James Avery

Nov 27, 1945 - Dec 31, 2013 (68 years old) in Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA

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

Grey's Anatomy

Sam

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Preston Cash

Dallas

Judge J. Fowler

That '70s Show

Officer Kennedy

Charmed

Zola

L.A. Law

Judge Michael Conover

The A-Team

Quint

Strong Medicine

Harold Jenkins

Star Trek: Enterprise

General K'Vagh

American Experience

Narrator (voice)

Credits

Wish I Was Here 2014

Audition Actor #2

★ 6.6
Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer 2013

Judge Parsons

★ 5.5
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film 2013

Dr. Beckett

★ 7
Stars In Shorts 2012

Haig

★ NR
Not Your Time 2010

Haig

★ 1
Sherri 2009

Redmond

★ 5.5
Steppin: The Movie 2009

The Chancellor

★ 4.6
Divine Intervention 2008

Rev. Matthews

★ 1
Eli Stone 2008

Mason Andrews

★ 6.8
Who's Your Caddy? 2007

Caddy Mack

★ 3.4
Think Tank 2006

Uncle John

★ 2
The Closer 2005

Dr. Crippen

★ 7.9
Spider-Man: The Venom Saga 2005

Jim Rhodes / War Machine

★ 6.9
Danika 2005

Teddy Johnson

★ 5.2
Wheelmen 2005

Vice President

★ NR
The Third Wish 2005

George

★ 2.5
Living with Fran 2005

★ 7
Grey's Anatomy 2005

Sam

★ 8.2
Lethal Eviction 2005

Gus Winter

★ 4.2
Hair Show 2004

Seymour Gold

★ 5.6
Raise Your Voice 2004

Mr. Gantry

★ 6.5
That's So Raven 2003

Presto

★ 7.2
Nancy Drew 2002

Prof. Shifflin

★ 5.6
Epoch 2001

Dr. Solomon Holt

★ 4.7
Star Trek: Enterprise 2001

General K'Vagh

★ 7.6
Philly 2001

Dean Mark Clivner

★ 6.7
Crossing Jordan 2001

Dr. Erkhart

★ 7.2
The Proud Family 2001

Crandall Smythe (voice)

★ 7.8
The Legend of Tarzan 2001

(voice)

★ 6.8
The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For 2001

R.L. Stine

★ NR
The Nightmare Room 2001

R.L. Stine

★ 7.8
Dr. Dolittle 2 2001

Eldon

★ 5.3
Honeybee 2001

★ 1
Dancing in September 2001

Mr. Warner

★ 6.5
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 2000

Preston Cash

★ 7.6
Strong Medicine 2000

Harold Jenkins

★ 7.1
Family Law 1999

★ 8.2
Out in Fifty 1999

Cappy

★ 3.5
The Prince of Egypt 1998

Additional Voices (voice)

★ 7.3
Charmed 1998

Zola

★ 8.2
One World 1998

William Richard

★ 10
The Wild Thornberrys 1998

Gorilla (voice)

★ 6.9
That '70s Show 1998

Officer Kennedy

★ 7.9
You Lucky Dog 1998

Calvin Bridges

★ 5.6
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years 1998

Self

★ NR
The Advanced Guard 1998

Fred, Captive Security Guard

★ 3.3
Two Guys and a Girl 1998

Judge

★ 7.2
Spirit Lost 1997

Dr. Glidden

★ 2.3
Going Places 1997

Host

★ NR
Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys 1996

Gor-illa (voice)

★ 5.8
Sparks 1996

Alonzo Sparks

★ 9
Murder One 1995

Judge Nathaniel Alexander

★ 7.8
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child 1995

Father (voice)

★ 6
Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale 1995

The Headman

★ 2
The Brady Bunch Movie 1995

Mr. Steve Yeager

★ 6.1
Spider-Man 1994

Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)

★ 8.3
Midnight Ramble 1994

Narrator

★ 7
A Friend to Die For 1994

Agent Gilwood

★ 6.2
Iron Man 1994

War Machine (voice)

★ 6.6
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die 1994

Chess Player

★ 6.5
Aladdin 1994

Haroud Hazi Bin (voice)

★ 6.9
Little Miss Millions 1993

Agent Noah Hollander

★ 5.4
Without Warning: Terror in the Towers 1993

Fred Derby

★ 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome Easter 1992

Shredder (voice)

★ NR
Shout 1991

Midnight Rider (voice)

★ 5.7
The Legend of Prince Valiant 1991

Sir Bryant

★ 5.7
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids 1991

Shredder (voice)

★ 6
Roc 1991

Dale Hammers

★ 7.8
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's Core 1991

Splinter (voice)

★ NR
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time 1991

Lt. Coberly

★ 4.7
The Linguini Incident 1991

Phil

★ 6.9
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACC 1991

Shredder (voice)

★ NR
To My Daughter 1990

Ian Mellon

★ NR
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 1990

Philip Banks

★ 7.9
Capital News 1990

Mr. Fairchild

★ 6
Turn Back the Clock 1989

Fred (uncredited)

★ 5.6
Roe vs. Wade 1989

★ 6.5
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal 1989

Earl

★ 4.6
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic Begins 1988

Shredder (voice)

★ 7.2
American Experience 1988

Narrator (voice)

★ 7.4
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 1988

Count Shockula (voice)

★ 7.6
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Halfshell 1988

Shredder (voice)

★ 6.9
License to Drive 1988

Les' DMV examiner

★ 6.6
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987

Shredder (voice)

★ 7.7
Deadly Daphne's Revenge 1987

Detective Wood

★ 3.5
Nightflyers 1987

Darryl

★ 4.7
A Different World 1987

The Pin Punisher

★ 7.1
Three for the Road 1987

Clarence

★ 5.6
Timestalkers 1987

Blacksmith

★ 5.3
Sunday Drive 1986

Oliver

★ NR
L.A. Law 1986

Judge Michael Conover

★ 7.1
The Real Ghostbusters 1986

Killerwatt (voice)

★ 7.7
Extremities 1986

Security Guard

★ 6.1
Condor 1986

Cas

★ 5.1
Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story 1986

Hank Dudney

★ NR
8 Million Ways to Die 1986

Deputy D.A.

★ 5.5
Rambo 1986

★ 7
The Ladies Club 1986

Joe

★ 6.3
The 11th Commandment 1986

Attendant

★ 4.2
Stoogemania 1986

Gulch

★ 3
Appointment with Fear 1985

Connors

★ 2.2
Amazing Stories 1985

Chief Hansen

★ 7.4
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling 1985

★ 6.2
Fletch 1985

Detective #2

★ 6.7
Kicks 1985

Stanley

★ 6
Moonlighting 1985

Reuben King

★ 7.5
Going Bananas 1984

Hank

★ 5
Laugh Busters 1984

★ NR
Brothers 1984

Bubba

★ 7.2
Night Court 1984

Judge Hopkins

★ 7.3
Reading Rainbow 1983

Himself - Narrator (voice)

★ 8.4
The A-Team 1983

Quint

★ 7.5
Antony and Cleopatra 1983

Mardian

★ 4
The Stunt Man 1980

Man Playing Pinball (uncredited)

★ 6.7
The Blues Brothers 1980

Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop

★ 7.7
Dallas 1978

Judge J. Fowler

★ 6.8

James Avery

Known For

Credits

Images