#10 – James Avery
American actor James Avery (born November 27th, 1945) was best known for his portrayal of the patriarch and judge Philip Banks, Will Smith’s character’s uncle, in the award winning TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. ‘Uncle Phil’ was ranked #34 in TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time.”
He served in the Vietnam War from 1968–1969, after graduating high school and later moved to San Diego, California where he began to write poetry and TV scripts. He first appeared on television in 1983 in the TV show Tales of the Gold Monkey but his big break came in 1990 when he landed the role of Philip Banks in the now cult sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom he played for the duration of the show until it ended in 1996.
He died on new year’s eve, 2013 at the age of 68 from complications following open heart surgery.