<P> James LaRue Avery ( November 27 , 1945 -- December 31 , 2013 ) was an American actor , comedian , voice over artist and poet . He played patriarch Philip Banks in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air ( 1990 − 96 ) . This character was ranked # 34 in TV Guide 's `` 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time . '' He also provided the voice of Shredder in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series , as well as War Machine in the animated series Iron Man ( 1994 − 95 ) and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan 's Rock ' n ' Wrestling ( 1985 ) . He also played Michael Kelso 's commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That ' 70s Show ( 2004 ) . </P>
<P> James LaRue Avery ( November 27 , 1945 -- December 31 , 2013 ) was an American actor , comedian , voice over artist and poet . He played patriarch Philip Banks in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel - Air ( 1990 − 96 ) . This character was ranked # 34 in TV Guide 's `` 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time . '' He also provided the voice of Shredder in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series , as well as War Machine in the animated series Iron Man ( 1994 − 95 ) and Junkyard Dog in Hulk Hogan 's Rock ' n ' Wrestling ( 1985 ) . He also played Michael Kelso 's commanding officer at the police academy late in the series run of That ' 70s Show ( 2004 ) . </P>
who played the father on fresh prince of bel-air
who played the father on fresh prince of bel-air
James LaRue Avery
James LaRue Avery