James Avery

A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, he joined the US Navy after graduating high school and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon leaving the military, he moved to San Diego, California and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS. He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there and deservedly won a scholarship to the University of California at San Diego, from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Literature. (Sidenote: His wife Barbara is the Dean of Student Life at California's Loyola Marymount University. ) In addition to his sitcom popularity, he lent his voice to over a dozen animated television series and features.

Popular voice over actor, he has done voice work for numerous cartoons and advertisements, probably his most famous voice over was that of Shredder for seven years on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987).

Although known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery was a classically trained actor and scholar.

Philip Banks, Avery's character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), was ranked #34 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

Was considered for the role of Charlie Altamont in THE DEVIL'S REJECTS (2005).

Currently starring in a commercial promoting Kaplan University. [January 2009]

He died from complications of open heart surgery at Glendale Memorial Medical Center, on the evening of December 31, 2013. He had undergone surgery on November 11, 2013. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean off Los Angeles, CA and in the Atlantic Ocean off Atlantic City, NJ.