James Avery (actor)

James Avery
James Avery at the 2013 HAL Awards
Born	James LaRue Avery (1945-11-27)November 27, 1945 Pughsville, Virginia, U.S.
Died	Glendale, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Complications from open heart surgery
Occupation	Actor, poet
Years active	1980–2013
Spouse(s)	Barbara Avery (m. 1988–2013; his death)

James LaRue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He played patriarch Philip Banks in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990−96). This character was ranked #34 in TV Guide's "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time." He also provided the voice of Shredder in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series, as well as War Machine in the animated series Iron Man (1994−95) and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985). He also played Michael Kelso's commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That '70s Show (2004).

Life and career

Avery was born in 1945 in Pughsville, Hampton Roads, Virginia, and raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He served in the Vietnam War as a member of the U.S. Navy from 1968–1969, after graduating high school. Later on, he moved to San Diego, California, where he began to write poetry and TV scripts.

In addition to his fame in sitcoms, he did voice acting for many animated series, most notably the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series (as the voice of Shredder) and James Rhodes/War Machine in the 1990s Iron Man series.

Personal life

He married Barbara in 1988. He had no children of his own, but was a stepfather to his wife's son, Kevin Waters.

Death

On December 31, 2013, Avery died at age 68 from complications following open heart surgery at Glendale Memorial Medical Center. He is survived by his mother Florence Avery, as well as his wife and stepson.

Janet Hubert, who was his original wife on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, said after his death, "RIP James, all the world is a stage, and we are all merely players in this production called LIFE." Will Smith commented on his death by saying, "Some of my greatest lessons in Acting, Living and being a respectable human being came through James Avery. Every young man needs an Uncle Phil. Rest in Peace." Joseph Marcell called Avery a "gentle giant".

The song "No Role Modelz", from the 2014 album 2014 Forest Hills Drive by music artist J. Cole, pays tribute to Avery. It contains the lyric "First things first rest in peace Uncle Phil. For real, you the only father that I ever knew."

Avery's remains were later cremated and were scattered near the Pacific Ocean.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	The Blues Brothers	Man Dancing	Uncredited role
1980	The Stunt Man		Uncredited role
1985	Fletch	Detective #2
1985	Appointment With Fear	Connors
1986	Fist of the North Star	Fang	Voice Role (1991 Streamline Pictures dub)
1986	The Eleventh Commandment	Larry
1986	8 Million Ways to Die	Deputy D.A.
1986	The Ladies Club	Joe
1986	Stoogemania	Gulch
1986	Extremities	Security Guard
1987	Deadly Daphne's Revenge	Det. Wood
1987	Three for the Road	Clarence
1987	Nightflyers	Darryl
1988	License to Drive	Les' DMV Examiner
1991	The Linguini Incident	Phil
1991	Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time	Lt. Coberly
1991	Shout	Midnight Rider	Voice Role
1993	Little Miss Millions	Agent Noah Hollander
1995	The Brady Bunch Movie	Mr. Steve Yeager
1997	Spirit Lost	Dr. Glidden
1998	12 Bucks	Slow
1998	The Prince of Egypt	Additional Voices	Voice Role
1998	You Lucky Dog	Calvin Bridges
1999	After Romeo
1999	Out in Fifty	Cappy
2000	Dancing in September	Mr. Warner
2001	Chasing Sunsets	Mr. Burken
2001	Honeybee	Larry Dukes
2001	Dr. Dolittle 2	Eldon
2002	Wheelmen	Vice President
2004	Raise Your Voice	Mr. Gantry
2004	Hair Show	Seymour Gold
2005	Lethal Eviction	Gus
2005	The Third Wish	George
2005	A Christmas Wish	Saint	Short film
2006	Restraining Order	Judge Sanderson
2006	Think Tank	Uncle John
2006	Danika	Teddy Johnson
2007	Who's Your Caddy?	Caddy Mack
2007	Divine Intervention	Rev. Matthews
2008	His Good Will	Mr. Cooper	Short film
2008	Leave with It	Dr. Leon	Short film
2009	Let the Game Begin	Mark Hanley
2009	Steppin: The Movie	The Chancellor
2010	Stride	George
2010	The Grind	Modelo Snipes
2012	Valediction	Edward	Short Film
2014	Wish I Was Here	Audition actor #2	Last film role

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Antony and Cleopatra	Mardian	TV movie
1983	Tales of the Gold Monkey	Gabriel	Episode: "God Save the Queen"
1983	Newhart	Construction Guy	Episode: "Heaven Knows Mr. Utley"
1983	The Jeffersons	Coleman	Episode: "Father Christmas"
1983, 1984	Simon & Simon	Huey, Roy	2 episodes
1984	Hill Street Blues	Tolliver	3 episodes
1984	Legmen	No Neck	Episode: "I Shall Be Re-Released"
1984	Hardcastle and McCormick		Episode: "Scared Stiff"
1984	Going Bananas	Hank
1984	Webster	Judge	Episode: "Webster Long (2)"
1984	Fist of the North Star	Fang (voice)
1984	The Dukes of Hazzard	Charlie	Episode: "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo"
1984, 1985	Brothers	Bubba Dean	2 episodes
1985	Street Hawk	Councilman Waters	Pilot
1985	St. Elsewhere	Mental Patient	Episode: "Give the Boy a Hand"
1985	Cagney & Lacey		Episode: "Who Says It's Fair" (1)
1985	Kicks	Stanley	TV movie
1985	Space	Jean-Marie	CBS miniseries
1985	Scarecrow and Mrs. King	Nabuti	Episode: "Murder Between Friends"
1985	Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling	Junkyard Dog (voice)
1985	George Burns Comedy Week		Episode: "The Assignment"
1985	The A-Team		Episode: "The Heart of Rock n' Roll"
1985	Moonlighting	Reuben King	Episode: "Twas the Episode Before Christmas"
1986	Karate Kommandos	Additional voices
1986	Amazing Stories	Chief Hansen	Episode: "Hell Toupee"
1986	Rambo and the Forces of Freedom	Turbo (voice)
1986	Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Movie	Hank Dudney	TV movie
1986	Condor	Cas	TV movie
1986	Sunday Drive	Oliver	TV movie
1986−1989	The Real Ghostbusters	Killerwatt / Judge / Additional voices	3 episodes
1986−1988, 1989	Amen	Arnie Samples / Rev. Crawford	5 episodes
1987	Jake's M.O.	Abel Barnes	Unsold pilot/TV movie
1987	Timestalkers	Blacksmith	TV movie
1987	Jake and the Fatman		Episode: Fatal Attraction
1987, 1989	Valerie	Judge N. Keller / Mr. Erdman	2 episodes
1987−1993	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Shredder (voice)	103 episodes
1988	Dallas	Judge Fowler	Episode: "Malice in Dallas"
1988	Beauty and the Beast	Winslow
1988	227	Jo-Jo	Episode: "My Aching Back"
1988	Heart and Soul	Harlan Sinclair	Pilot
1988−1992	L.A. Law	Judge Michael Conover	9 episodes
1989	Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal	Earl	TV movie
1989	Roe vs. Wade		TV movie
1989	FM	Quentin Lamoreaux
1989	A Different World	The Pin Punisher	Episode: "To Have and Have Not"
1989	Turn Back the Clock	Physical Therapist	TV movie
1990	Night Court	Judge Hopkins	Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" (1)
1990	Capital News		Pilot
1990	To My Daughter		TV movie
1990−1996	The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air	Philip Banks	147 episodes
1991	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Shredder (voice)	TV movie
1991	The Legend of Prince Valiant	Sir Bryant (voice)	9 episodes
1992	Roc	Dale Hammers	Episode: "The Car Accident from Heaven"
1993	Without Warning: Terror in the Towers	Fred Ferby	TV movie
1993−1994	American Experience	Charles Hamilton Houston / Narrator	2 episodes
1994	Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die	Chess Player	TV movie
1994	A Friend to Die For	Agent Gilwood	TV movie
1994	Aladdin	Haroud Hazi Bin (voice)	9 episodes
1994−1995	Iron Man	War Machine (voice)	7 episodes
1995	ABC Weekend Special	Headman (voice)	Episode: "Jirimpimbira – An African Folk Tale"
1995	Murder One	Judge Nathaniel Alexander	Episode: "Chapter Five"
1996	Gargoyles	The Shaman (voice)	Episode: "Walk About"
1996	Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys	Gor-illa/Gor (voice)	26 episodes
1996	Spider-Man	War Machine (voice)	2 episodes
1996−1998	Sparks	Alonzo Sparks	40 episodes
1996, 1998	In the House	Mediator / Sampson Stanton	2 episodes
1997	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	Father (voice)	Episode: "The Golden Goose"
1997	Extreme Ghostbusters	Danny (voice)	Episode: "Dry Spell"
1998	The Advanced Guard	Fred	TV movie
1998	You Lucky Dog	Calvin	TV movie
1998	The Wild Thornberrys	Gorilla (voice)	Episode: "Valley Girls"
1999	Vengeance Unlimited	Judge Christopher Washington	Episode: "Legalese"
1999	King's Pawn	Cecil	Pilot
1999	For Your Love	Rev. Hicks	Episode: "Mother Load"
1999	Family Law		Episode: "Damages"
1999, 2000	Pepper Ann	Mr. Clapper	3 episodes
2000	Bull	Prof. Gilbert Granville	Episode: "What the Past Will Bring"
2000	One World	William Richard	Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
2000	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Preston Cash	Episode: "Unfriendly Skies"
2000	Two Guys and a Girl	Judge	Episode: "Rescue Me"
2000, 2002	Dharma & Greg	Walter	2 episodes
2001	Epoch	Dr. Solomon Holt	TV movie
2001	The Jamie Foxx Show	Reverend	Episode: "Always and Forever"
2001	Strong Medicine	Harold Jenkins	Episode: "Wednesday Night Fever"
2001	The Legend of Tarzan	Chief Keewazi (voice)	3 episodes
2001	The Proud Family	Crandall Smythe (voice)	Episode: "Spelling Bee"
2001−2003	Soul Food	Walter Carter	4 episodes
2002	Philly	Dean Mark Clivner	Episode: "Here Comes the Judge"
2002	Judging Amy	Mr. Ruff	Episode: "Damage Control"
2002	Nancy Drew	Prof. Shifflin	TV movie
2002−2003	The Division	Charles Haysbert	9 episodes
2003	Reba	Judge Samuel Bennett	Episode: "The Feud"
2003	Crossing Jordan	Dr. Erkhart	Episode: "Conspiracy"
2003	Street Smarts	Contestant	Episode: "May 16, 2003"
2003	All About the Andersons	Roscoe	Episode: "Flo's Dream"
2003−2004	All of Us	Lucas	2 episodes
2004	That '70s Show	Officer Kennedy	3 episodes
2004	Charmed	Zola	Episode: "A Call to Arms"
2004	NYPD Blue	Steve Pines	Episode: "Great Balls or Ire"
2004	Girlfriends	Dr. Couch	Episode: "Maybe Baby"
2004	That's So Raven	Presto Jones	Episode: "Opportunity Shocks"
2005−2007	The Closer	Dr. Crippen	11 episodes
2005	My Wife and Kids	Professor Tillman	Episode: "Study Buddy"
2005	Star Trek: Enterprise	General K'Vagh	2 episodes
2005	Living With Fran	Mr. Bryant	Episode: "Learning with Fran"
2006	Take 3	Judge Sanderson	Episode: "Study Buddy"
2008	Eli Stone	Mason Andrews	Episode: "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
2009	Sherri	Redmond	4 episodes
2012	Grey's Anatomy	Sam	Episode: "One Step Too Far"
2012	The Young and the Restless	Judge Roy Daley	2 episodes
2013	Call Me Crazy: A Five Film	Dr. Beckett	TV movie
2013	Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer	Judge Parsons	TV movie

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989	Splash Mountain	Br'er Frog
1995	Animated Storybook: The Lion King	Narrator
2011	Kinect Disneyland Adventures	Br'er Bear

External links

• James Avery at the Internet Movie Database
• James Avery at AllMovie
• The HistoryMakers Biography, photos and video clips

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