Acting · Pughsville [now Suffolk], Virginia, USA · Born November 27, 1945
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.
MovieTurtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2014
as Self
MovieWish I Was Here
2014
as Audition Actor #2
MovieHunt for the Labyrinth Killer
2013
as Judge Parsons
MovieCall Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
as Dr. Beckett
MovieStars in Shorts
2012
as Haig
TVThe Problem Solverz
2011
as Ninja Master Head (voice)
TVHarry's Law
2011
as Fred Billings
MovieNot Your Time
2010
as Haig
TVSherri
2009
as Redmond
MovieSteppin: The Movie
2009
as The Chancellor
MovieDivine Intervention
2008
as Rev. Matthews
TVEli Stone
2008
as Mason Andrews
MovieWho's Your Caddy?
2007
as Caddy Mack
MovieDanika
2006
as Teddy Johnson
MovieThink Tank
2006
as Uncle John
TVThe Closer
2005
as Dr. Crippen
MovieSpider-Man: The Venom Saga
2005
as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
MovieWheelmen
2005
as Vice President
MovieThe Third Wish
2005
as George
TVLiving with Fran
2005
TVGrey's Anatomy
2005
as Sam
MovieLethal Eviction
2005
as Gus Winter
MovieHair Show
2004
as Seymour Gold
MovieRaise Your Voice
2004
as Mr. Gantry
TVThat's So Raven
2003
as Presto Jones
MovieNancy Drew
2002
as Prof. Shifflin
MovieEpoch
2001
as Dr. Solomon Holt
TVReba
2001
as Judge Samuel Bennett
TVStar Trek: Enterprise
2001
as General K'Vagh
TVPhilly
2001
as Dean Mark Clivner
TVCrossing Jordan
2001
as Dr. Erkhart
TVThe Proud Family
2001
as Crandall Smythe (voice)
TVThe Legend of Tarzan
2001
as (voice)
MovieThe Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For
2001
as R.L. Stine
TVThe Nightmare Room
2001
as R.L. Stine
MovieDr. Dolittle 2
2001
as Eldon
Honeybee
2001
MovieDancing in September
2001
as Mr. Warner
TVThe Division
2001
as Charles Haysbert
TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Preston Cash
TVGirlfriends
2000
as Dr. Couch
TVStrong Medicine
2000
as Harold Jenkins
TVFamily Law
1999
MovieOut in Fifty
1999
as Cappy
MovieThe Prince of Egypt
1998
as Additional Voices (voice)
TVCharmed
1998
as Zola
TVOne World
1998
as William Richard
TVThe Wild Thornberrys
1998
as Gorilla (voice)
TVThat '70s Show
1998
as Officer Kennedy
MovieYou Lucky Dog
1998
as Calvin Bridges
MovieQuincy Jones... The First 50 Years
1998
as Self
MovieThe Advanced Guard
1998
as Fred, Captive Security Guard
TVTwo Guys and a Girl
1998
as Judge
MovieSpirit Lost
1997
as Dr. Glidden
Going Places
1997
as Host
TVCaptain Simian & the Space Monkeys
1996
as Gor-illa (voice)
TVThe Jamie Foxx Show
1996
as Reverend
TVSparks
1996
as Alonzo Sparks
TVMurder One
1995
as Judge Nathaniel Alexander
TVHappily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as Father (voice)
MovieJirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale
1995
as The Headman
MovieThe Brady Bunch Movie
1995
as Mr. Steve Yeager
TVSpider-Man
1994
as Jim Rhodes / War Machine (voice)
MovieMidnight Ramble
1994
as Narrator
TVGargoyles
1994
as The Shaman (voice)
MovieA Friend to Die For
1994
as Agent Gilwood
TVIron Man
1994
as War Machine (voice)
MovieHart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
1994
as Chess Player
TVDuckman
1994
as School Policeman (voice)
TVAladdin
1994
as Haroud Hazi Bin (voice)
MovieLittle Miss Millions
1993
as Agent Noah Hollander
MovieWithout Warning: Terror in the Towers
1993
as Fred Derby
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Turtles' Awesome Easter
1992
as Shredder (voice)
MovieShout
1991
as Midnight Rider (voice)
TVThe Legend of Prince Valiant
1991
as Sir Bryant (voice)
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids
1991
as Shredder (voice)
TVRoc
1991
as Dale Hammers
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles at the Earth's Core
1991
as Splinter (voice)
MovieBeastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time
1991
as Lt. Coberly
MovieThe Linguini Incident
1991
as Phil
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack of the Big MACC
1991
as Shredder (voice)
MovieTo My Daughter
1990
as Ian Mellon
TVThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
as Philip Banks
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Rocksteady and Mighty Bebop
1990
as Shredder (voice)
TVCapital News
1990
as Mr. Fairchild
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga, Shredhead
1990
as Shredder (voice)
MovieTurn Back the Clock
1989
as Fred (uncredited)
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Incredible Shrinking Turtles
1989
as Shredder (voice)
TVFamily Matters
1989
as (uncredited)
TVFM
1989
as Quentin Lamoreaux
MovieRoe vs. Wade
1989
MovieFull Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal
1989
as Earl
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Epic Begins
1988
as Shredder (voice)
TVAmerican Experience
1988
as Narrator (voice)
TVA Pup Named Scooby-Doo
1988
as Count Shockula (voice)
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Halfshell
1988
as Shredder (voice)
MovieTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hot Rodding Teenagers
1988
as Shredder (voice)
MovieLicense to Drive
1988
as Les' DMV examiner
TVTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1987
as Shredder (voice)
MovieDeadly Daphne's Revenge
1987
as Detective Wood
MovieNightflyers
1987
as Darryl
TVBeauty and the Beast
1987
as Winslow
TVA Different World
1987
as The Pin Punisher
MovieThree for the Road
1987
as Clarence
MovieTimestalkers
1987
as Blacksmith
MovieSunday Drive
1986
as Oliver
TVL.A. Law
1986
as Judge Michael Conover
TVThe Real Ghostbusters
1986
as Killerwatt (voice)
MovieExtremities
1986
as Security Guard
MovieCondor
1986
as Cas
MovieSamaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story
1986
as Hank Dudney
Movie8 Million Ways to Die
1986
as Deputy D.A.
TVRambo: The Force of Freedom
1986
MovieThe Ladies Club
1986
as Joe
MovieThe 11th Commandment
1986
as Attendant
MovieAppointment with Fear
1985
as Connors
MovieStoogemania
1985
as Gulch
TVAmazing Stories
1985
as Chief Hansen
TVHulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
1985
as (voice)
MovieFletch
1985
as Detective #2
MovieKicks
1985
as Stanley
TVMoonlighting
1985
as Reuben King
TVGoing Bananas
1984
as Hank
MovieLaugh Busters
1984
TVBrothers
1984
as Bubba
TVNight Court
1984
as Judge Hopkins
TVReading Rainbow
1983
as Self - Narrator (voice)
TVThe A-Team
1983
as Quint
MovieAntony and Cleopatra
1983
as Mardian
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Man in E.R.
TVNewhart
1982
as Construction Worker
MovieThe Stunt Man
1980
as Diner Patron (uncredited)
MovieThe Blues Brothers
1980
as Man Dancing Outside Ray's Shop
TVDallas
1978
as Judge J. Fowler
