James L. Avery, Sr. (born November 27, 1948), is an American TV actor known for his portrayal of the patriarch and attorney (later judge) Philip Banks in the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom Will Smith's character affectionately called "Uncle Phil." This character was ranked #34 in TV Guide 's "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time."
James Avery (1825 - 1898) was an American Civil War Union Navy Seaman who received the Medal of Honor while serving aboard the USS Metacomet (1863).
Although best known as the uncle/patriarch and attorney "Philip Banks" on "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The" (1990), James Avery is a classically trained actor and scholar. 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. Upon leaving the military, he moved to San Diego, California and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS. He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there and deservedly won a scholarship to the University of California at San Diego from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Literature. (Sidenote: His wife Barbara is the Dean of Student Life at California's Loyola Marymount University.) In addition to his sitcom popularity, he has lent his voice to over a dozen animated television series and features. He also has been the primary host of the popular PBS travel and adventure series "Going Places" (1997). Armed with a diverse resume of credits, James Avery remains a unique creative force as convincing a comedian as he is a Shakespearean character.
