"If there is any immortality in this world... it's to know that what we've done, is in a sense, immortal. As long as there is a recording somewhere, it will be here. Someone will be listening to it. So that its timeless. You know. And that's kind of an amazing thing to think about, that what you do will be around. So, you have to be careful about what you do." - James Avery
Actor James Avery, 68, passed away last night in a Glendale, California hospital. His wife, Barbara Avery, had stepped away from James' bedside for a brief moment and when she had returned the doctors delivered the sad news that her husband of 26 years had succumb to complications from open-heart surgery. James Avery is best known for playing Uncle Phil (Philip Banks), the stern but lovable uncle in Will Smith's sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. What many of you may not know, is that James Avery was also an accomplished voice actor. His baritone, honey-coated voice brought to life the voices of Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon from the 90's, War Machine in the Iron Man animated series and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling.
"I'm deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away. He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly." - "Fresh Prince" co-star Alfonso Ribeiro