James Avery, the bulky character actor who laid down the law at home and on the job as the Honourable Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has died. Show
Avery's publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told The Associated Press that Avery died Tuesday in Glendale, California, following complications from open heart surgery. He was 68, Snyder said. Avery, who stood more than 6 feet tall, played the family patriarch and a wealthy attorney and judge on the popular TV comedy that launched the acting career of Will Smith as Banks' trouble-making nephew.
The sitcom, which aired on NBC from 1990 to 1996, was set in the Banks' mansion, to which Smith's character was sent from Philadelphia when things got tough in his own neighbourhood. Fans came to know the imposing Banks as "Uncle Phil." Avery liked to say that the way to be an actor was to act, and he had a busy and diverse career before, during and after Fresh Prince. His TV credits included Grey's Anatomy, NYPD Blue and Dallas, and among his many films were Fletch, Nightflyers and 8 Million Ways to Die. His voice alone brought him many jobs, notably as Shredder in the animated TV series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 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, New Jersey, 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.
James LaRue 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, Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Judge Michael Conover on L.A. Law, Steve Yeager in The Brady Bunch Movie, Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin, and Dr. Crippen on The Closer (2005–2007). Early life[edit]Avery was born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, Virginia, to mother Florence J. Avery. His father denied paternity and was not listed on his birth certificate. Florence would eventually move James to Atlantic City, New Jersey.[1][2] He served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969,[3] and eventually moved to San Diego, California, where he began to write poetry and TV scripts for PBS.[3] He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there, and 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.[4] Career[edit]Avery began his career in the 1980s with appearances in television series such as NBC's Hill Street Blues, Showtime sitcom Brothers as Bubba Dean, Amen, FM and L.A. Law. In the 1990s, he achieved prominence for his role as Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a character that was ranked number 34 in TV Guide's "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. Among his most notable voice credits are the voices of Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, and James Rhodes/War Machine in the 1990s Iron Man series.[5] 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), and Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin (1994). Avery was the commencement speaker for his alma mater, UC San Diego's Thurgood Marshall College, in 2007 and again in 2012.[6] Personal life[edit]In 1988, Avery married his girlfriend Barbara.[7] Barbara was dean of student life at Loyola Marymount University.[8] He had no biological children, but was a stepfather to Barbara's son, Kevin Waters.[9] Death[edit]On December 31, 2013, Avery died at the age of 68 at Glendale Memorial Medical Center.[3][10][11][12][13] His publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told the Associated Press that Avery died following complications from open heart surgery.[14] Janet Hubert, who portrayed his on-screen wife Vivian on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for the first three seasons, said after his death: "RIP James, all the world is a stage, and we are all merely players in this production called LIFE."[15] Will Smith commented on Avery's death, saying: "Some of my greatest lessons in acting, living, and being a respectable human being came through James Avery. Every young man needs an Uncle Phil. Rest in peace."[16] Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey) called Avery a "gentle giant".[11] Avery's remains were cremated and scattered near the Pacific Ocean.[17] 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.[18][19][20] Filmography[edit]Film[edit]
Television[edit]
Video games[edit]
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Where is the house of Fresh Prince of Bel Air located?The famed house from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" is located at 251 N. Bristol Avenue in Los Angeles, California.
Is The Fresh Prince of BelThe inside of the Bel-Air mansion. For starters, the luxe mansion featured in Bel-Air is actually not located there in real life; instead, it's on the east side of Los Angeles, in the Bradbury Estates neighborhood, reveals Kaplan.
Is the house from Benson the same house from Fresh Prince of Bel Air?The same house used in Benson was also used in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" as the Bank's mansion, and used briefly in "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV series as the Drysdale Mansion.
Can I visit the Fresh Prince House?You might be the next prince of Bel Air — for one night only. Airbnb, in partnership with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, announced on Sunday that for the first time ever, the mansion featured in the sitcom will be open to visitors.
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