James Avery Biography

Fast Facts

• Served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War
• Joined other cast members from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" volunteered to have lunch with the highest bidder at a charity auction raising money for Sweet Blackberry, which strives to bring stories of African-American achievement to children
• Performed at "Shoulder-To-Shoulder: A Celebration of African American Heritage and the Pursuit of Human Rights," an event celebrating those who worked to secure rights for people of color, women and the disabled during the Civil Rights Movement
• Earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Literature from the University of California at San Diego on a scholarship
• Died at 68 years old after experiencing complications stemming from open heart surgery in late 2013
• After serving in the Vietnam War, he wrote television scripts and poetry for PBS in San Diego
• Quote: "You can either be a movie star or an actor․ I'm an actor․ [But] I've done pretty good․"
• Best known for his role as Philip Banks in "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and as Alonzo Sparks in "Sparks․"
• His distinctive booming voice can be heard in such animated fare as the 1987 version of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," on which he voiced Shredder, and the animated "Iron Man․"
• Often played sitcom characters who worked in the legal field or in other high-level professions
• His final credited role was in the Zach Braff-directed "Wish I Was Here," which was funded through an online Kickstarter campaign