James Avery — the beloved dad on “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” — has died at age 65 .. TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the actor tell TMZ he died in an L.A. hospital last night. Avery had recently undergone surgery for an undisclosed illness and took a turn for the worse late yesterday.

And we’re told his wife, Barbara, had been at his bedside but left for a short period of time to get something to eat. When she came back, she learned he had just died.

Story developing….