JAMES AVERY

Fans of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will always remember him best for portraying Philip Banks on the show. The character was event touted as one of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time, with much credit to his performance. James LaRue Avery also brought to life many of our favorite characters through voice work. He starred as the voice of Shredder in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Haroud Hazi Bin for the movie Aladdin, and James Rhodes/War Machine in Iron Man.

Outside acting, James attended his alma mater twice as a commencement speaker. He passed away on December 31, 2013. He was 68 years old. After cremating his body, his ashes were scattered near the Pacific Ocean. Many actors paid tribute to James, including Will Smith, Joseph Marcell, and Janet Hubert. Will also decided to reunite with the cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to honor James’ greatest moments on the show.