JAMES AVERY AKA FRESH PRINCE'S UNCLE PHIL PASSES AWAY IN THE HOSPITAL AT 65

JAMES AVERY & WILL SMITH

James Avery, the actor who played Uncle Phil on the hit 90s sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” died on Tuesday. He was 65.

The beloved actor — who played the role of Will Smith’s no-nonsense uncle — had recently undergone open heart surgery. He passed away at a hospital in Los Angeles.

Avery’s wife, Barbara, had left the side of his hospital bed briefly to buy food and discovered him dead when she returned.

Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton on the show, expressed his grief on Twitter.

“I’m deeply saddended to say that James Avery has passed away. He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly,” he wrote.

Miguel A Nunez Jr, who worked with Avery on the show “Sparks,” also Tweeted condolences.

“Rest in Peace James Avery. Love You. One of the best actors of our time,” he wrote.

Avery played the character Philip Banks, a stern attorney who showered Will Smith’s character with tough love.

He also appeared on shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Closer,” “L.A. Law,” and “The Jeffersons.”

The “Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s” producer Jeff Pollack died last month while jogging in Hermosa Beach, Calif.