Remembering The Life of James “Uncle Phil” Avery

Veteran actor James Avery, best known for his iconic role as Uncle Phil Banks on the popular TV sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, passed away on New Year’s Eve 2013 from complications stemming from heart surgery. The accomplished actor may be gone, but his talented works still entertain audiences today.

Avery was born on November 27, 1945, in Pughsville, Virginia (present-day Suffolk, Virginia), to mother Florence J. Avery. His father denied paternity and was not listed on his birth certificate. Florence would later move a teenaged James to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he attended Atlantic City High School. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969, and eventually moved to San Diego, California, where he began to write poetry and TV scripts for PBS. He won an Emmy for production during his tenure there, and then received a scholarship to UC San Diego, where he attended Thurgood Marshall College (then Third College), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and literature in 1976.

He began his career in the 1980s with appearances in television series such as NBC’s Hill Street Blues, Showtime sitcom Brothers as Bubba Dean, Amen, FM and L.A. Law. In the 1990s, he achieved prominence for his role as Philip Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a character that was ranked number 34 in TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time”. After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended, he played the lead role of Alonzo Sparks in the UPN comedy series Sparks that lasted for two seasons. Other notable roles in television included Dr. Crippen in The Closer, Charles Haysbert in The Division, and Michael Kelso’s commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That ’70s Show.

Among his most notable voice credits are the voices of Shredder in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, Br’er Bear in the Disney World version of Splash Mountain and Kinect Disneyland Adventures and James Rhodes/War Machine in the 1990s Iron Man series. He also lent his powerful bass voice as Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling (1985–1986), Turbo in Rambo and the Forces of Freedom (1986), and Haroud Hazi Bin in Aladdin (1994).

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Since his death, the cast of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has been remembering the iconic actor on a number of occasions. Recently, on HBO Max, Will Smith remembered Avery in a teary-eyed segment of the 30th anniversary of the show.

A couple of years ago, the cast had a reunion captured by Alfonso Ribeiro (who played Carlton) and posted on Instagram. In the caption, Alfonso mentions the late Avery, wishing he could be there joining them. The post got thousands of likes and shares and continues to be shared on social media reminding fans of their favorite show and of course of the late James “Uncle Phil” Avery.

Avery starred in numerous TV shows, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Closer,” “L.A. Law,” and “The Jeffersons.”

As a classically trained actor and poet, Avery grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he was raised by a single mother. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and first appeared onscreen as a dancer in the film The Blues Brothers.

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According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common type of heart surgery done on adults. During this surgery, a healthy artery or vein is grafted (attached) to a blocked coronary (heart) artery. This allows the grafted artery to “bypass” the blocked artery and bring fresh blood to the heart.

• 1. Tell your healthcare provider about any drugs you are taking, even over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbs. Inform them also of any illnesses, including herpes outbreak, cold, flu, or fever.
• 2. In the two weeks before the surgery, ask your healthcare provider if you should stop taking blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin.
• 3. The day before the surgery, you may be asked to wash yourself with a bacterial cleaning soap. This soap is used to kill bacteria on your skin and will lessen the chance of an infection after surgery. You may also be asked not to eat or drink anything after midnight.

Throughout the preparations for surgery and the surgery itself, you will be monitored using an electrocardiogram. You may be given blood tests, urine tests and a chest X-ray to give your surgeon the latest status of your heart and health. Your healthcare provider will give you any other detailed instructions when you arrive at the hospital for surgery.

READ: The Best Snack For A Healthier Heart

Avery is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbara Avery, his mother, Florence Avery, and a stepson, Kevin Waters.