James Avery of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" fame dead at 68
James Avery, the bulky character actor who laid down the law as the Honorable Philip Banks in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," has died.
Avery's publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told The Associated Press that Avery died Tuesday in Glendale, Calif., following complications from open heart surgery. He was 68, Snyder said.
Avery's "Fresh Prince" co-star Alfonso Ribeiro, who played his son Carlton on the show, took to Twitter following Avery's death:
Avery played Will Smith's uncle on the popular TV series and was called Uncle Phil. His movie credits included "Fletch," "The Prince of Egypt" and "8 Million Ways to Die." He also appeared in "Grey's Anatomy," "That '70s Show" "Charmed" and "That's So Raven."
According to Snyder, he will be seen in the film "Wish I Was Here," directed by Zach Braff and scheduled to premiere later this month at the Sundance festival.
Avery grew up in Atlantic City, N.J., and served in the Navy in Vietnam in the late 1960s. After returning to the states, he settled in California and studied drama and literature at the University of California at San Diego.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and stepson Kevin Waters.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1980 The Stunt Man Man Playing Pinball Uncredited
1980 The Blues
Brothers Man Dancing Uncredited
1985 Fletch Detective #2
1985 Appointment
with Fear Connors
1985 Stoogemania Gulch
1986 Fist of the
North Star Fang Voice, (1991 Streamline Pictures dub)
1986 The Eleventh
Commandment Larry
1986 8 Million
Ways to Die Deputy D.A.
1986 The Ladies
Club Joe
1986 Extremities Security Guard
1987 Three for the
Road Clarence
1987 Nightflyers Darryl
1987 Deadly
Daphne's Revenge Det. Wood
1987 Jake's M.O. Abel Barnes
1988 License to
Drive Les' DMV Examiner
1991 Beastmaster
2: Through the Portal of Time Lt.
Coberly
1991 Shout Midnight Rider Voice
1991 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
1998 The Prince of
Egypt Additional Characters Voice
1999 Out in Fifty Cappy
1999 After Romeo
2000 Dancing in
September Mr. Warner
2001 Honeybee Larry Dukes
2001 Dr. Dolittle
2 Eldon
2001 Chasing
Sunsets Mr. Burken
2004 Raise Your
Voice Mr. Gantry
2004 Hair Show Seymour Gold
2005 Lethal
Eviction Gus Winter
2005 The Third
Wish George
2005 Wheelmen Vice President
2005 A Christmas
Wish Saint Short
2006 Restraining
Order Judge Sanderson
2006 Think Tank Uncle John
2006 Danika Teddy Johnson
2007 Who's Your
Caddy? Caddy Mack
2007 Divine
Intervention Rev. Matthews
2008 His Good Will
Mr. Cooper Short
2008 Leave with It
Dr. Leon Short
2009 Steppin: The
Movie The Chancellor
2010 Let the Game
Begin Mark Hanley
2010 Stride George
2010 The Grind Modelo Snipes
2012 Valediction Edward Short
2014 Wish I Was
Here Audition actor #2
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1983 Antony and
Cleopatra Mardian TV movie
1983 Tales of the
Gold Monkey Gabriel Episode: "God Save the Queen"
1983 Newhart Construction Guy Episode: "Heaven Knows Mr.
Utley"
1983 The
Jeffersons Coleman Episode: "Father
Christmas"
1983-1984 Simon
& Simon Huey, Roy 2 episodes
1984 Hill Street
Blues Tolliver 3 episodes
1984 Legmen No Neck Episode: "I Shall Be Re-Released"
1984 Hardcastle
and McCormick Episode:
"Scared Stiff"
1984 Going Bananas
Hank
1984 Webster Judge Episode: "Webster Long" (2)
1984 Fist of the
North Star Fang Voice; English dub
1984 The Dukes of
Hazzard Charlie Episode: "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo"
1984-1985 Brothers
Bubba Dean 2 episodes
1985 Street Hawk Councilman Waters Pilot
1985 St. Elsewhere
Mental Patient Episode: "Give the Boy a Hand"
1985 Cagney &
Lacey Episode:
"Who Says It's Fair" (1)
1985 Kicks Stanley TV
movie
1985 Space Jean-Marie CBS
miniseries
1985 Scarecrow and
Mrs. King Nabuti Episode: "Murder Between Friends"
1985 Hulk Hogan's
Rock 'n' Wrestling Junkyard Dog Voice
1985 George Burns
Comedy Week Episode:
"The Assignment"
1985 The A-Team Episode: "The Heart
of Rock n' Roll"
1985 Moonlighting Reuben King Episode:
"Twas the Episode Before Christmas"
1986 Karate
Kommandos Additional voices
1986 Amazing Stories
Chief Hansen Episode: "Hell Toupee"
1986 Rambo and the
Forces of Freedom Turbo Voice
1986 Samaritan:
The Mitch Snyder Movie Hank Dudney TV movie
1986 Condor Cas TV
movie
1986 Sunday Drive Oliver TV
movie
1986-1989 The
Real Ghostbusters Killerwatt / Judge Voice, 3 episodes
1986-1989 Amen
Arnie Samples / Rev. Crawford 5 episodes
1987 Jake's M.O. Abel Barnes Unsold pilot / TV movie
1987 Timestalkers Blacksmith TV movie
1987 Jake and the
Fatman 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"
1988 Beauty and
the Beast Winslow
1988 227 Jo-Jo Episode:
"My Aching Back"
1988 Heart and
Soul Harlan Sinclair Pilot
1988-1992 L.A.
Law Judge Michael Conover 9 episodes
1989 Full
Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal Earl
TV movie
1989 Roe vs. Wade TV movie
1989 FM Quentin Lamoreaux TV Series
1989 A Different
World The Pin Punisher Episode: "To Have and Have
Not"
1989 Turn Back the
Clock Physical Therapist TV movie
1990 Night Court Judge Hopkins Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" (1)
1990 Capital News Pilot
1990 To My
Daughter TV
movie
1990-1996 The
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Philip
Banks 148 episodes
1991 Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder Voice, TV movie
1991 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 TV movie
1993 Family
Matters Little G's father 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 TV movie
1994 A Friend to
Die For Agent Gilwood TV movie
1994 Aladdin Haroud Hazi Bin Voice, 9 episodes
1994-1995 Iron
Man War Machine Voice, 7 episodes
1995 ABC Weekend
Special Headman Voice, Episode: "Jirimpimbira – An African Folk
Tale"
1995 Murder One Judge Nathaniel Alexander Episode: "Chapter Five"
1996 Gargoyles The Shaman Voice, Episode: "Walk About"
1996 Captain
Simian & the Space Monkeys Gor-illa/Gor
Voice, 26 episodes
1996 Spider-Man War Machine Voice, 2 episodes
1996-1998 Sparks
Alonzo Sparks 40 episodes
1996-1998 In
the House Mediator / Sampson Stanton
2 episodes
1997 Happily Ever
After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Father
Voice, Episode: "The Golden Goose"
1997 Extreme
Ghostbusters Danny Voice, Episode: "Dry Spell"
1998 The Advanced
Guard Fred TV movie
1998 You Lucky Dog
Calvin Bridges TV movie
1998 The Wild
Thornberrys Gorilla Voice, Episode: "Valley Girls"
1999 Vengeance
Unlimited Judge Christopher Washington
Episode: "Legalese"
1999 King's Pawn Cecil Pilot
1999 Where on
Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Malcolm
Avalon 2 episodes
1999 For Your Love
Rev. Hicks Episode: "Mother Load"
1999 Family Law Episode:
"Damages"
1999-2000 Pepper
Ann Mr. Clapper 3 episodes
2000 Bull Prof. Gilbert Granville Episode: "What the Past Will
Bring"
2000 One World William Richard Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
2000 CSI: Crime
Scene Investigation Preston Cash Episode: "Unfriendly Skies"
2000 Two Guys and
a Girl Judge Episode: "Rescue Me"
2000-2002 Dharma
& Greg Walter 2 episodes
2001 Epoch Dr. Solomon Holt TV movie
2001 The Jamie
Foxx Show Reverend Episode: "Always and Forever"
2001 Strong
Medicine Harold Jenkins Episode: "Wednesday Night Fever"
2001 The Legend of
Tarzan Chief Keewazi Voice, 3 episodes
2001 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"
2002 Judging Amy Mr. Ruff Episode:
"Damage Control"
2002 Nancy Drew Prof. Shifflin TV movie
2002-2003 The
Division Charles Haysbert 9 episodes
2003 Reba Judge Samuel Bennett Episode: "The Feud"
2003 Crossing
Jordan Dr. Erkhart Episode: "Conspiracy"
2003 Street Smarts
Contestant Episode: "May 16, 2003"
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
2004 Charmed Zola Episode: "A Call to Arms"
2004 NYPD Blue Steve Pines Episode: "Great Balls or Ire"
2004 Girlfriends Dr. Couch Episode: "Maybe Baby"
2004 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"
2005 Star Trek:
Enterprise General K'Vagh 2 episodes
2005 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"
2012 The Young and
the Restless Judge Roy Daley 2 episodes
2013 Call Me
Crazy: A Five Film Dr. Beckett
TV movie, segment:
"Eddie"
2013 Hunt for the
Labyrinth Killer Judge Parsons TV movie
2013 Go, Bolivia,
Go! Commissioner Morocco TV Movie
2015 Da Jammies Covington Voice, Episode: "Cello"
Posthumous release
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