The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Synopsis

Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins — spoiled Hilary, preppy Carlton and young Ashley — and their sophisticated British butler, Geoffrey. Though Will’s antics and upbringing contrast greatly with the upper-class lifestyle of his extended relatives, he soon finds himself right at home as a loved part of the family.

Main Cast

Will Smith

Will Smith

Age : N/A | Popularity : 21%

James Avery

Philip Banks

Age : N/A | Popularity : 6%

Alfonso Ribeiro

Carlton Banks

Age : N/A | Popularity : 2%

Daphne Maxwell Reid

Vivian Banks

Age : N/A | Popularity : 4%

Joseph Marcell

Geoffrey Butler

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Karyn Parsons

Hilary Banks

Age : 59 | Popularity : 61%

Tatyana Ali

Ashley Banks

Age : N/A | Popularity : 4%

Ross Bagley

Nicky Banks

Age : N/A | Popularity : 7%

Seasons

Season 1

1990 | 25 episodes

Will Smith is revealed to be a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia, who is sent to live with his wealthy relatives at their Bel Air, Los Angeles mansion. His relatives include Phillip Banks, Will's strict and gruff uncle, and Vivian Banks, Will's no-nonsense, forthright, and career-minded aunt. Other members of the Banks family include Carlton Banks, Will's preppy and arrogant cousin, Hilary Banks, Will's attractive but dumb, eldest cousin, Ashley Banks, Will's youngest cousin, and Geoffrey, the family's cynical English Butler. Will's lifestyle often clashes with that of his relatives there, and frequently got him or other members of the family into trouble as well.

Season details

Season 2

1991 | 24 episodes

The prince is back and fresher than ever! In the second season of this inspiring comedy, as the Banks family continues to adjust to Will living with them in Bel-Air, they find themselves questioning how they live in the process. Meanwhile, Will’s fear of becoming like his uptight Uncle Philip and his preppy cousin Carlton prompts him to take drastic action to make sure this doesn’t happen. Race relations become a hot topic in the Banks household when Will’s mother, Vy (guest star Vernee Watson-Johnson, Southland; Sister, Sister), has trouble accepting that her sister Janice (guest star Charlayne Woodard, ER) is marrying a Caucasian man. And Philip and Vivian’s past returns with open arms when a Sixties radical is invited into their home. Hilarity and heart combine in the second season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Guest stars this season include Nicholle Tom (The Nanny), Allen Payne (House of Payne) and members of New Edition Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.

Season details

Season 3

1992 | 24 episodes

Season three of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air finds Will (Will Smith) firmly entrenched in the Banks family, having traded his rough-and-tumble Philadelphia youth for posh surroundings in Bel-Air. This year, Will hip-hops over to the same prep school as Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) and starts scoping out colleges. While Will tries to work his mojo on reluctant Monique (Kim Fields, Living Single), Hilary (Karyn Parsons) breaks into show business and learns some hard lessons. But the kids aren’t the only ones riding life’s highs and lows. Philip (James Avery) jumps into the race for superior court judge, opposing his sleazy but powerful former mentor (Sherman Hemsley, The Jeffersons). And Vivian (Janet Hubert-Whitten) surprises everyone by announcing that she’s pregnant! Also appearing in this hilarious and poignant season are Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty), comic D.L. Hughley, singer Tom Jones and boxer Riddick Bowe. All 24 episodes are fresh — and ready for your enjoyment.

Season details

Season 4

1993 | 26 episodes

Charming and cocky Will continues his reign as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the fourth fast-paced season of this hit family comedy with heart. Will (Will Smith) and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) are living large at college — even though they live in their family’s pool house. When they’re not hunting the honeys, like the superhot Jackie (Tyra Banks), the boys pledge a fraternity, where Will finds out that racism cuts both ways. At home, Will sneaks the dieting Philip (James Avery) some snacks, not realizing he’s endangering his uncle’s life. And Ashley (Tatyana Ali) breaks out of her childhood shell in a big way by undergoing an extremely sexy makeover, exploring the dating world and demanding some “Respect” from her parents by belting out the classic song. Donald Trump, Hugh Hefner, Dick Clark, Ben Vereen (Roots), Robert Guillaume (Benson), Pam Grier (Jackie Brown), jazzman Branford Marsalis and Boys II Men guest star in this laugh-filled 26-episode season of the freshest show around.

Season details

Season 5

1994 | 25 episodes

Will Smith stars in the continuing story of a kid whose life got twisted upside-down when he became the Prince of Bel-Air. In Season 5 of Fresh Prince, Will (Smith) meets Lisa (Nia Long) — and before you can say “Go slow, bro,” he’s in love, engaged, and standing before the minister with 50 pounds of iced shrimp melting in the banquet hall. All that romance must be contagious, because Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) finds his soul sister through online dating. Unfortunately, that’s only half right. It’s Hilary (Karyn Parsons). And there’s a lot more than love going on as Will grapples with a big orange whale, a mobster, a bear, Jay Leno, Lisa’s cantankerous dad, and in one of the series’ most memorable episodes, a bullet with his name on it. Get ready for laugh-out-loud fun!

Season details

Season 6

1995 | 24 episodes

Television’s freshest comedy, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, hits its stride in its sixth and final season. After Will (Will Smith) becomes Hilary's (Karyn Parsons) talent coordinator, her show goes national and she is lured to New York, where Ashley (Tatyana Ali) hopes to model. When Philip (James Avery) presides over a high-profile Hollywood case, his ambition almost ruins his marriage. In the series finale, he shows the house to prospective buyers played by classic sitcom stars Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford and Marla Gibbs (The Jeffersons), and Gary Coleman and Conrad Bain (Diff'rent Strokes). With their home sold, the Banks parents head east to be closer to Ashley and Hilary; butler Geoffrey (Joseph Marcell) moves to London; Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) attends Princeton; and Will looks forward to his post-college future. Chris Rock, Wayne Newton, Dick Clark, B.B. King, Jay Leno, William Shatner, Regis Philbin, Richard Roundtree and Jaleel White (Family Matters) also guest star.

Season details

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Production	Co-Producer	Larry Wilmore
	Executive Producer	Will Smith Quincy Jones
	Executive In Charge Of Production	Gary Considine
	Executive Consultant	Andy Borowitz
	Producer	Werner Walian
Writing	Screenplay	Jeff Pollack
Costume & Make-Up	Makeup Department Head	Joann Kozloff
	Hairstylist	Stacey Morris
Sound	Original Music Composer	Quincy Jones III
	Theme Song Performance	Will Smith DJ Jazzy Jeff
Department	Role	Name

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