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James Avery

James Avery

Known For Acting
Birthday Nov 27, 1945
Died Dec 31, 2013 (68)
Birthplace Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA
Popularity 0.9 (history)
Updated Aug 10, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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 Greates ... t 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.

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Filmography

Wish I Was Here

Wish I Was Here

2014

as Audition Actor #2

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

2013

as Dr. Beckett

Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer

Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer

2013

as Judge Parsons

Stars In Shorts

Stars In Shorts

2012

as Haig

Not Your Time

Not Your Time

2010

as Haig

Steppin: The Movie

Steppin: The Movie

2009

as The Chancellor

Divine Intervention

Divine Intervention

2008

as Rev. Matthews

Who's Your Caddy?

Who's Your Caddy?

2007

as Caddy Mack

Think Tank

Think Tank

2006

as Uncle John

Wheelmen

Wheelmen

2005

as Vice President

Spider-Man: The Venom Saga

Spider-Man: The Venom Saga

2005

as Jim Rhodes / War Machine

Lethal Eviction

Lethal Eviction

2005

as Gus Winter

The Third Wish

The Third Wish

2005

as George

Danika

Danika

2005

as Teddy Johnson

Raise Your Voice

Raise Your Voice

2004

as Mr. Gantry

Hair Show

Hair Show

2004

as Seymour Gold

Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew

2002

as Prof. Shifflin

Dr. Dolittle 2

Dr. Dolittle 2

2001

as Eldon

Dancing in September

Dancing in September

2001

as Mr. Warner

Epoch

Epoch

2001

as Dr. Solomon Holt

Out in Fifty

Out in Fifty

1999

as Cappy

The Advanced Guard

The Advanced Guard

1998

as Fred, Captive Security Guard

You Lucky Dog

You Lucky Dog

1998

as Calvin Bridges

The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt

1998

as Additional Voices (voice)

Spirit Lost

Spirit Lost

1997

as Dr. Glidden

The Brady Bunch Movie

The Brady Bunch Movie

1995

as Mr. Steve Yeager

Midnight Ramble

Midnight Ramble

1994

as Narrator

A Friend to Die For

A Friend to Die For

1994

as Agent Gilwood

Little Miss Millions

Little Miss Millions

1993

as Agent Noah Hollander

The Linguini Incident

The Linguini Incident

1991

as Phil

Shout

Shout

1991

as Midnight Rider (voice)

To My Daughter

To My Daughter

1990

as Ian Mellon

License to Drive

License to Drive

1988

as Les' DMV examiner

Three for the Road

Three for the Road

1987

as Clarence

Nightflyers

Nightflyers

1987

as Darryl

Deadly Daphne's Revenge

Deadly Daphne's Revenge

1987

as Detective Wood

Timestalkers

Timestalkers

1987

as Blacksmith

Condor

Condor

1986

as Cas

Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story

Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story

1986

as Hank Dudney

The 11th Commandment

The 11th Commandment

1986

as Attendant

Sunday Drive

Sunday Drive

1986

as Oliver

Extremities

Extremities

1986

as Security Guard

8 Million Ways to Die

8 Million Ways to Die

1986

as Deputy D.A.

The Ladies Club

The Ladies Club

1986

as Joe

Kicks

Kicks

1985

as Stanley

Appointment with Fear

Appointment with Fear

1985

as Connors

Stoogemania

Stoogemania

1985

as Gulch

Fletch

Fletch

1985

as Detective #2

Antony and Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra

1983

as Mardian

The Stunt Man

The Stunt Man

1980

as Man Playing Pinball (uncredited)

The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers

1980

as Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

as Shredder (voice)

Episodes: 169

First Aired: Dec 14, 1987

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

as Philip Banks

Episodes: 148

First Aired: Sep 10, 1990

The Legend of Prince Valiant

as Sir Bryant

Episodes: 65

First Aired: Sep 03, 1991

Sparks

as Alonzo Sparks

Episodes: 40

First Aired: Aug 26, 1996

Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys

as Gor-illa (voice)

Episodes: 26

First Aired: Sep 07, 1996

Sherri

as Redmond

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Oct 05, 2009

Iron Man

as War Machine (voice)

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Sep 24, 1994

The Nightmare Room

as R.L. Stine

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Aug 31, 2001

Going Bananas

as Hank

Episodes: 12

First Aired: Sep 15, 1984

The Closer

as Dr. Crippen

Episodes: 11

First Aired: Jun 13, 2005

Aladdin

as Haroud Hazi Bin (voice)

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Feb 06, 1994

The Legend of Tarzan

as Keewazi (voice)

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Sep 03, 2001

That '70s Show

as Officer Kennedy

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Aug 23, 1998

Star Trek: Enterprise

as General K'Vagh

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 26, 2001

Spider-Man

as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Nov 19, 1994

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

as Preston Cash

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 06, 2000

Dallas

as Judge J. Fowler

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 02, 1978

The Legend of Tarzan

as (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 03, 2001

The Wild Thornberrys

as Gorilla (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 01, 1998

Amazing Stories

as Chief Hansen

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1985

American Experience

as Narrator (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1988

American Experience

as Charles Hamilton Houston (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1988

Roc

as Dale Hammers

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 25, 1991

One World

as William Richard

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 1998

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

as Father (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 12, 1995

A Different World

as The Pin Punisher

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1987

Moonlighting

as Reuben King

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 03, 1985

Murder One

as Judge Nathaniel Alexander

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1995

The A-Team

as Quint

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 23, 1983

The Proud Family

as Crandall Smythe (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 15, 2001

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo

as Count Shockula (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1988

Philly

as Dean Mark Clivner

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 25, 2001

Grey's Anatomy

as Sam

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 27, 2005

Night Court

as Judge Hopkins

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 04, 1984

Brothers

as Bubba

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 13, 1984

The Real Ghostbusters

as Killerwatt (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1986

Eli Stone

as Mason Andrews

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 31, 2008

L.A. Law

as Judge Michael Conover

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 15, 1986

Strong Medicine

as Harold Jenkins

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 23, 2000

That's So Raven

as Presto

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 17, 2003

Charmed

as Zola

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1998

Crossing Jordan

as Dr. Erkhart

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 2001

Capital News

as Mr. Fairchild

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 09, 1990

Rambo

Episodes: 65

First Aired: Apr 14, 1986

Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling

Episodes: 41

First Aired: Sep 14, 1985

Going Places

as Host

Episodes: 19

First Aired: Jan 03, 1997

Reading Rainbow

as Himself - Narrator (voice)

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jun 06, 1983

Living with Fran

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 08, 2005

Family Law

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1999

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 8 11 5
2024 7 14 30 5
2024 8 12 24 5
2024 9 11 20 4
2024 10 6 11 4
2024 11 4 9 1
2024 12 6 14 2
2025 1 12 33 4
2025 2 6 12 2
2025 3 5 18 0
2025 4 1 1 1
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 1 2 0
2025 8 1 6 0
2025 9 0 1 0
2025 10 0 1 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2025 7 571 571

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