James Avery, (ABOVE PHOTO) best known as Will Smith’s stern, but loving Uncle Phil on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” died Dec. 31 after a long illness and complications following open heart surgery. He was 65. Avery grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Before acting, he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.
One of his early acting roles was in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.” Avery was also known for roles in “CSI,” “That ’70s Show,” “The Closer,” “L.A. Law” and as the voice of Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He is survived by his wife Barbara Avery, as well as his mother Florence Avery and stepson Kevin Waters.
Juanita Moore, (RIGHT PHOTO) the veteran actress from the 1950s and 1960s, and star of the classic tearjerker race drama, ‘Imitation of Life’, died January 1, 2014 at 99. Born in Los Angeles, Moore started her career as a dancer at Harlem’s Cotton Club, and made her film debut in 1949 with a bit-part in “Pinky,” which – like Imitation of Life – examined the experience of a black woman “passing for white” in the mid-20th-century.
Other notable appearances included roles in “The Girl Can’t Help It” and “The Singing Nun.” Her last feature was as a grandma in the Disney film “The Kid” in 2000.
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