Person
James Avery
Acting · 1945–2013 · 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
Grey's Anatomy
Sam
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Preston Cash
Charmed
Zola
Dallas
Judge J. Fowler
The Closer
Dr. Crippen
The A-Team
Quint
Night Court
Judge Hopkins
That '70s Show
Officer Kennedy
Star Trek: Enterprise
General K'Vagh
Crossing Jordan
Dr. Erkhart
Filmography
- 2014Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesSelf
- 2014Wish I Was HereAudition Actor #2
- 2013Hunt for the Labyrinth KillerJudge Parsons
- 2013Call Me Crazy: A Five FilmDr. Beckett
- 2012Stars in ShortsHaig
- 2011The Problem SolverzNinja Master Head (voice)
- 2011Harry's LawFred Billings
- 2010Not Your TimeHaig
- 2009SherriRedmond
- 2009Steppin: The MovieThe Chancellor
- 2008Divine InterventionRev. Matthews
- 2008Eli StoneMason Andrews
- 2007Who's Your Caddy?Caddy Mack
- 2006DanikaTeddy Johnson
- 2006Think TankUncle John
- 2005The CloserDr. Crippen
- 2005Spider-Man: The Venom SagaJim Rhodes / War Machine
- 2005WheelmenVice President
- 2005The Third WishGeorge
- 2005Living with Fran
- 2005Grey's AnatomySam
- 2005Lethal EvictionGus Winter
- 2004Hair ShowSeymour Gold
- 2004Raise Your VoiceMr. Gantry
- 2003That's So RavenPresto Jones
- 2002Nancy DrewProf. Shifflin
- 2001EpochDr. Solomon Holt
- 2001RebaJudge Samuel Bennett
- 2001Star Trek: EnterpriseGeneral K'Vagh
- 2001PhillyDean Mark Clivner
- 2001Crossing JordanDr. Erkhart
- 2001The Proud FamilyCrandall Smythe (voice)
- 2001The Legend of TarzanKeewazi (voice)
- 2001The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish ForR.L. Stine
- 2001The Nightmare RoomR.L. Stine
- 2001Dr. Dolittle 2Eldon
- 2001Honeybee
- 2001Dancing in SeptemberMr. Warner
- 2001The DivisionCharles Haysbert
- 2000CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationPreston Cash
- 2000GirlfriendsDr. Couch
- 2000Strong MedicineHarold Jenkins
- 1999Family Law
- 1999Out in FiftyCappy
- 1998The Prince of EgyptAdditional Voices (voice)
- 1998CharmedZola
- 1998One WorldWilliam Richard
- 1998The Wild ThornberrysGorilla (voice)
- 1998That '70s ShowOfficer Kennedy
- 1998You Lucky DogCalvin Bridges
- 1998Quincy Jones... The First 50 YearsSelf
- 1998The Advanced GuardFred, Captive Security Guard
- 1998Two Guys and a GirlJudge
- 1997Spirit LostDr. Glidden
- 1997Going PlacesHost
- 1996Captain Simian & the Space MonkeysGor-illa (voice)
- 1996The Jamie Foxx ShowReverend
- 1996SparksAlonzo Sparks
- 1995Murder OneJudge Nathaniel Alexander
- 1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildFather (voice)
- 1995Jirimpimbira: An African Folk TaleThe Headman
- 1995The Brady Bunch MovieMr. Steve Yeager
- 1994Spider-ManJim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
- 1994Midnight RambleNarrator
- 1994GargoylesThe Shaman (voice)
- 1994A Friend to Die ForAgent Gilwood
- 1994Iron ManWar Machine (voice)
- 1994Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never DieChess Player
- 1994DuckmanSchool Policeman (voice)
- 1994AladdinHaroud Hazi Bin (voice)
- 1993Little Miss MillionsAgent Noah Hollander
- 1993Without Warning: Terror in the TowersFred Derby
- 1992Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome EasterShredder (voice)
- 1991ShoutMidnight Rider (voice)
- 1991The Legend of Prince ValiantSir Bryant (voice)
- 1991Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the TurtleoidsShredder (voice)
- 1991RocDale Hammers
- 1991Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's CoreSplinter (voice)
- 1991Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of TimeLt. Coberly
- 1991The Linguini IncidentPhil
- 1991Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACCShredder (voice)
- 1990To My DaughterIan Mellon
- 1990The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirPhilip Banks
- 1990Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty BebopShredder (voice)
- 1990Capital NewsMr. Fairchild
- 1990Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, ShredheadShredder (voice)
- 1989Turn Back the ClockFred (uncredited)
- 1989Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking TurtlesShredder (voice)
- 1989Family Matters(uncredited)
- 1989FMQuentin Lamoreaux
- 1989Roe vs. Wade
- 1989Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes ScandalEarl
- 1988Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic BeginsShredder (voice)
- 1988American ExperienceCharles Hamilton Houston (voice)
- 1988A Pup Named Scooby-DooCount Shockula (voice)
- 1988Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a HalfshellShredder (voice)
- 1988Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding TeenagersShredder (voice)
- 1988License to DriveLes' DMV examiner
- 1987Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesShredder (voice)
- 1987Deadly Daphne's RevengeDetective Wood
- 1987NightflyersDarryl
- 1987Beauty and the BeastWinslow
- 1987A Different WorldThe Pin Punisher
- 1987Three for the RoadClarence
- 1987TimestalkersBlacksmith
- 1986Sunday DriveOliver
- 1986L.A. LawMichael Conover
- 1986The Real GhostbustersKillerwatt (voice)
- 1986ExtremitiesSecurity Guard
- 1986CondorCas
- 1986Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StoryHank Dudney
- 19868 Million Ways to DieDeputy D.A.
- 1986Rambo: The Force of Freedom
- 1986The Ladies ClubJoe
- 1986The 11th CommandmentAttendant
- 1985Appointment with FearConnors
- 1985StoogemaniaGulch
- 1985Amazing StoriesChief Hansen
- 1985Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling(voice)
- 1985FletchDetective #2
- 1985KicksStanley
- 1985MoonlightingReuben King
- 1984Going BananasHank
- 1984Laugh Busters
- 1984BrothersBubba
- 1984Night CourtJudge Hopkins
- 1983Reading RainbowSelf - Narrator (voice)
- 1983The A-TeamQuint
- 1983Antony and CleopatraMardian
- 1982St. ElsewhereMan in E.R.
- 1982NewhartConstruction Worker
- 1980The Stunt ManDiner Patron (uncredited)
- 1980The Blues BrothersMan Dancing Outside Ray's Shop
- 1978DallasJudge J. Fowler
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