James Avery

James La Rue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Judge Michael Conover on L.A. Law, Steve Yeager in The Brady Bunch Movie, and Dr. Crippen on The Closer (2005–2007); and as the voice actor for Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin.

Early life Avery was born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, Virginia (present-day Suffolk, Virginia), to mother Florence J. Avery. He graduated from Atlantic City High School in 1963. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969, Avery's first acting role was playing God in the play J.B. in 1971 at San Diego Community College.

He won an Emmy for production of "Ameda Speaks: Poet James Avery". He then received a scholarship to UC San Diego, where he attended Thurgood Marshall College (then Third College), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and literature in 1976.

Career

Avery began his career in the 1980s with appearances in television series such as CBS's Simon & Simon, NBC's Hill Street Blues, Showtime's sitcom Brothers as Bubba Dean, Amen, FM and L.A. Law. He achieved prominence for his role as Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996, a character that was ranked number 34 in TV Guides "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time". After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended, he played the lead role of Alonzo Sparks in the UPN comedy series Sparks that lasted for two seasons. Other notable roles in television included Dr. Crippen in The Closer, Charles Haysbert in The Division, and Michael Kelso's commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That '70s Show.

Avery's movie appearances included an uncredited role in The Blues Brothers (1980), a small role as a corrupt police officer in Fletch (1985), License to Drive (1988), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), and Raise Your Voice (2004), among others. Among his most notable voice credits are the voices of Shredder in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, Br'er Bear in the Walt Disney World version of Splash Mountain and Kinect: Disneyland Adventures and James Rhodes/War Machine in the 1990s Iron Man series. He also lent his powerful bass voice as Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985–1986), Turbo in Rambo and the Forces of Freedom (1986), Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin (1994), and Kahma in the film The Prince of Egypt (1998).

In 1997, Avery hosted the travel series "Going Places" on PBS.

Personal life In 1988, Avery married Barbara Waters. Barbara was later dean of student life at Loyola Marymount University. He had no biological children, but was a stepfather to Barbara's son, Kevin Waters.

Death On December 31, 2013, Avery died at the age of 68 at Glendale Memorial Medical Center following complications from open heart surgery. Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, In April 2020, Will Smith reunited with the cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on a video conference honoring Avery's best moments on the show.

AveryFest Barbara Avery and actress Daphne Maxwell Reid at the inaugural AveryFest in James Avery's hometown of Suffolk, Virginia AveryFest is an annual African-American cultural and music festival held every September or October since 2023 in Suffolk, Virginia, near Avery's birthplace.

Featured at the 2023 festival were Barbara Avery, actress Daphne Maxwell Reid (his TV wife from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), and a special jazz spotlight in memory of Avery, who loved jazz music.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1978 Libra Dr. Baker 1980 The Stunt Man Customer at Diner Uncredited The Blues Brothers Dancer 1985 Fletch Detective #2 Appointment with Fear Connors Stoogemania Gulch 1986 Fist of the North Star Fang Voice (1991 Streamline Pictures dub) The Eleventh Commandment Larry 8 Million Ways to Die Deputy The Ladies Club Joe Extremities Security Guard 1987 Three for the Road Clarence Nightflyers Darryl Deadly Daphne's Revenge Det. Wood Jake's M.O. Abel Barnes 1988 License to Drive Les' DMV Examiner 1991 Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time Lt. Coberly Shout Midnight Rider Voice The Linguini Incident Phil 1993 Little Miss Millions Agent Noah Hollander 1995 The Brady Bunch Movie Steve Yeager 1997 Spirit Lost Dr. Glidden 1998 12 Bucks Slow The Prince of Egypt Kahma Voice 1999 Out in Fifty Cappy After Romeo 2000 Dancing in September Mr. Warner 2001 Honeybee Larry Dukes Dr. Dolittle 2 Eldon Chasing Sunsets Mr. Burken 2004 Raise Your Voice Mr. Gantry Hair Show Seymour Gold 2005 Lethal Eviction Gus Winter The Third Wish George Wheelmen Vice President A Christmas Wish Saint Short 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 Leave with It Dr. Leon 2009 Steppin: The Movie The Chancellor 2010 Let the Game Begin Mark Hanley Stride George The Grind Modelo Snipes 2012 Valediction Edward Short 2014 Wish I Was Here Audition actor #2 Final role, posthumous release

Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 Antony and Cleopatra Mardian Television film 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 2 episodes 1984 Hill Street Blues Tolliver 3 episodes Legmen No Neck Episode: "I Shall Be Re-Released" Hardcastle and McCormickJackson Episode: "Scared Stiff" Going Bananas Hank Webster Judge Episode: "Webster Long" Fist of the North Star Fang Voice; English dub The Dukes of Hazzard Charlie Episode: "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo" 1984–1985 Brothers Bubba Dean 2 episodes 1985 Street Hawk Councilman Waters Pilot St. Elsewhere Mental Patient Episode: "Give the Boy a Hand" Cagney & LaceyMr. Berwin Episode: "Who Says It's Fair" Kicks Stanley Television film Space Jean-Marie CBS miniseries Scarecrow and Mrs. King Nabuti Episode: "Murder Between Friends" Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling Junkyard Dog Voice George Burns Comedy Week Episode: "The Assignment" The A-TeamQuint Episode: "The Heart of Rock n' Roll" Moonlighting Reuben King Episode: "Twas the Episode Before Christmas" 1986 Karate Kommandos Additional voices Amazing Stories Chief Hansen Episode: "Hell Toupee" Rambo and the Forces of Freedom Turbo Voice Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story Hank Dudney Television film Condor Cas Sunday Drive Oliver 1986–1989 The Real Ghostbusters Killerwatt / Judge Voice, 3 episodes Amen Arnie Samples / Rev. Crawford 5 episodes 1987 Jake's M.O. Abel Barnes Television film Timestalkers Blacksmith Jake and the FatmanLieutenant 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" Beauty and the Beast Winslow 227 Jo-Jo Episode: "My Aching Back" Heart and Soul Harlan Sinclair Pilot 1988–1992 L.A. Law Judge Michael Conover 9 episodes 1989 Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal Earl Television film Roe vs. Wade FM Quentin Lamoreaux TV series A Different World The Pin Punisher Episode: "To Have and Have Not" Turn Back the Clock Physical Therapist Television film 1990 Night Court Judge Hopkins Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" Capital NewsMr. Fairchild Pilot To My DaughterIan Mellon Television film 1990–1996 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Philip Banks Main role; 148 episodes 1991 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder Voice, television film 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 Television film Family Matters Himself Episode: "Scenes from a Mall" 1993–1994 American Experience Charles Hamilton Houston / Narrator 2 episodes 1994 Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die Chess Player Television film A Friend to Die For Agent Gilwood Aladdin Haroud Hazi Bin Voice, 11 episodes 1994–1995 Iron Man Jim Rhodes / War Machine (ep. 1–5), Whirlwind (ep. 1–11), Blacklash (1994–1995) Voice, 7 episodes 1995 ABC Weekend Special Headman Voice, episode: "Jirimpimbira – An African Folk Tale" Murder One Judge Nathaniel Alexander Episode: "Chapter Five" 1996 Gargoyles The Shaman Voice, episode: "Walkabout" Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys Gor-illa/Gor Voice, 26 episodes Spider-Man War Machine Voice, 2 episodes 1996–1998 Sparks Alonzo Sparks 40 episodes In the House Mediator / Sampson Stanton 2 episodes 1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Father Voice, episode: "The Golden Goose" Extreme Ghostbusters Danny Voice, episode: "Dry Spell" 1998 The Advanced Guard Fred Television film You Lucky Dog Calvin Bridges The Wild Thornberrys Gorilla Voice, episode: "Valley Girls" 1999 Vengeance Unlimited Judge Christopher Washington Episode: "Legalese" King's Pawn Cecil Pilot Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Malcolm Avalon 2 episodes For Your Love Rev. Hicks Episode: "Mother Load" Family Law Episode: "Damages" 1999–2000 Pepper Ann Mr. Clapper 3 episodes 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 2 episodes 2001 Epoch Dr. Solomon Holt Television film The Jamie Foxx Show Reverend Episode: "Always and Forever" Strong Medicine Harold Jenkins Episode: "Wednesday Night Fever" The Legend of Tarzan Chief Keewazi Voice, 3 episodes The Proud Family Crandall Smythe Voice, episode: "Spelling Bee" 2001–2002 The Nightmare Room R.L. Stine 12 episodes 2001–2003 Soul Food Walter Carter 4 episodes 2002 Philly Dean Mark Clivner Episode: "Here Comes the Judge" Judging Amy Mr. Ruff Episode: "Damage Control" Nancy Drew Prof. Shifflin Television film 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 2 episodes 2004 That '70s Show Officer Kennedy 3 episodes 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 Prof. Floyd F. Tillman Episode: "Study Buddy" Star Trek: Enterprise General K'Vagh 2 episodes 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 2011 The Problem Solverz Go-Seeki Ninja Master / Ninja Master Head Voice, episode: "Hide and Seek Ninjaz" 2012 Grey's Anatomy Sam Episode: "One Step Too Far" The Young and the Restless Judge Roy Daley 2 episodes 2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Dr. Beckett Television film Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer Judge Parsons Go, Bolivia, Go! Commissioner Morocco 2015 Da Jammies Covington Voice, episode: "Cello" Posthumous release

Video games/Other