![]() “What he has done for television, for African-Americans on television is unsurpassable.” “He strove to present an Uncle Phil that everybody wishes was their uncle,” Marcell said.Īvery believed the show was important because the “striving of the African-American ought to have been shown on television,” Marcell said. “Fresh Prince” co-star Joseph Marcell, who played the family butler Geoffrey, told CNN that Avery was “a marvelous man and a truly wonderful actor.”Īvery played Philip Banks, the stern but loving uncle to Will Smith’s character on the show. Avery had surgery on November 11 and died Tuesday evening at a hospital in Glendale, California, according to Benson. The cause of death was complications from open-heart surgery, said his manager, Toni Benson. 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.Actor James Avery, who played the beloved Uncle Phil on the hit 1990s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” has died, his publicist said Wednesday. Īvery's remains were cremated and scattered near the Pacific Ocean. Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey) called Avery a "gentle giant". Rest in peace." Alfonso Ribeiro, who played his on-screen son Carlton, said: “I'm deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away. 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." 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. His publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told the Associated Press that Avery died following complications from open heart surgery. On December 31, 2013, Avery died at the age of 68 at Glendale Memorial Medical Center. He had no biological children, but was a stepfather to Barbara's son, Kevin Waters. Barbara was dean of student life at Loyola Marymount University. In 1988, Avery married his girlfriend Barbara. 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).Īvery was the commencement speaker for his alma mater, UC San Diego's Thurgood Marshall College, in 2007 and again in 2012. 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.Īmong his most notable voice credits are the voices of Shredder in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, and James Rhodes/War Machine in the 1990s Iron Man series. Other notable roles in television included Dr. 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. 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". Career Īvery 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. 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. Navy in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969, and eventually moved to San Diego, California, where he began to write poetry and TV scripts for PBS. Florence would eventually move James to Atlantic City, New Jersey. His father denied paternity and was not listed on his birth certificate. Crippen on The Closer (2005–2007).Īvery was born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, Virginia, to mother Florence J. Law, Steve Yeager in The Brady Bunch Movie, Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin, and Dr. ![]() 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. James La Rue Avery (Novem– December 31, 2013) was an American actor.
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