Biography for
James Avery (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

27 November 1948, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Height

6' 5" (1.96 m)

Mini Biography

Although best known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990), James Avery is a classically trained actor and scholar. 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 has lent his voice to over a dozen animated television series and features. He also has been the primary host of the popular PBS travel and adventure series "Going Places" (1997). Armed with a diverse resume of credits, James Avery remains a unique creative force as convincing a comedian as he is a Shakespearean character.

IMDb Mini Biography By: L. J. Allen-2

Spouse

Barbara Avery

(1988/9 - present)

Trade Mark

Often plays characters in legal or high-level professional fields.

Trivia

Served in the Vietnam War.

Was in the Navy, which involved him in Vietnam.

Hobbies are: Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Sailing, and Swimming.

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].

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/I).

Was considered for the role of Charlie Altamont in The Devil's Rejects (2005).

Where Are They Now

(January 2009) Currently starring in a commercial promoting Kaplan University.

	You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.
	With our Resume service you can add photos and build a complete resume to help you achieve the best possible presentation on the IMDb. Click here to add your resume and/or your photos to IMDb.

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Quicklinks

Top Links

Filmographies

Biographical

External Links

Biography forJames Avery (I) More at IMDbPro »