Early life and education Īvery was born in Philadelphia to Armenian parents Megerdich and Arousiag Der Abrahamian. In a career that spanned 50 years, Avery appeared in over 100 films and had appearances in over 300 television episodes. Sebouh Der Abrahamian (J– December 12, 2009), known professionally as Val Avery, was an American character actor who appeared in hundreds of movies and television shows.