Avery, James 1948- (James L. Avery)

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Avery, James 1948- (James L. Avery)

PERSONAL

Born November 27, 1948, in Atlantic City, NJ; married, wife's name Barbara (a university dean), 1989; children: one stepson. Education: University of California, San Diego, B.A.; attended Virginia State College and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Avocational Interests: Snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, swimming, writing poetry.

Addresses:

Agent—Pakula/King and Associates, 9229 West Sunset Blvd., Suite 315, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Career:

Actor and voice performer. Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, actor; appeared in commercials; appeared in the series of public service announcements titled The More You Know. Panelist at meetings, conferences, and seminars. Military service: U.S. Navy, 1968-69; served in Vietnam.

Awards, Honors:

Honorary D.H.L., Virginia State University, 1996; some sources cite Emmy Award for outstanding production.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Hank Gritz, Going Bananas, NBC, 1984.

Reverend Crawford, a recurring role, Amen, NBC, between 1986 and 1989.

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, between 1997 and 1999.

Charles Haysbert, a recurring role, The Division (also known as Heart of the City), NBC, 2002-2003.

Medical examiner, a recurring role, The Closer, TNT, 2005-2006.

Television Appearances; Animated Series:

Voice of Junkyard Dog, Rock 'n' Wrestling (also known as Hulk Hogan's "Rock 'N' Wrestling"), CBS, 1985.

Voice of Turbo, Rambo (also known as Rambo: The Force of Freedom), syndicated, 1986.

Voice of Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (also known as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Series), CBS, 1990-94.

Voice of Sir Bryant, Prince Valiant (also known as The Legend of Prince Valiant), The Family Channel, beginning 1991.

Voices of Haroud Hazi Bin and others, Aladdin (also known as Disney's "Aladdin"), CBS and syndicated, 1993.

Voice of War Machine/James R. "Jim"/"Rhodey" Rhodes of Force Works, Iron Man (also known as The Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man), syndicated, 1994-95.

Also voice for Scooby's Mystery Funhouse, ABC.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Mardian, Antony and Cleopatra (also known as The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra), 1983.

Stanley, Kicks, ABC, 1985.

Hank Dudney, Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story, CBS, 1986.

Oliver, Sunday Drive, The Disney Channel, 1986.

Cass, 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.

Physical therapist, Turn Back the Clock, 1989.

Voice of Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: the Cufflink Caper (animated), 1990.

Ian Mellon, To My Daughter, NBC, 1990.

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.

Shelby Lyons, Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die, NBC, 1994.

Fred, The Advanced Guard (also known as The Colony), Sci-Fi Channel, 1998.

Calvin Hayes, You Lucky Dog, The Disney Channel, 1998.

Cecil, King's Pawn, 1999.

Mr. Warner, Dancing in September, HBO, 2000.

Dr. Solomon Holt, Epoch, Sci-Fi Channel, 2001.

Professor Shifflin, Nancy Drew, ABC, 2002.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Voice of Shredder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids (live-action), CBS, 1991.

Charles Hamilton Houston, "Simple Justice," The American Experience, PBS, 1993.

Narrator, "Midnight Ramble," The American Experience, PBS, 1994.

Voice of headman, "Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale," ABC Weekend Specials, ABC, 1995.

Here Comes the Bride … There Goes the Groom, CBS, 1995.

It's Hot in Here: UPN Fall Preview, UPN, 1996.

James Hampton, Seeing through Walls, PBS, 1997.

Quincy Jones—The First 50 Years, ABC, 1998.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Robin Givens, Lifetime, 2000.

Host, The Coyote: America's Top Dog, TBS, 2002.

"Will Smith: Hollywood's Fresh Prince," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2003.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Councilman Waters, Street Hawk, 1985.

Abel Barnes, Jake's M.O., NBC, 1987.

Harlan Sinclair, Heart and Soul, NBC, 1988.

Captain Beckett, Dakota's Way, ABC, 1988.

Capital News, 1990.

Himself, Nobody's Watching, 2007.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Jean-Marie, Space (also known as James A. Michener's "Space"), CBS, 1985.

Voice of Oroko Saki (Shredder), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (animated), syndicated, 1987.

Host and narrator, A History of Black Achievement in America, 2005.

Television Appearances; 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.

Tolliver, "Nichols from Heaven," Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1984.

Tolliver, "Fuchs Me? Fuchs You!," Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1984.

"Scared Stiff," Hardcastle and McCormick, 1984.

Bubba Dean, "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me," Brothers, Showtime, 1984.

Bubba Dean, "The Stranger," Brothers, Showtime, 1985.

"Who Says It's Fair: Part 1," Cagney & Lacey, 1985.

Nabuti, "Murder between Friends," Scarecrow and Mrs. King, CBS, 1985.

"The Heart of Rock n' Roll," The A-Team, NBC, 1985.

Reuben King, "'Twas the Episode before Christmas," Moonlighting, ABC, 1985.

Judge N. Keller, "Hogan vs. Hogan," Valerie (also known as The Hogan Family and Valerie's Family), NBC, 1986.

Chief Hansen, "Hell Toupee," Amazing Stories (also known as Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories"), NBC, 1986.

Voice of Killerwatt, "Killerwatt," The Real Ghost Busters (animated), 1986.

"Fatal Attraction," Jake and the Fatman, 1987.

Winslow, "Shades of Grey," Beauty and the Beast, CBS, 1988.

Winslow, "The Alchemist," Beauty and the Beast, CBS, 1988.

Winslow, "Fever," Beauty and the Beast, CBS, 1988.

Winslow, "To Reign in Hell," Beauty and the Beast, CBS, 1988.

Judge Fowler, "Malice in Dallas," Dallas, 1988.

Jo-Jo, "My Aching Back," 227, NBC, 1988.

Voice, "Partners in Slime," The Real Ghost Busters, 1989.

Mr. Erdman, "License to Drive," Valerie (also known as The Hogan Family and Valerie's Family), 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.

Dale Hammers, "The Car Accident from Heaven," Roc (also known as Roc Live), Fox, 1992.

Voice, "Berlioz the Bear," Reading Rainbow, 1992.

(Uncredited) "Scenes from a Mall," Family Matters, ABC, 1993.

Voice, "It's the Thing of the Principal," Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (animated), USA Network, 1994.

Storytime, PBS, 1994.

Judge Nathaniel Alexander, "Chapter Five," Murder One, ABC, 1995.

Voice of War Machine/Jim Rhodes of the Avengers, Spider-Man (an), Fox, 1995.

Voice of Gor-illa, "Splitzy's Choice," Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys (animated), syndicated, 1996.

Voice of Gor-illa, "Invasion of the Banana Snatchers," Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys (animated), syndicated, 1996.

Himself and Philip Banks, "I, Whoops, There It Is," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, 1996.

Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, syndicated, 1996.

Voice of the shaman, "Walkabout," Gargoyles (animated), syndicated, 1996.

Mediator, "Love on a One-Way Street," In the House, UPN, 1996.

Voice, "The Road to Dendron," Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (animated), USA Network, 1996.

Voice of War Machine/James R. "Jim"/"Rhodey" Rhodes, "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 11: Carnage," Spider-Man (animated), CBS and syndicated, 1996.

Voices of Danny and Fang, "Dry Spell," Extreme Ghostbusters (animated), syndicated, 1997.

Voice of father, "The Golden Goose," Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, HBO, 1997.

Panelist, Match Game, syndicated, 1998.

Sampson Stanton, "My Pest Friend's Wedding," In the House, NBC, 1998.

Voice of Gorilla, "Valley Girls," The Wild Thornberrys (animated), Nickelodeon, 1998.

Voice of Mr. Clapper, "One of the Guys," Pepper Ann (animated; also known as Disney's "Pepper Ann"), ABC, 1999.

Judge Christopher Washington, "Legalese," Vengeance Unlimited (also known as Mr. Chapel), ABC, 1999.

Reverend Hicks, "Mother Load," For Your Love, The WB, 1999.

Dr. Phlager, "Damages," Family Law, CBS, 1999.

Judge, "Rescue Me," Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place (also known as Two Guys and a Girl), ABC, 2000.

Preston Cash, "Unfriendly Skies," C.S.I. (also known as C.S.I., CSI: Las Vegas, CSI Weekends, and Les experts), CBS, 2000.

William Richard, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," One World, NBC, 2000.

Waiter, "Love, Honor & Ole!," Dharma & Greg, ABC, 2000.

The Test, FX Network, 2001.

Harold Jenkins, "Wednesday Night Fever," Strong Medicine, Lifetime, 2001.

Keewazi, "Tarzan and the Poisoned River: Parts 1 & 2," The Legend of Tarzan (also known as Disney's "The Legend of Tarzan"), 2001.

Keewazi, "Tarzan and the Eagle's Feather," The Legend of Tarzan (also known as Disney's "The Legend of Tarzan"), 2001.

Voice of Crandall Smythe, "Spelling Bee," The Proud Family (animated), 2001.

Minister, "Always and Forever," The Jamie Foxx Show, The WB, 2001.

Walter Carter, "Nice Work if You Can Get It," Soul Food, Showtime, 2001.

Walter Carter, "Life Lessons," Soul Food, Showtime, 2001.

Walter Carter, "This Must Be Love," Soul Food, Showtime, 2002.

Dean Mark Clivner, "Here Comes the Judge," Philly, ABC, 2002.

Walter, "Mission: Implausible," Dharma & Greg, ABC, 2002.

Mr. Ruff, "Damage Control," Judging Amy, CBS, 2002.

Walter Carter, "All Together Alone," Soul Food, Showtime, 2003.

Judge Samuel Bennett, "The Feud," Reba, The WB, 2003.

Dr. Erkhart, "Conspiracy," Crossing Jordan, NBC, 2003.

Contestant, Street Smarts, 2003.

Roscoe, "Flo's Dream," All about the Andersons, The WB, 2003.

Lucas Jewell, "I Saw Tia Kissing Santa Claus," All of Us, UPN, 2003.

Judge, Pet Star, Animal Planet, 2003.

Officer Kennedy, "Young Man Blues," That '70s Show, Fox, 2004.

Officer Kennedy, "A Legal Matter," That '70s Show, Fox, 2004.

Officer Kennedy, "Happy Jack," That '70s Show, Fox, 2004.

Zola, "A Call to Arms," Charmed, The WB, 2004.

Steve Pines, "Great Balls of Ire," NYPD Blue, ABC, 2004.

Dr. Couch, "Maybe Baby," Girlfriends, UPN, 2004.

Presto Jones, "Opportunity Shocks," That's So Raven!, The Disney Channel, 2004.

Lucas Jewell, "Parents Just Don't Understand," All of Us, UPN, 2004.

Officer Kennedy (in archive footage), "The Final Goodbye," That '70s Show, Fox, 2004.

Professor Tillman, "Study Buddy," My Wife and Kids, ABC, 2005.

General K'Vagh, "Affliction," Enterprise (also known as Star Trek: Enterprise), UPN, 2005.

General K'Vagh, "Divergence," Enterprise (also known as Star Trek: Enterprise), UPN, 2005.

Mr. Bryant, "Learning with Fran," Living with Fran, The WB, 2005.

Dr. Crippen, "Grave Doubts," The Closer, TNT, 2007.

Dr. Crippen, "Saving Face," The Closer, TNT, 2007.

Himself, The Singing Bee, NBC, 2007.

Mason Andrews, "Wake Me Up before You Go-Go," Eli Stone, ABC, 2008.

Also voice for episodes of the animated series Scooby and Scrappy Doo, ABC; and Superfriends: The Legendary Superpowers Show, ABC.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 9th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, syndicated, 1994.

Host, 2002 Trumpet Awards (also known as 10th Annual Trumpet Awards), TBS, 2002.

The 4th Annual Family Television Awards, ABC, 2002.

BET Awards 2005, Black Entertainment Television, 2005.

Presenter, 2006 LA Area Emmy Awards, 2006.

Television Work; Series:

Additional voices, Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (animated), syndicated, 1986.

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited) Man dancing outside Ray's shop, The Blues Brothers, 1980.

(Uncredited) Pinball heckler, The Stunt Man, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980.

Second detective, Fletch, Universal, 1985.

Connors, Appointment with Fear (also known as Deadly Presence), 1985.

Voice of Fang for English version, Hokuto no Ken (anime; also known as Fist of the North Star, Ken, Great Bear Fist, and Seikimatsu kyuseishu densetsu—Hokuto no Ken; originally shown as a Japanese television series), 1986.

Deputy district attorney, 8 Million Ways to Die, TriStar, 1986.

Joe, The Ladies Club (also known as The Sisterhood and The Violated), New Line Cinema, 1986.

Gulch, Stoogemania (also known as Party Stooge), 1986.

Security guard, Extremities, Atlantic Releasing, 1986.

Police detective, Deadly Daphne's Revenge (also known as The Hunting Season), 1987.

Clarence, Three for the Road, New Century Vista, 1987.

Darryl, Nightflyers (also known as Nightfliers), New Century Vista, 1987.

Body Count (also known as The 11th Commandment), Video Search of Miami, 1987.

Mr. Kelly, License to Drive, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988.

Lieutenant Coberly, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, New Line Cinema, 1991.

Voice of 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. Steve Yeager, The Brady Bunch Movie, Paramount, 1995.

Dr. Glidden, Spirit Lost, Live Entertainment, 1996.

Voice of overseer, The Prince of Egypt (animated), DreamWorks, 1998.

Slow, 12 Bucks, Kindred Spirits Productions, 1998.

After Romeo, Film Artists Network, 1999.

Cappy, Out in Fifty, 1999.

(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, Stretch Pix, 2002.

Mr. Gantry, Raise Your Voice, New Line Cinema, 2004.

Seymour Gold, Hair Show, Innovation Film Group/Urbanworks Entertainment, 2004.

Narrator, The Guerrero Project (documentary), 2004, Black Bay Entertainment, 2008.

Gus, Lethal Eviction (also known as Grayson Arms), Asylum Home Entertainment, 2005.

George, The Third Wish, Marvista Entertainment, 2005.

Saint, A Christmas Wish (short film), Lawville Solutions, 2005.

Uncle John, Think Tank, Conservative Film & Entertainment, 2005.

Judge Sanderson, Restraining Order, Codeblack Entertainment, 2006.

Teddy Johnson, Danika, Universal, 2006.

Caddy Mack, Who's Your Caddy?, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Dimension Films/Weinstein Company, 2007.

Reverend Matthews, Divine Intervention, Bullz Eye Productions, 2007.

The chancellor, Steppin: The Movie, Weinstein Company, 2008.

Film Work:

Executive producer, The Guerrero Project (documentary), 2004, Black Bay Entertainment, 2008.

Stage Appearances:

Lord Montague, Romeo and Juliet, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 2001.

Much Ado about Nothing, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 2001.

Howard Benedict, Applause (musical), Freud Playhouse, University of California, Los Angeles, 2005.

Title role, Othello, Will Geer Theatricum and Botanicum, Topanga, CA, 2005.

Holloway, Two Trains Running, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, 2007.

Appeared in The Merchant of Venice, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA; also appeared in productions of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been, Blues for an Alabama Sky, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (reading), JB, Playland, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, Twelfth Night, and Twinkie Time.