James Avery Biography (1948-)

Born November 27, 1948, in Atlantic City, NJ; married Barbara (a dean of students at Loyola Marymount University), 1989; children: one stepson, two overseas foster children.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor
Birth Details: November 27, 1948; Atlantic City, New Jersey

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
Lord Montague, Romeo and Juliet, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 2001
Much Ado about Nothing, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 2001
Appeared in The Merchant of Venice, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego,CA. Also appeared in Are You Now or Have You Ever Been, Blues for an Alabama Sky, JB, Playland, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, Twelfth Night, and Twinkie Time. Participated in a reading of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf; also participated in a reading of the work of August Wilson. Appeared in productions of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, OR.
Film Appearances
The Stunt Man, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
Mardian, Antony and Cleopatra (also known as The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra), Bard Productions, 1983
Second detective, Fletch, Universal, 1985
Deputy district attorney, 8 Million Ways to Die, TriStar, 1986
Joe, The Ladies Club (also known as The Violated), New LineCinema, 1986
Security guard, Extremities, Atlantic Releasing, 1986
Clarence, Three for the Road, New Century Vista, 1987
Darryl, Nightflyers, New Century Vista, 1987
Body Count (also known as The 11th Commandment), Video Search of Miami, 1987
Les's examiner at the Department of Motor Vehicles, License to Drive, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
Caberly, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, New Line Cinema, 1991
Midnight rider, Shout, Universal, 1991
Phil, The Linguini Incident, Academy Entertainment, 1991
Noah Hollander, Little Miss Millions (also known as Home for Christmas and Little Miss Zillions), Concorde, 1993
Mr. Yeager, The Brady Bunch Movie, Paramount, 1995
Dr. Glidden, Spirit Lost, LIVE Entertainment, 1996
Voice characterization, The Prince of Egypt (animated), DreamWorksSKG, 1998
12 Bucks, Kindred Spirits Productions, 1998
After Romeo, Film Artists Network, 1999
Epoch, New City Releasing, 2000
(As James L. Avery) Eldon, Dr. Dolittle (also known as DR. 2 and DR2), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
Larry Dukes, Honeybee, R.A.P. Filmworks, 2001
Mr. Burken, Chasing Sunsets, Phaedra Cinema, 2001
Vice president, Wheelmen, 2002
Television Appearances
Series
Voice of Jirimpimbira, ABC Weekend Specials, ABC, beginning in 1984
Winslow, Beauty and the Beast, CBS, 1987
Judge Michael Conover, a recurring role, L.A. Law, NBC, 1988-92
Quentin Lamoreaux, FM, NBC, 1989-90
Philip Banks, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1990-96
Alonzo Sparks, Sparks, UPN, 1996-98
Host, Going Places, PBS, 2001-
Animated Series
Voice characterization, Rambo (also known as Rambo: The Force of Freedom), syndicated, 1986
Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (also known as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Series),syndicated, 1987, CBS, beginning in 1990
Voice of Sir Bryant, Prince Valiant (also known as The Legend of Prince Valiant), The Family Channel, beginning in 1991
Voice of Haroud Hazi Bin, Aladdin (animated; also known as Disney's Aladdin), CBS and syndicated, 1993
Voice of War Machine/James R. `Rhodey' Rhodes of Force Works, Iron Man (also known as The Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man), syndicated, 1994-95
Voice of Junkyard Dog, Rock `N' Wrestling (also known as Hulk Hogan's Rock `N' Wrestling), CBS, 1995
Voice of War Machine/Jim Rhodes of the Avengers, Spider-Man, Fox,1995
Voice of Gor-illa, Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys, syndicated, 1996
Voice of Mr. Clapper, Pepper Ann (also known as Disney's PepperAnn), ABC, beginning in 1997
Miniseries

Jean-Marie, Space (also known as James A. Michener's Space), CBS, 1985
Oroko Saki (Shredder), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, syndicated, 1987
Movies
Stanley, Kicks, ABC, 1985
Hank Dudney, Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story, CBS, 1986
Oliver, Sunday Drive, The Disney Channel, 1986
Condor, 1986
Blacksmith, Timestalkers, CBS, 1987
Earl, Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (also known as The Sex Tapes Scandal), NBC, 1989
Roe vs. Wade, NBC, 1989
Voice of shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cufflink Caper, 1990
To My Daughter, NBC, 1990
Charles Hamilton Houston, Simple Justice, PBS, 1993
Fred Ferby, Without Warning: Terror in the Towers, NBC, 1993
Agent Gilwood, A Friend to Die For (also known as Death of a Cheerleader), NBC, 1994
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die, NBC, 1994
Fred, The Advanced Guard (also known as The Colony), Sci-FiChannel, 1998
You Lucky Dog, The Disney Channel, 1998
Cecil, King's Pawn, 1999
Mr. Warner, Dancing in September, Home Box Office Home Video, 2000
Specials
Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids,CBS, 1991
Narrator, "Midnight Ramble," The American Experience (documentary), PBS, 1994
Host, The Coyote: America's Top Dog (documentary), TBS, 2002
Episodic
Coleman, "Father Christmas," The Jeffersons, CBS, 1983
Construction worker, "Heaven Knows, Mr. Utley," Newhart, CBS, 1983
Gabriel, "God Save the Queen," Tales of the Gold Monkey, ABC, 1983
Huey, "Red Dog Blues," Simon & Simon, CBS, 1983
Charlie, "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo," The Dukes of Hazzard, CBS, 1984
Judge, "Webster Long: Part 2," Webster, ABC, 1984
No Neck, "I Shall be Re-Released," Legmen, NBC, 1984
Roy, "Harm's Way," Simon & Simon, CBS, 1984
Tolliver, "Ratman and Bobbin," Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1984
Nabuti, "Murder between Friends," Scarecrow and Mrs. King, CBS, 1985
"The Heart of Rock n' Roll," The A Team, NBC, 1985
"`Twas the Episode before Christmas," Moonlighting, ABC, 1985
Judge N. Keller, "Hogan vs. Hogan," Valerie, NBC, 1986
"Hell Toupee," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1986
Voices, Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (animated), syndicated, 1986
Jo-Jo, "My Aching Back," 227, NBC, 1988
Himself, Family Matters, ABC, 1989
Mr. Erdman, "License to Drive," Valerie, NBC, 1989
The pin pusher, "To Have and Have Not," A Different World, NBC, 1989
Judge Hopkins, "Wedding Bell Blues: Part 1," Night Court, NBC, 1990
"The Car Accident from Heaven," Roc, Fox, 1992
Voice of Arude, Aladdin (animated), CBS and syndicated, 1993
Voice of Minos, Aladdin (animated), CBS and syndicated, 1993
"It's the Thing of the Principal," Duckman, USA Network, 1994
Judge Nathaniel Alexander, "Chapter Five," Murder One, ABC, 1995
Voice of The Shaman, "Walkabout," Gargoyles (animated), syndicated, 1996
Voice of War Machine/Jim Rhodes, "Sins of the Fathers," Spider-Man(animated), CBS and syndicated, beginning in 1996
"Love On a One-Way Street," In the House, UPN, 1996
"The Road to Dendron," Duckman (animated), USA Network, 1996
Voices of Danny and Fang, "Dry Spell," Extreme Ghostbusters (animated), syndicated, 1997
Panelist, Match Game, syndicated, 1998
Sampson Stanton (Max's father), "My Pest Friend's Wedding," In the House, UPN, 1998
Voice of Gorilla, "Valley Girls," The Wild Thornberrys (animated),Nickelodeon, 1998
Judge Christopher Washington, "Legalese," Vengeance Unlimited, ABC, 1999
Reverend Hicks, "Mother Load," For Your Love, The WB, 1999
"Damages," Family Law, CBS, 1999
Judge, "Rescue Me," Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place, ABC, 2000
Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Robin Givens, Lifetime, 2000
Preston Cash, "Unfriendly Skies," C.S.I., CBS, 2000
William Richard, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?," One World, NBC,2000
Minister, "Episode 100: Always and Forever," The Jamie Foxx Show,The WB, 2001
Walter Jones, "Nice Work If You Can Get It," Soul Food, Showtime,2001
Also appeared in episodes of other series, including Amen, NBC; Brothers, Showtime; and Bull, TNT. Contributed the voice of FlintSteele, Fist of the Northstar (animated); also contributed voices toScooby and Scrappy Doo (animated), ABC; and Superfriends: The Legendary Superpowers Show (animated), ABC.
RECORDINGS
Taped Readings
Bud, Not Buddy, Random Audiobooks, 2000
WRITINGS
Teleplays
Wrote teleplays for programs broadcast on PBS.

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