James Avery

James Avery was an actor best known for the role of Judge Philip Banks on the popular 1990s NBC comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Born in Virginia, Avery grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After service in the Navy during the Vietnam War, he moved to San Diego, where he worked as a writer before matriculating at the University of California, San Diego, eventually earning a B.A. in drama and literature.

He began his career with uncredited roles in the feature films The Blues Brothers and The Stunt Man. His television career began a few years later with small roles in such programs as Tales of the Gold Monkey, The Jeffersons and Newhart.

Over the next 30 years he appeared in dozens of series and telefilms, including Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Beauty and the Beast, Amen, FM, L.A. Law, Sparks, The Division, Soul Food, That 70s Show, The Closer, Harry's Law, Call Me Crazy: A Five FIlm and many others. On Fresh Prince, which starred Will Smith and aired from 1990 to 1996, Avery appeared in more than 140 episodes.

In addition to his work on camera, Avery lent his voice to numerous animated projects, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Legend of Prince Valiant, Aladdin, Iron Man and The Legend of Tarzan.

Avery died December 31, 2013, from complications from open heart surgery. He was 65.