James Avery

Biography

James Avery was an American actor who became best known as Philip Banks, the family patriarch on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996, a role TV Guide ranked 34th among the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time. Born in Pughsville, Virginia, he moved to Atlantic City as a teenager, and after serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War he settled in San Diego, writing poetry and scripts for PBS before his first acting part as God in J.B. in 1971. He studied drama and literature at UC San Diego, appeared in Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law, and later led the UPN comedy Sparks. His films included Fletch (1985), License to Drive (1988), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and Raise Your Voice (2004), and he voiced Shredder in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon and Kahma in The Prince of Egypt (1998). He died in 2013.

68years old at death

Born November 27, 1945Suffolk
Died December 31, 2013Glendale
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
James La Rue Avery (birth name)Also credited as James La Rue Avery, Sr. and James L. Avery

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 35 years1985 to 2020

Genres

Comedy42%, 10 films
Drama38%, 9 films
Family21%, 5 films
Sci-Fi17%, 4 films
Adventure13%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

First role
Avery's first acting role came in 1971, when he played God in the play J.B. at San Diego Community College.
Behind the award
Avery won an Emmy for producing "Ameda Speaks: Poet James Avery". The honor led to a scholarship at UC San Diego, where he studied at Thurgood Marshall College and graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in drama and literature.
A change of course
Avery was in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, serving from 1968 to 1969. After that he went to San Diego, California, and started writing poetry and TV scripts for PBS.

James Avery movies on Netflix

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Special2020IMDb rating 8.1as Himself
Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles2014IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
Wish I Was Here2014IMDb rating 6.6as Audition Actor #2
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film2013IMDb rating 6.8as Dr. Beckett
Let the Game Begin2010IMDb rating 5.1as Mark Hanley
Who's Your Caddy?2007IMDb rating 2.3as Caddy Mack
Danika2005IMDb rating 5.5as Teddy Johnson
Hair Show2004IMDb rating 5.1as Seymour Gold
Raise Your Voice2004IMDb rating 5.8as Mr. Gantry
Dr. Dolittle 22001IMDb rating 4.8as Eldon
Epoch2001IMDb rating 4.9as Dr. Solomon Holt
The Prince of Egypt1998IMDb rating 7.3as Additional Voices (voice)
You Lucky Dog1998IMDb rating 4.7as Calvin Bridges
A Friend to Die For1994IMDb rating 6.1as Agent Gilwood
Little Miss Millions1993IMDb rating 5.3as Agent Noah Hollander
Without Warning: Terror in the Towers1993IMDb rating 4.4as Fred Derby
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time1991IMDb rating 4.2as Lt. Coberly
The Linguini Incident1991IMDb rating 6.2as Phil
License to Drive1988IMDb rating 6.4as Les' DMV examiner
Nightflyers1987IMDb rating 4.3as Darryl
Timestalkers1987IMDb rating 5.6as Blacksmith
8 Million Ways to Die1986IMDb rating 5.8as Deputy D.A.
Extremities1986IMDb rating 6.3as Security Guard
Fletch1985IMDb rating 6.9as Detective #2

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Who's Your Caddy?2007 Comedy, Sportas Caddy Mack
IMDb rating 2.316K votes
Dr. Dolittle 22001 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Eldon
IMDb rating 4.849K votes
The Prince of Egypt1998as Additional Voicesvoice
IMDb rating 7.3165K votes
License to Drive1988as Les' DMV examiner
IMDb rating 6.425K votes
A Friend to Die For1994as Agent Gilwood
IMDb rating 6.13.0K votes
Wish I Was Here2014as Audition Actor #2
IMDb rating 6.640K votes
Raise Your Voice2004as Mr. Gantry
IMDb rating 5.830K votes
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time1991as Lt. Coberly
IMDb rating 4.23.9K votes

Most often with

Nine actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Tommy 'Tiny' Lister

Rosanna Arquette

David Keith

Jeffrey Jones

Jason Ritter

Michael Cavanaugh

Films together

Tommy 'Tiny' Lister2 films together, 1986 to 2004
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister's page
- Hair Show2004IMDb rating 5.1Avery as Seymour GoldLister as Agent Little(Tommy 'Tiny' Lister)
- 8 Million Ways to Die1986IMDb rating 5.8Avery as Deputy D.A.Lister as Nose Guard
Rosanna Arquette2 films together, 1986 to 1991
Rosanna Arquette's page
- The Linguini Incident1991IMDb rating 6.2Avery as PhilArquette as Lucy
- 8 Million Ways to Die1986IMDb rating 5.8Avery as Deputy D.A.Arquette as Sarah
David Keith2 films together, 2001 to 2004
David Keith's page
- Raise Your Voice2004IMDb rating 5.8Avery as Mr. GantryKeith as Simon Fletcher
- Epoch2001IMDb rating 4.9Avery as Dr. Solomon HoltKeith as Mason Rand
Jeffrey Jones2 films together, 2001 to 2007
Jeffrey Jones's page
- Who's Your Caddy?2007IMDb rating 2.3Avery as Caddy MackJones as Richard Cummings
- Dr. Dolittle 22001IMDb rating 4.8Avery as EldonJones as Joe Potter
Jason Ritter2 films together, 2004 to 2013
Jason Ritter's page
- Call Me Crazy: A Five Film2013IMDb rating 6.8Avery as Dr. BeckettRitter as Bruce
- Raise Your Voice2004IMDb rating 5.8Avery as Mr. GantryRitter as Paul Fletcher
Michael Cavanaugh2 films together, 2001 to 2007
Michael Cavanaugh's page
- Who's Your Caddy?2007IMDb rating 2.3Avery as Caddy MackCavanaugh as John Marshall
- Epoch2001IMDb rating 4.9Avery as Dr. Solomon HoltCavanaugh as Williams
Also two films together3 more actors
- Eloy CasadosEpoch (2001) and The Linguini Incident (1991)
- Bruce BruceWho's Your Caddy? (2007) and Hair Show (2004)
- Robert FieldsteelLittle Miss Millions (1993) and Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What James Avery's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$497 million

11 of the 24 films have a worldwide figure.

11Worldwide figure
1US gross only
8Never in cinemas
4Figure not found

Top grosser

The Prince of Egypt1998Additional Voices$219 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Prince of Egypt1998as Additional Voices (voice)
$219M43.9% of the total
2
Dr. Dolittle 22001as Eldon
$176M35.4% of the total
3
Fletch1985as Detective #2
$60M12.0% of the total
4
Raise Your Voice2004as Mr. Gantry
$15M3.0% of the total
5
Extremities1986as Security Guard
$13M2.7% of the total
6
Who's Your Caddy?2007as Caddy Mack
$5.7M1.1% of the total
7
Wish I Was Here2014as Audition Actor #2
$5.5M1.1% of the total
8
8 Million Ways to Die1986as Deputy D.A.
$1.3M0.3% of the total