, Jones has since emerged as one of cinema's biggest icons. He's perhaps best known today as the utterly irreplaceable voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars." Jones later achieved glory once again for voicing Mufasa in Disney's "The Lion King," a role he reprised for the 2019 remake. His other notable credits include "Coming To America" and "The Hunt for Red October."
Having turned 93 years old in January 2024, Jones has retired from the role of Darth Vader, and his last on-screen performance was as King Jaffe Joffer in "Coming 2 America" in 2021.