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. More recently, Avery had a recurring role as a deputy medical examiner on the cable drama series 'The Closer. Although known as the uncle/patriarch and judge 'Philip Banks' on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery was a classically trained actor and scholar. The show, a launching pad for Smith's own acting career, ended with a series finale in which Uncle Philip puts his mansion up for sale and it is bought by George and Louise Jefferson - actors Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford - of 'The Jeffersons.' The sitcom, which ran on NBC for six years, was built largely around the clash of cultures between the refined lifestyle of Banks and his household and the brash, freewheeling attitudes of his nephew. I will miss him greatly," Ribeiro said in a tweet.Īccording to the celebrity website TMZ, Avery died on Tuesday, New Year's Eve, from complications he suffered after recent open-heart surgery.Īvery's voice was heard in many animated TV series, including 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and 'Iron Man,' and he guest-starred on 'That '70s Show' as a police officer.īut the Atlantic City, New Jersey native gained fame on television playing family patriarch Uncle Philip Banks on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' which starred Will Smith as a young rap artist from a tough Philadelphia neighborhood who ends up living with well-heeled relatives in the affluent Bel-Air section of Los Angeles. "I'm deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |