James Avery
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- November 27, 1945 in Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA
- Died
- December 31, 2013
- Active Years
- 1978–2014 (37 Years)
- Total Credits
- 139 credits in database
Biography
James LaRue Avery was an American actor born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, now Suffolk, Virginia. He passed away on December 31, 2013, at the age of 68. Avery is best known for portraying the patriarch, attorney, and later judge Philip Banks, who was the uncle of Will Smith's character in the television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His role as Philip Banks was ranked number 34 in TV Guide's list of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time. In addition to his on-screen work, Avery provided voice acting for several animated series, including Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series, War Machine in the animated series Iron Man, and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling. He also appeared as Michael Kelso's commanding officer at the police academy during the later run of That '70s Show.
Career overview
James LaRue Avery was an American actor born in Pughsville, now Suffolk, Virginia, on November 27, 1945, and he passed away on December 31, 2013, at the age of sixty-eight. Over the course of his career, Avery accumulated 134 known acting credits in movies and television shows.
Avery is best known for his television portrayal of Philip Banks, an attorney and later judge who served as the patriarch and uncle to Will Smith's character in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. This particular television role was ranked number thirty-four in TV Guide's list of the fifty greatest television dads of all time.
In addition to his live-action television work, Avery was a prolific voice actor. He provided the voice of the character Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series. Furthermore, he voiced the characters War Machine in the animated series Iron Man and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling. Later in the series run of That '70s Show, Avery also made an appearance playing the commanding officer of Michael Kelso at the police academy.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about James Avery.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
139 titles- Wish I Was Here (2014) as Audition Actor #2
- Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) as Self
- Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013) as Dr. Beckett
- Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer (2013) as Judge Parsons
- Stars in Shorts (2012) as Haig
- Harry's Law (2011) as Fred Billings
- The Problem Solverz (2011) as Ninja Master Head (voice)
- Not Your Time (2010) as Haig
- Sherri (2009) as Redmond
- Steppin: The Movie (2009) as The Chancellor
- Eli Stone (2008) as Mason Andrews
- Divine Intervention (2008) as Rev. Matthews
- Who's Your Caddy? (2007) as Caddy Mack
- Danika (2006) as Teddy Johnson
- Think Tank (2006) as Uncle John
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Sam
- The Closer (2005) as Dr. Crippen
- Living with Fran (2005)
- Spider-Man: The Venom Saga (2005) as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
- Lethal Eviction (2005) as Gus Winter
- The Third Wish (2005) as George
- Wheelmen (2005) as Vice President
- Raise Your Voice (2004) as Mr. Gantry
- Hair Show (2004) as Seymour Gold
- That's So Raven (2003) as Presto Jones
- Nancy Drew (2002) as Prof. Shifflin
- Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) as General K'Vagh
- Crossing Jordan (2001) as Dr. Erkhart
- The Division (2001) as Charles Haysbert
- Reba (2001) as Judge Samuel Bennett
- The Proud Family (2001) as Crandall Smythe (voice)
- The Legend of Tarzan (2001) as Keewazi (voice)
- The Legend of Tarzan (2001) as (voice)
- The Nightmare Room (2001) as R.L. Stine
- Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) as Eldon
- Epoch (2001) as Dr. Solomon Holt
- Honeybee (2001)
- Philly (2001) as Dean Mark Clivner
- Dancing in September (2001) as Mr. Warner
- The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For (2001) as R.L. Stine
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) as Preston Cash
- Strong Medicine (2000) as Harold Jenkins
- Girlfriends (2000) as Dr. Couch
- Family Law (1999)
- Out in Fifty (1999) as Cappy
- Charmed (1998) as Zola
- That '70s Show (1998) as Officer Kennedy
- The Wild Thornberrys (1998) as Gorilla (voice)
- Two Guys and a Girl (1998) as Judge
- The Prince of Egypt (1998) as Additional Voices (voice)
- One World (1998) as William Richard
- The Advanced Guard (1998) as Fred, Captive Security Guard
- You Lucky Dog (1998) as Calvin Bridges
- Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years (1998) as Self
- Spirit Lost (1997) as Dr. Glidden
- Going Places (1997) as Host
- The Jamie Foxx Show (1996) as Reverend
- Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys (1996) as Gor-illa (voice)
- Sparks (1996) as Alonzo Sparks
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) as Father (voice)
- Murder One (1995) as Judge Nathaniel Alexander
- The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) as Mr. Steve Yeager
- Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale (1995) as The Headman
- Spider-Man (1994) as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
- Gargoyles (1994) as The Shaman (voice)
- Aladdin (1994) as Haroud Hazi Bin (voice)
- Duckman (1994) as School Policeman (voice)
- Duckman (1994) as 'Beware!' Guy (voice)
- Iron Man (1994) as War Machine (voice)
- A Friend to Die For (1994) as Agent Gilwood
- Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die (1994) as Chess Player
- Midnight Ramble (1994) as Narrator
- Little Miss Millions (1993) as Agent Noah Hollander
- Without Warning: Terror in the Towers (1993) as Fred Derby
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome Easter (1992) as Shredder (voice)
- The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991) as Sir Bryant (voice)
- Roc (1991) as Dale Hammers
- Shout (1991) as Midnight Rider (voice)
- Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991) as Lt. Coberly
- The Linguini Incident (1991) as Phil
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids (1991) as Shredder (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's Core (1991) as Splinter (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACC (1991) as Shredder (voice)
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) as Philip Banks
- Capital News (1990) as Mr. Fairchild
- To My Daughter (1990) as Ian Mellon
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, Shredhead (1990) as Shredder (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty Bebop (1990) as Shredder (voice)
- Family Matters (1989) as (uncredited)
- Roe vs. Wade (1989)
- FM (1989) as Quentin Lamoreaux
- Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (1989) as Earl
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking Turtles (1989) as Shredder (voice)
- Turn Back the Clock (1989) as Fred (uncredited)
- American Experience (1988) as Charles Hamilton Houston (voice)
- American Experience (1988) as Narrator (voice)
- A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (1988) as Count Shockula (voice)
- License to Drive (1988) as Les' DMV examiner
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding Teenagers (1988) as Shredder (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Halfshell (1988) as Shredder (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic Begins (1988) as Shredder (voice)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) as Shredder (voice)
- A Different World (1987) as The Pin Punisher
- Nightflyers (1987) as Darryl
- Timestalkers (1987) as Blacksmith
- Beauty and the Beast (1987) as Winslow
- Three for the Road (1987) as Clarence
- Deadly Daphne's Revenge (1987) as Detective Wood
- L.A. Law (1986) as Judge Michael Conover
- The Real Ghostbusters (1986) as Killerwatt (voice)
- The Real Ghostbusters (1986) as Giant / Gingerbread House / White Rabbit (voice)
- The Real Ghostbusters (1986) as Judge / Booming Voice / Jurors (voice)
- Rambo: The Force of Freedom (1986)
- Extremities (1986) as Security Guard
- 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) as Deputy D.A.
- The Ladies Club (1986) as Joe
- Condor (1986) as Cas
- The 11th Commandment (1986) as Attendant
- Sunday Drive (1986) as Oliver
- Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story (1986) as Hank Dudney
- Moonlighting (1985) as Reuben King
- Amazing Stories (1985) as Chief Hansen
- Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985) as (voice)
- Fletch (1985) as Detective #2
- Stoogemania (1985) as Gulch
- Kicks (1985) as Stanley
- Appointment with Fear (1985) as Connors
- Night Court (1984) as Judge Hopkins
- Brothers (1984) as Bubba
- Going Bananas (1984) as Hank
- Laugh Busters (1984)
- The A-Team (1983) as Quint
- Reading Rainbow (1983) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Antony and Cleopatra (1983) as Mardian
- St. Elsewhere (1982) as Man in E.R.
- Newhart (1982) as Construction Worker
- The Blues Brothers (1980) as Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop
- The Stunt Man (1980) as Diner Patron (uncredited)
- Dallas (1978) as Judge J. Fowler
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is James Avery best known for?
James Avery is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Wish I Was Here (2014), Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer (2013), Harry's Law (2011), SCTV Network 90 (1981).
When and where was James Avery born?
James Avery was born on November 27, 1945 in Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA. They passed away on December 31, 2013.
How many credits does James Avery have?
James Avery has accumulated over 139 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1978 to 2014.
What is James Avery's background in cinema and television?
James LaRue Avery was an American actor born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, now Suffolk, Virginia. He passed away on December 31, 2013, at the age of 68. Avery is best known for portraying the patriarch, attorney, and later judge Philip Banks, who was the uncle of Will Smith's character in the television sitcom T...
James Avery by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Sparks (1996) as Alonzo Sparks — aged about 50
- Spider-Man (1994) as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice) — aged about 48
- Reading Rainbow (1983) as Self - Narrator (voice) — aged about 37
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Sam — aged about 59
- Charmed (1998) as Zola — aged about 52
- Family Law (1999) — aged about 53
What viewers say
No comments yet. Be the first to share your take on James Avery.