Template:Otherpeople
James L. Avery, Sr. (born November 27, 1948) is an American TV actor best known for his portrayal of the patriarch and attorney (later judge) Philip Banks in the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom Will Smith's character affectionately called "Uncle Phil". 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 Spider-Man. He also played Michael Kelso's officer at the police academy late in the series run of the popular sitcom That '70s Show.
Early life[]
Avery was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He joined the United States Navy shortly after high school graduation and served in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969.[1] After he left the military, Avery moved to San Diego and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS. He won an Emmy Award for his production during his term at PBS and was awarded a scholarship to University of California, San Diego. Avery earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater and Literature at the university and graduated in 1976.[2]
Career[]
An imposing figure standing at 6'5" (1.96 m) , he often plays characters in legal or high-level professional fields. 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 The Shredder, and credited as James Avery) and James Rhodes in the 1990s Iron Man series. He has been the primary host of Going Places, a popular travel and adventure series on PBS. He also guest starred in That '70s Show as Officer Kennedy. In 2000, he guest starred in the "Unfriendly Skies" episode of CSI as Preston Cash, a legally-blind witness to a murder who assists the CSI team with a near-flawless verbal account of what he heard onboard the flight. Avery recently played a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Dr. Crippen, (who has recently appeared in a wheelchair), on the TNT series The Closer. In 2004, he guest starred on the television series That's So Raven where he played an entrepreneur. He also appeared in a 2005 episode of My Wife and Kids as Jay's reluctant professor. He was cast in the new sitcom Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd and he will play her father.
Personal life[]
Avery's wife Barbara, whom he married in 1988, is the Dean of Students at Occidental College in California. He has one stepson and two foster children.[1]
He is frequently mistaken for fellow actor Reginald VelJohnson and vice versa, a joke that was played out on episodes of VelJohnson's sitcom Family Matters as well as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.Template:Citation needed
Filmography[]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | The Blues Brothers | Man Dancing | Uncredited Role |
| The Stunt Man | Uncredited Role | ||
| 1985 | Fletch | Detective #2 | |
| Appointment With Fear | Connors | ||
| 1986 | Fist of the North Star | Fang | Voice Role |
| The Eleventh Commandment | Larry | ||
| 8 Million Ways to Die | Deputy D.A. | ||
| The Ladies Club | Joe | ||
| Stoogemania | Gulch | ||
| Extremities | Security Guard | ||
| 1987 | Deadly Daphne's Revenge | Det. Wood | |
| Three for the Road | Clarence | ||
| Nightflyers | Darryl | ||
| 1988 | License to Drive | Les' DMV Examiner | |
| 1991 | The Linguini Incident | Phil | |
| Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time | Lt. Coberly | ||
| 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 | |
| The Prince of Egypt | Additional Voices | Voice Role | |
| You Lucky Dog | Calvin Bridges | ||
| 1999 | After Romeo | ||
| Out in Fifty | Cappy | ||
| 2000 | Dancing in September | Mr. Warner | |
| 2001 | Chasing Sunsets | Mr. Burken | |
| Honeybee | Larry Dukes | ||
| Dr. Dolittle 2 | Eldon | ||
| 2002 | Wheelmen | Vice President | |
| 2004 | Raise Your Voice | Mr. Gantry | |
| Hair Show | Seymour Gold | ||
| 2005 | Lethal Eviction | Gus | |
| The Third Wish | George | ||
| A Christmas Wish | Saint | Short film | |
| 2006 | Restraining Order | Judge Sanderson | |
| Think Tank | Uncle John | ||
| Danika | Teddy Johnson | ||
| 2007 | Who's Your Caddy? | Caddy Mack | |
| Divine Intervention | Rev. Matthews | ||
| 2008 | His Good Will | Mr. Cooper | Short film |
| Leave with It | Dr. Leon | Short film | |
| 2009 | Let the Game Begin | Mark Hanley | |
| Steppin: The Movie | The Chancellor | ||
| 2010 | Stride | George | post-production |
| The Grind | Modelo Snipes | filming | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | Antony and Cleopatra | Mardian | TV-Movie |
| Tales of the Gold Monkey | Gabriel | Episode: "God Save the Queen" | |
| Newhart | Construction Guy | Episode: "Heaven Knows Mr. Utley" | |
| The Jeffersons | Coleman | "Episode: Father Christmas" | |
| 1983, 1984 | Simon & Simon | Huey Roy |
Episode: "Red Dog Blues" Episode: "Harm's Way" |
| 1984 | Hill Street Blues | Tolliver | "Episode: Ratman and Bobbin" "Episode: Nichols from Heaven" "Episode: Fuchs Me? Fuchs You!" |
| Legmen | No Neck | Episode: "I Shall Be Re-Released" | |
| Hardcastle and McCormick | Episode: "Scared Stiff" | ||
| Going Bananas | Hank | ||
| Webster | Judge | Episode: "Webster Long (2)" | |
| Fist of the North Star | Fang | Voice Role | |
| The Dukes of Hazzard | Charlie | Episode: "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo" | |
| 1984, 1985 | Brothers | Bubba Dean | Episode: "You Brought A New Kind of Love To Me" Episode: "The Strangers" |
| 1985 | Street Hawk | Councilman Waters | Episode: "Street Hawk" (Pilot) |
| St. Elsewhere | Mental Patient | Episode: "Give the Boy a Hand" | |
| Cagney & Lacey | Episode: "Who Says It's Fair" (1) | ||
| Kicks | Stanley | TV-Movie | |
| Space | Jean-Marie | CBS Miniseries | |
| Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Nabuti | Episode: "Murder Between Friends" | |
| Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling | Junkyard Dog | Voice Role | |
| George Burns Comedy Week | Episode: "The Assignment" | ||
| The A-Team | Episode: "The Heart of Rock n' Roll" | ||
| Moonlighting | Reuben King | Episode: "Twas the Episode Before Christmas" | |
| 1986 | Karate Kommandos | Additional Voices | Voice Role |
| Amazing Stories | Chief Hansen | Episode: "Hell Toupee" | |
| Rambo and the Forces of Freedom | Turbo | Voice Role | |
| Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Movie | Hank Dudney | TV-Movie | |
| Condor | Cas | TV-Movie | |
| Sunday Drive | Oliver | TV-Movie | |
| 1986, 1989 | The Real Ghostbusters | Killerwatt Additional Voices Judge |
Voice Role Episode: "Killerwatt"/Episode: "Partners in Slime" Episode: "Jailbusters" |
| 1986, 1988, 1989 | Amen | Arnie Samples Rev. Crawford |
5 episodes |
| 1987 | Jake's M.O. | Abel Barnes | Unsold TV-Pilot/TV-Movie |
| Timestalkers | Blacksmith | TV-Movie | |
| Jake and the Fatman | Episode: Fatal Attraction | ||
| 1987, 1989 | Valerie | Judge N. Keller Mr. Erdman |
Episode: "Hogan vs. Hogan" Episode: "License to Drive" |
| 1987–1994 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Shredder | Voice Role 103 episodes |
| 1988 | Dallas | Judge Fowler | Episode: "Malice in Dallas" |
| Beauty and the Beast | Winslow | ||
| 227 | Jo-Jo | Episode: "My Aching Back" | |
| Heart and Soul | Harlan Sinclair | TV-Pilot | |
| 1988–1992 | L.A. Law | Judge Michael Conover | 9 episodes |
| 1989 | Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal | Earl | TV-Movie |
| Roe vs. Wade | TV-Movie | ||
| FM | Quentin Lamoreaux | ||
| A Different World | The Pin Punisher | Episode: "To Have and Have Not" | |
| Turn Back the Clock | Physical Therapist | TV-Movie | |
| 1990 | Night Court | Judge Hopkins | Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" (1) |
| Capital News | Episode: Pilot | ||
| To My Daughter | TV-Movie | ||
| 1990–1996 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Philip Banks | 141 episodes |
| 1991 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids | Shredder | Voice Role TV-Movie |
| The Legend of Prince Valiant | Sir Bryant | Voice Role 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 |
Episode: "Simple Justice" Episode: "Midnight Ramble" |
| 1994 | Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die | Chess Player | TV-Movie |
| A Friend to Die For | Agent Gilwood | TV-Movie | |
| Aladdin | Haroud Hazi Bin | Voice Role 9 episodes | |
| 1994–1995 | Iron Man | War Machine | Voice Role 7 episodes |
| 1994, 1996 | Duckman | Voice Role Episode: "It's the Thing of the Principal" Episode: "The Road to Dendron" | |
| 1995 | ABC Weekend Special | Headman | Voice Role Episode: "Jirimpimbira - An African Folk Tale" |
| Murder One | Judge Nathaniel Alexander | Episode: "Chapter Five" | |
| 1996 | Gargoyles | The Shaman | Voice Role Episode: "Walk About" |
| Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys | Gor-illa/Gor | Voice Role 26 episodes | |
| Spider-Man | War Machine | Voice Role Episode: "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 10 - Venom Returns" Episode: "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 11 - Carnage" | |
| 1996–1998 | Sparks | Alonzo Sparks | 40 episodes |
| 1996, 1998 | In the House | Mediator Sampson Stanton |
Episode: "Love on a One-Way Street" Episode: "My Pest Friend's Wedding" |
| 1997 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Father | Voice Role Episode: "The Golden Goose" |
| Extreme Ghostbusters | Danny | Voice Role Episode: "Dry Spell" | |
| 1998 | The Advanced Guard | Fred | TV-Movie |
| You Lucky Dog | Calvin | TV-Movie | |
| The Wild Thornberrys | Gorilla | Voice Role Episode: "Valley Girls" | |
| 1999 | Vengeance Unlimited | Judge Christopher Washington | Episode: "Legalese" |
| King's Pawn | Cecil | TV-Pilot | |
| For Your Love | Rev. Hicks | Episode: "Mother Load" | |
| Family Law | Episode: "Damages" | ||
| 1999, 2000 | Pepper Ann | Mr. Clapper | Episode: "Beyond Good and Evel..." Episode: "Unhappy Campers..." Episode: "The Finale" |
| 2000 | Bull | Prof. Gilbert Granville | Episode: "What the Past Will Bring" |
| One World | William Richard | Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" | |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Preston Cash | Episode: "Unfriendly Skies" | |
| Two Guys and a Girl | Judge | Episode: "Rescue Me" | |
| 2000, 2002 | Dharma & Greg | Walter | Episode: "Love, Honor & Olé!" Episode: "Mission - Implausible" |
| 2001 | Epoch | Dr. Solomon Holt | TV-Movie |
| The Jamie Foxx Show | Reverend | Episode: "Always and Forever" | |
| Strong Medicine | Harold Jenkins | Episode: "Wednesday Night Fever" | |
| The Legend of Tarzan | Chief Keewazi | Voice Role Episode: "Tarzan and the Poisoned River" (1) Episode: "Tarzan and the Poisoned River" (2) Episode: "Tarzan and the Eagle's Feather" | |
| The Proud Family | Crandall Smythe | Voice Role Episode: "Spelling Bee" | |
| 2001, 2002, 2003 | Soul Food | Walter Carter | Episode: "Nice Work If You Can Get It" Episode: "Life Lessons" Episode: "This Must Be Love" Episode: "All Together Alone" |
| 2002 | Philly | Dean Mark Clivner | Episode: "Here Comes the Judge" |
| Judging Amy | Mr. Ruff | Episode: "Damage Control" | |
| Nancy Drew | Prof. Shifflin | TV-Movie | |
| 2002–2003 | The Division | Charles Haysbert | 9 episodes |
| 2003 | Reba | Judge Samuel Bennett | Episode: "The Feud" |
| Crossing Jordan | Dr. Erkhart | Episode: "Conspiracy" | |
| Street Smarts | Contestant | Episode: "May 16, 2003" | |
| All About the Andersons | Roscoe | Episode: "Flo's Dream" | |
| 2003, 2004 | All of Us | Lucas | Episode: "I Saw Tia Kissing Santa Claus" Episode: "Parents Just Don't Understand" |
| 2004 | That '70s Show | Officer Kennedy | Episode: "Young Man Blues" Episode: "A Legal Matter" Episode: "Happy Jack" |
| Charmed | Zola | Episode: "A Call to Arms" | |
| NYPD Blue | Steve Pines | Episode: "Great Balls or Ire" | |
| Girlfriends | Dr. Couch | Episode: "Maybe Baby" | |
| 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" |
| Star Trek: Enterprise | General K'Vagh | Episode: "Affliction" Episode: "Divergence" | |
| 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–present | Sherri | Redmond | |
| Video Games | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Splash Mountain | Br'er Frog | |
| 1995 | Animated Storybook: The Lion King | Scar | |
See also[]
Template:Portal
References[]
Template:No footnotes Template:Reflist
External links[]
- Template:Imdb
- Template:Amg name
- Template:Tvtome person
Template:Memoryalpha
- The HistoryMakers Biography, photos and video clips
bs:James L. Avery de:James Avery es:James Avery fr:James L. Avery, Sr. it:James Avery nl:James L. Avery, Sr. pt:James Avery fi:James Avery sv:James Avery