( CNN ) -- James Avery was a prolific and versatile actor during his 68 years , but he 's best known to several as Uncle Phil . A classically trained thespian , Avery filled the role of the tough but caring head of the Banks ' household on the '90s sitcom `` The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air '' for six years . Along the way , he crafted a character that stands apart as one of the greatest fictional dads on TV . His costar Joseph Marcell , who portrayed the family butler Geoffrey , had it right when he said that Avery `` strove to present an Uncle Phil that everybody wishes was their uncle . '' As a result , his death this week has left a lot of fans feeling as though they 've lost a family member . Every `` Fresh Prince '' fan probably has his or her own reasons why Uncle Phil was at the heart of the memorable comedy . Here are our top five : . 1 . He was there for you in a jam . In case you missed `` Fresh Prince '' during its run from 1990 to 1996 , or somehow have escaped the endless repeats on basic cable in the years since , here 's a recap of the premise : Now-famous blockbuster actor Will Smith portrayed a mischievous Philadelphia teen who was sent to live with his rich relatives in Bel-Air . Cue the culture clash as free-spirited Will had to adjust to his Uncle Phil 's rigorous rules . Most of the humor came from that dynamic , but when Will -- and , often , Phil 's son Carlton ( Alfonso Ribeiro ) -- really needed him , he did n't hesitate to help them out . That was established clearly with an episode in season one , when Phil came to Will 's rescue at a pool hall after the kid lost money and a car to a hustler . 2 . Underneath his grizzly exterior was a sensitive role model . Although Uncle Phil and Will had their fights , the lawyer and eventual judge became a father figure for Smith 's character . This was shown in one heartbreaking season four episode , when Will 's biological father re-enters the picture only to leave his son once again . A distraught Will turned to his uncle , who readily embraced him . No matter how many times we watch this , we always get misty . 3 . He was not a man to be trifled with . Every so often we saw glimpses of Uncle Phil 's soft side , but it was his stern parenting style that always left us in stitches . Take , for example , the way he handled one of Carlton and Will 's failed schemes in season two : . Or how he completely shut down this guy 's attempt to smoke in an elevator ... and then took his phone : . And how could we forget his confrontation at a police station in season one ? 4 . He had a go-to move for kicking people out of his house . Whenever you saw Will Smith 's real-life friend and recording partner DJ Jazzy Jeff on-screen in `` The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , '' you knew he was n't going to be around for long . The running gag on the sitcom was that Jazzy Jeff 's character , Jazz , was always getting thrown out of Uncle Phil 's mansion . It happened so often it became a patented move . 5 . He could bust a move when he wanted to . Uncle Phil was constantly getting ribbed by his family -- and especially Will -- about his weight , but the regal patriarch was n't without a sense of humor . Will brought it out of him with this classic dance scene from season five .
John Avery played the beloved Uncle Sam on the ' 90s comedy ` ` Fresh Prince of Bel - Air '' The character died at 68 on July 31 . Many have mourned the loss of one of TV 's greatest dads . With a combination of humor and heart , Avery brought the character to life .