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.
James Avery has 105 screen credits in a career dating back to 1978. Their work spans 8 cinematic universes — most prominently Epoch Collection with 1 titles. Signature works include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Without Warning: Terror in the Towers, The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 8 universes
