

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

James Avery (27 November 1945 – 31 December 2013; age 68) guest-starred as General K'Vagh in the Star Trek: Enterprise fourth season episodes "Affliction" and "Divergence", and was also one of the three finalists for the part of Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Avery is perhaps best known as Philip Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

He has also forged a body of work in voice-overs for cartoon shows. These roles have included the voice of villain Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, along with Jim Cummings. Avery voiced the eponymous villain of the episode "Killerwatt" in The Real Ghostbusters, and in that installment were accompanying voice-acting contributors Frank Welker, Robert Ito, Brian George, and Maurice LaMarche. Another character played is that of War Machine in both The Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man and Fox Kids' Spider-Man animated series; of note, both these Marvel Comics cartoons featured the vocal talent of David Warner. Additional Star Trek stars to voice characters in Spider-Man include Don Stark (as Rhino), Peter Mark Richman (as the old Peter Parker), Joseph Campanella (as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard), John Beck (as The Punisher), Michael Horton (as John Jameson), Majel Barrett (as Anna Watson), Jeff Corey (as Silvermane), and Edward Laurence Albert (as Daredevil).

Avery is one of the many Star Trek performers to lend their voices to the animated series Gargoyles. Others who have done so include Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, LeVar Burton, Nichelle Nichols, Michael Dorn, Avery Brooks, Brent Spiner, and David Warner.

He guest-starred with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Cirroc Lofton in an episode of Soul Food. He also appeared in the television movie A Friend to Die For with Terry O'Quinn.

Avery died following complications from open-heart surgery on 31 December 2013 in Glendale, California, USA. [1]