James L. Avery, Sr. (born November 27, 1948) is a classically disciplined African-American television actor and scholar. He is best known as the uncle or patriarch and attorney "Philip Banks" in the television program The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom Will Smith called "Uncle Phil." He was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He joined the United States Navy shortly after high school graduation and served in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969. After he left the military, he relocated to San Diego, California, and began to write television scripts and poetry for Public Broadcasting Station (PBS). He won an Emmy Award for his production during his term at PBS and was awarded a scholarship to the University of California in San Diego, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama and Literature at the university. In addition to his fame in situation comedies, he did voice acting to many animated television programs, most notably the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series (as the voice of The Shredder, and credited as James Avery). He has been the primary host of Going Places, a popular travel and adventure series on PBS.

Avery's wife Barbara, whom he married in 1988, is the Dean of Student Life at Loyal Marymount University in California.

Avery's character Philip Banks in the situation comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was ranked number 34 in TV Guide's chart of "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time."