James Avery

Acting • 1945-11-27 • Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA

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

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Filmography

2014
Wish I Was HereFilm
Audition Actor #2
★ 6.5
2014
Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesFilm
Self
★ 7.4
2013
Call Me Crazy: A Five FilmFilm
Dr. Beckett
★ 7.0
2013
Hunt for the Labyrinth KillerFilm
Judge Parsons
★ 5.2
2012
Stars in ShortsFilm
Haig
★ 6.0
2011
Harry's LawTV
Fred Billings • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
2011
The Problem SolverzTV
Ninja Master Head (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 4.3
2010
Not Your TimeFilm
Haig
★ 1.0
2009
Steppin: The MovieFilm
The Chancellor
★ 4.3
2009
SherriTV
Redmond • 13 episodes
★ 5.5
2008
Eli StoneTV
Mason Andrews • 1 episodes
★ 6.7
2008
Divine InterventionFilm
Rev. Matthews
★ 1.0
2007
Who's Your Caddy?Film
Caddy Mack
★ 3.4
2006
DanikaFilm
Teddy Johnson
★ 5.1
2006
Think TankFilm
Uncle John
★ 3.7
2005
Grey's AnatomyTV
Sam • 1 episodes
★ 8.2
2005
The CloserTV
Dr. Crippen • 11 episodes
★ 7.8
2005
Spider-Man: The Venom SagaFilm
Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
★ 7.0
2005
Living with FranTV
★ 6.5
2005
Lethal EvictionFilm
Gus Winter
★ 5.2
2005
The Third WishFilm
George
★ 3.3
2005
WheelmenFilm
Vice President
★ 7.0
2004
Raise Your VoiceFilm
Mr. Gantry
★ 6.6
2004
Hair ShowFilm
Seymour Gold
★ 5.5
2003
That's So RavenTV
Presto Jones • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2002
Nancy DrewFilm
Prof. Shifflin
★ 5.8
2002
The Nightmare Room: Camp NowhereFilm
R.L. Stine
2001
Star Trek: EnterpriseTV
General K'Vagh • 2 episodes
★ 7.5
2001
Crossing JordanTV
Dr. Erkhart • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2001
Dr. Dolittle 2Film
Eldon
★ 5.3
2001
RebaTV
Judge Samuel Bennett • 1 episodes
★ 6.6
2001
The Proud FamilyTV
Crandall Smythe (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
2001
The Legend of TarzanTV
(voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.1
2001
The Legend of TarzanTV
Keewazi (voice) • 3 episodes
★ 7.1
2001
The DivisionTV
Charles Haysbert • 9 episodes
★ 7.1
2001
EpochFilm
Dr. Solomon Holt
★ 4.8
2001
The Nightmare RoomTV
R.L. Stine • 13 episodes
★ 8.1
2001
PhillyTV
Dean Mark Clivner • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
2001
HoneybeeFilm
★ 3.0
2001
Dancing in SeptemberFilm
Mr. Warner
★ 6.5
2001
The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish ForFilm
R.L. Stine
2000
GirlfriendsTV
Dr. Couch • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2000
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationTV
Preston Cash • 1 episodes
★ 7.6
2000
Strong MedicineTV
Harold Jenkins • 1 episodes
★ 7.4
1999
Family LawTV
★ 8.1
1999
Out in FiftyFilm
Cappy
★ 3.7
1998
CharmedTV
Zola • 1 episodes
★ 8.2
1998
That '70s ShowTV
Officer Kennedy • 3 episodes
★ 7.9
1998
The Prince of EgyptFilm
Additional Voices (voice)
★ 7.3
1998
The Wild ThornberrysTV
Gorilla (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1998
Two Guys and a GirlTV
Judge • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1998
You Lucky DogFilm
Calvin Bridges
★ 5.6
1998
The Advanced GuardFilm
Fred, Captive Security Guard
★ 4.0
1998
One WorldTV
William Richard • 1 episodes
★ 10.0
1998
Quincy Jones... The First 50 YearsFilm
Self
1997
Spirit LostFilm
Dr. Glidden
★ 3.0
1997
Going PlacesTV
Host • 19 episodes
★ 8.0
1996
Quack PackTV
Flint Steel (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1996
The Jamie Foxx ShowTV
Reverend • 1 episodes
★ 6.6
1996
Captain Simian & the Space MonkeysTV
Gor-illa (voice) • 26 episodes
★ 6.7
1996
SparksTV
Alonzo Sparks • 40 episodes
★ 9.2
1995
The Brady Bunch MovieFilm
Mr. Steve Yeager
★ 6.1
1995
Murder OneTV
Nathaniel Alexander • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildTV
Father (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.3
1995
Jirimpimbira: An African Folk TaleFilm
The Headman
★ 4.3
1994
Spider-ManTV
Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice) • 2 episodes
★ 8.3
1994
GargoylesTV
The Shaman (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 8.1
1994
AladdinTV
Haroud Hazi Bin (voice) • 11 episodes
★ 7.0
1994
DuckmanTV
School Policeman (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
1994
DuckmanTV
'Beware!' Guy (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
1994
Iron ManTV
War Machine (voice) • 13 episodes
★ 6.8
1994
A Friend to Die ForFilm
Agent Gilwood
★ 6.3
1994
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never DieFilm
Chess Player
★ 6.8
1994
Midnight RambleFilm
Narrator
★ 7.3
1993
Little Miss MillionsFilm
Agent Noah Hollander
★ 5.4
1993
Without Warning: Terror in the TowersFilm
Fred Derby
★ 6.5
1992
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome EasterFilm
Shredder (voice)
★ 8.0
1991
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of TimeFilm
Lt. Coberly
★ 4.7
1991
ShoutFilm
Midnight Rider (voice)
★ 5.8
1991
The Legend of Prince ValiantTV
Sir Bryant (voice) • 65 episodes
★ 6.7
1991
The Linguini IncidentFilm
Phil
★ 6.6
1991
RocTV
Dale Hammers • 1 episodes
★ 7.8
1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the TurtleoidsFilm
Shredder (voice)
★ 6.4
1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's CoreFilm
Splinter (voice)
★ 8.0
1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACCFilm
Shredder (voice)
1990
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirTV
Philip Banks • 148 episodes
★ 7.9
1990
Capital NewsTV
Mr. Fairchild • 1 episodes
★ 6.5
1990
To My DaughterFilm
Ian Mellon
★ 8.0
1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty BebopFilm
Shredder (voice)
1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, ShredheadFilm
Shredder (voice)
1989
Family MattersTV
(uncredited) • 1 episodes
★ 6.8
1989
Roe vs. WadeFilm
★ 6.0
1989
Turn Back the ClockFilm
Fred (uncredited)
★ 5.8
1989
Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes ScandalFilm
Earl
★ 4.8
1989
FMTV
Quentin Lamoreaux • 13 episodes
★ 6.8
1989
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking TurtlesFilm
Shredder (voice)
1988
American ExperienceTV
Charles Hamilton Houston (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.5
1988
American ExperienceTV
Narrator (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.5
1988
A Pup Named Scooby-DooTV
Count Shockula (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1988
A Pup Named Scooby-DooTV
Principal Morton (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1988
License to DriveFilm
Les' DMV examiner
★ 6.7
1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic BeginsFilm
Shredder (voice)
★ 7.3
1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a HalfshellFilm
Shredder (voice)
★ 7.1
1988
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding TeenagersFilm
Shredder (voice)
1987
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTV
Shredder (voice) • 169 episodes
★ 7.8
1987
A Different WorldTV
The Pin Punisher • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1987
Beauty and the BeastTV
Winslow • 3 episodes
★ 7.4
1987
TimestalkersFilm
Blacksmith
★ 5.3
1987
Three for the RoadFilm
Clarence
★ 5.9
1987
NightflyersFilm
Darryl
★ 4.7
1987
Deadly Daphne's RevengeFilm
Detective Wood
★ 3.6
1986
L.A. LawTV
Judge Michael Conover • 6 episodes
★ 7.0
1986
The Real GhostbustersTV
Killerwatt (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1986
The Real GhostbustersTV
Giant / Gingerbread House / White Rabbit (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1986
The Real GhostbustersTV
Judge / Booming Voice / Jurors (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1986
Rambo: The Force of FreedomTV
Turbo (voice) • 65 episodes
★ 7.4
1986
8 Million Ways to DieFilm
Deputy D.A.
★ 5.5
1986
ExtremitiesFilm
Security Guard
★ 6.2
1986
The Ladies ClubFilm
Joe
★ 5.5
1986
The 11th CommandmentFilm
Attendant
★ 4.3
1986
CondorFilm
Cas
★ 5.7
1986
Sunday DriveFilm
Oliver
★ 10.0
1986
Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StoryFilm
Hank Dudney
★ 8.0
1985
MoonlightingTV
Reuben King • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1985
Amazing StoriesTV
Chief Hansen • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1985
FletchFilm
Detective #2
★ 6.7
1985
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' WrestlingTV
(voice) • 41 episodes
★ 6.3
1985
Appointment with FearFilm
Connors
★ 2.6
1985
StoogemaniaFilm
Gulch
★ 3.0
1985
KicksFilm
Stanley
★ 6.3
1984
Night CourtTV
Judge Hopkins • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
1984
BrothersTV
Bubba • 1 episodes
★ 6.7
1984
Going BananasTV
Hank • 12 episodes
★ 7.5
1984
Laugh BustersFilm
Hank
1983
The A-TeamTV
Quint • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1983
Reading RainbowTV
Self - Narrator (voice) • 2 episodes
★ 8.4
1983
Antony and CleopatraFilm
Mardian
★ 6.5
1982
St. ElsewhereTV
Man in E.R. • 1 episodes
★ 5.7
1982
NewhartTV
Construction Worker • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1980
The Blues BrothersFilm
Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop
★ 7.7
1980
The Stunt ManFilm
Diner Patron (uncredited)
★ 6.6
1978
DallasTV
Judge J. Fowler • 1 episodes
★ 6.9

Known For

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Closer

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

That '70s Show

Aladdin

L.A. Law

Fan Club

From Nerdspin

Filmography