James Avery

James Avery

Known for
Acting
Born
November 27, 1945
Died
December 31, 2013 (aged 68)
Birthplace
Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA

Biography

James LaRue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. Best known for his portrayal of the patriarch and attorney (later judge) Philip Banks, Will Smith's character's uncle, in the TVsitcomThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 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 original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series, as well as War Machine in the animated series Iron Man and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling. He also played Michael Kelso's commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That '70s Show.

Known For

Photos

James Avery photoJames Avery photoJames Avery photoJames Avery photoJames Avery photoJames Avery photo

Filmography

2014
Wish I Was Here poster

Wish I Was Here

Movie · as Audition Actor #2

2014
Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles poster

Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Movie · as Self

2013
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film poster

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

Movie · as Dr. Beckett

2013
Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer poster

Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer

Movie · as Judge Parsons

2012
Stars in Shorts poster

Stars in Shorts

Movie · as Haig

2011
Harry's Law poster

Harry's Law

TV · as Fred Billings · 1 ep

2011
The Problem Solverz poster

The Problem Solverz

TV · as Ninja Master Head (voice) · 1 ep

2010
Not Your Time poster

Not Your Time

Movie · as Haig

2009
Steppin: The Movie poster

Steppin: The Movie

Movie · as The Chancellor

2009
Sherri poster

Sherri

TV · as Redmond · 13 eps

2008
Divine Intervention poster

Divine Intervention

Movie · as Rev. Matthews

2008
Eli Stone poster

Eli Stone

TV · as Mason Andrews · 1 ep

2007
Who's Your Caddy? poster

Who's Your Caddy?

Movie · as Caddy Mack

2006
Think Tank poster

Think Tank

Movie · as Uncle John

2006
Danika poster

Danika

Movie · as Teddy Johnson

2006
Restraining Order poster

Restraining Order

Movie · as Judge Sanderson

2005
The Third Wish poster

The Third Wish

Movie · as George

2005
Wheelmen poster

Wheelmen

Movie · as Vice President

2005
Lethal Eviction poster

Lethal Eviction

Movie · as Gus Winter

2005
Spider-Man: The Venom Saga poster

Spider-Man: The Venom Saga

Movie · as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)

2005
Living with Fran poster

Living with Fran

TV · 1 ep

2005
Grey's Anatomy poster

Grey's Anatomy

TV · as Sam · 1 ep

2005
The Closer poster

The Closer

TV · as Dr. Crippen · 11 eps

2004
Raise Your Voice poster

Raise Your Voice

Movie · as Mr. Gantry

2004
Hair Show poster

Hair Show

Movie · as Seymour Gold

2003
That's So Raven poster

That's So Raven

TV · as Presto Jones · 1 ep

2002
Nancy Drew poster

Nancy Drew

Movie · as Prof. Shifflin

2002
The Nightmare Room: Camp Nowhere poster

The Nightmare Room: Camp Nowhere

Movie · as R.L. Stine

2001
Epoch poster

Epoch

Movie · as Dr. Solomon Holt

2001
Dr. Dolittle 2 poster

Dr. Dolittle 2

Movie · as Eldon

2001
Dancing in September poster

Dancing in September

Movie · as Mr. Warner

2001
The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For poster

The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For

Movie · as R.L. Stine

2001
Honeybee

Honeybee

Movie

2001
Star Trek: Enterprise poster

Star Trek: Enterprise

TV · as General K'Vagh · 2 eps

2001
The Legend of Tarzan poster

The Legend of Tarzan

TV · as (voice), Keewazi (voice) · 1 ep

2001
The Proud Family poster

The Proud Family

TV · as Crandall Smythe (voice) · 1 ep

2001
Philly poster

Philly

TV · as Dean Mark Clivner · 1 ep

2001
The Nightmare Room poster

The Nightmare Room

TV · as R.L. Stine · 13 eps

2001
Crossing Jordan poster

Crossing Jordan

TV · as Dr. Erkhart · 1 ep

2001
The Division poster

The Division

TV · as Charles Haysbert · 9 eps

2001
Reba poster

Reba

TV · as Judge Samuel Bennett · 1 ep

2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation poster

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

TV · as Preston Cash · 1 ep

2000
Strong Medicine poster

Strong Medicine

TV · as Harold Jenkins · 1 ep

2000
Girlfriends poster

Girlfriends

TV · as Dr. Couch · 1 ep

1999
Out in Fifty poster

Out in Fifty

Movie · as Cappy

1999
Family Law poster

Family Law

TV · 1 ep

1998
The Prince of Egypt poster

The Prince of Egypt

Movie · as Additional Voices (voice)

1998
The Advanced Guard poster

The Advanced Guard

Movie · as Fred, Captive Security Guard

1998
Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years poster

Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years

Movie · as Self

1998
You Lucky Dog poster

You Lucky Dog

Movie · as Calvin Bridges

1998
The Wild Thornberrys poster

The Wild Thornberrys

TV · as Gorilla (voice) · 1 ep

1998
One World poster

One World

TV · as William Richard · 1 ep

1998
Charmed poster

Charmed

TV · as Zola · 1 ep

1998
That '70s Show poster

That '70s Show

TV · as Officer Kennedy · 3 eps

1998
Two Guys and a Girl poster

Two Guys and a Girl

TV · as Judge · 1 ep

1997
Spirit Lost poster

Spirit Lost

Movie · as Dr. Glidden

1997
Going Places

Going Places

TV · as Host · 19 eps

1996
Sparks poster

Sparks

TV · as Alonzo Sparks · 40 eps

1996
Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys poster

Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys

TV · as Gor-illa (voice) · 26 eps

1996
The Jamie Foxx Show poster

The Jamie Foxx Show

TV · as Reverend · 1 ep

1996
Quack Pack poster

Quack Pack

TV · as Flint Steel (voice) · 1 ep

1995
The Brady Bunch Movie poster

The Brady Bunch Movie

Movie · as Mr. Steve Yeager

1995
Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale poster

Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale

Movie · as The Headman

1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child poster

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

TV · as Father (voice) · 1 ep

1995
Murder One poster

Murder One

TV · as Nathaniel Alexander · 1 ep

1994
A Friend to Die For poster

A Friend to Die For

Movie · as Agent Gilwood

1994
Midnight Ramble poster

Midnight Ramble

Movie · as Narrator

1994
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die poster

Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die

Movie · as Chess Player

1994
Aladdin poster

Aladdin

TV · as Haroud Hazi Bin (voice) · 11 eps

1994
Iron Man poster

Iron Man

TV · as War Machine (voice) · 13 eps

1994
Spider-Man poster

Spider-Man

TV · as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice) · 2 eps

1994
Gargoyles poster

Gargoyles

TV · as The Shaman (voice) · 1 ep

1994
Duckman poster

Duckman

TV · as School Policeman (voice), 'Beware!' Guy (voice) · 1 ep

1993
Little Miss Millions poster

Little Miss Millions

Movie · as Agent Noah Hollander

1993
Without Warning: Terror in the Towers poster

Without Warning: Terror in the Towers

Movie · as Fred Derby

1992
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome Easter poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome Easter

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1991
Shout poster

Shout

Movie · as Midnight Rider (voice)

1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACC

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACC

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1991
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time poster

Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time

Movie · as Lt. Coberly

1991
The Linguini Incident poster

The Linguini Incident

Movie · as Phil

1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's Core poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's Core

Movie · as Splinter (voice)

1991
The Legend of Prince Valiant poster

The Legend of Prince Valiant

TV · as Sir Bryant (voice) · 65 eps

1991
Roc poster

Roc

TV · as Dale Hammers · 1 ep

1990
To My Daughter poster

To My Daughter

Movie · as Ian Mellon

1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, Shredhead

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, Shredhead

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty Bebop

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty Bebop

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air poster

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

TV · as Philip Banks · 148 eps

1990
Capital News poster

Capital News

TV · as Mr. Fairchild · 1 ep

1989
Roe vs. Wade poster

Roe vs. Wade

Movie

1989
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal poster

Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal

Movie · as Earl

1989
Turn Back the Clock poster

Turn Back the Clock

Movie · as Fred (uncredited)

1989
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking Turtles poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking Turtles

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1989
Family Matters poster

Family Matters

TV · as (uncredited) · 1 ep

1989
FM poster

FM

TV · as Quentin Lamoreaux · 13 eps

1988
License to Drive poster

License to Drive

Movie · as Les' DMV examiner

1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Halfshell poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Halfshell

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic Begins poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic Begins

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding Teenagers poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding Teenagers

Movie · as Shredder (voice)

1988
American Experience poster

American Experience

TV · as Narrator (voice), Charles Hamilton Houston (voice) · 1 ep

1988
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo poster

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo

TV · as Count Shockula (voice), Principal Morton (voice) · 1 ep

1987
Nightflyers poster

Nightflyers

Movie · as Darryl

1987
Timestalkers poster

Timestalkers

Movie · as Blacksmith

1987
Three for the Road poster

Three for the Road

Movie · as Clarence

1987
Deadly Daphne's Revenge poster

Deadly Daphne's Revenge

Movie · as Detective Wood

1987
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles poster

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

TV · as Shredder (voice) · 169 eps

1987
A Different World poster

A Different World

TV · as The Pin Punisher · 1 ep

1987
Beauty and the Beast poster

Beauty and the Beast

TV · as Winslow · 3 eps

1986
Sunday Drive poster

Sunday Drive

Movie · as Oliver

1986
Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story poster

Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story

Movie · as Hank Dudney

1986
Condor poster

Condor

Movie · as Cas

1986
Extremities poster

Extremities

Movie · as Security Guard

1986
The Ladies Club poster

The Ladies Club

Movie · as Joe

1986
8 Million Ways to Die poster

8 Million Ways to Die

Movie · as Deputy D.A.

1986
The 11th Commandment poster

The 11th Commandment

Movie · as Attendant

1986
Rambo: The Force of Freedom poster

Rambo: The Force of Freedom

TV · as Turbo (voice) · 65 eps

1986
The Real Ghostbusters poster

The Real Ghostbusters

TV · as Killerwatt (voice), Giant / Gingerbread House / White Rabbit (voice), Judge / Booming Voice / Jurors (voice) · 1 ep

1986
L.A. Law poster

L.A. Law

TV · as Judge Michael Conover · 6 eps

1985
Kicks poster

Kicks

Movie · as Stanley

1985
Appointment with Fear poster

Appointment with Fear

Movie · as Connors

1985
Fletch poster

Fletch

Movie · as Detective #2

1985
Stoogemania poster

Stoogemania

Movie · as Gulch

1985
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling poster

Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling

TV · as (voice) · 41 eps

1985
Amazing Stories poster

Amazing Stories

TV · as Chief Hansen · 1 ep

1985
Moonlighting poster

Moonlighting

TV · as Reuben King · 1 ep

1984
Laugh Busters poster

Laugh Busters

Movie · as Hank

1984
Going Bananas poster

Going Bananas

TV · as Hank · 12 eps

1984
Night Court poster

Night Court

TV · as Judge Hopkins · 1 ep

1984
Brothers poster

Brothers

TV · as Bubba · 1 ep

1983
Antony and Cleopatra poster

Antony and Cleopatra

Movie · as Mardian

1983
Reading Rainbow poster

Reading Rainbow

TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 2 eps

1983
The A-Team poster

The A-Team

TV · as Quint · 1 ep

1982
Newhart poster

Newhart

TV · as Construction Worker · 1 ep

1982
St. Elsewhere poster

St. Elsewhere

TV · as Man in E.R. · 1 ep

1980
The Blues Brothers poster

The Blues Brothers

Movie · as Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop

1980
The Stunt Man poster

The Stunt Man

Movie · as Diner Patron (uncredited)

1978
Dallas poster

Dallas

TV · as Judge J. Fowler · 1 ep