James Drury
Acting
Born: April 18, 1934 · New York City, New York, USA
Died: April 6, 2020 (aged 85)
Highest Rated
Biography
James Child Drury Jr. (April 18, 1934 – April 6, 2020) was an American actor. He is best known for having played the title role in the 90-minute weekly Western television series The Virginian, which was broadcast on NBC from 1962 to 1971. Drury was born in New York City, the son of James Child Drury and Beatrice Crawford Drury. His father was a New York University professor of marketing. He grew up between New York City and Salem, Oregon, where his mother owned a farm. Drury contracted polio at the age of 10. He studied drama at New York University and took additional classes at UCLA to complete his degree after he began acting in films at MGM. On February 7, 1957, Drury married Cristall Othones, and fathered two sons, Timothy and James III. The couple divorced on November 23, 1964 and on April 27, 1968, he married Phyllis Jacqueline Mitchell; the marriage ended in divorce on January 30, 1979. His third marriage was to Carl Ann Head on July 30, 1979; it lasted until her death on August 25, 2019. Drury had three stepchildren from his previous marriages, a stepdaughter, Rhonda Brown, and two stepsons, Frederick Drury and Gary Schero. Drury died from natural causes on April 6, 2020.
Known for
Maverick
1994
Forbidden Planet
1956
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Ride the High Country
1962
Pollyanna
1960
Blackboard Jungle
1955
Perry Mason
1957
Gunsmoke
1955
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993
Love Me Tender
1956
The Last Wagon
1956
Photos (2)
Movies (29)
Maverick
Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
Forbidden Planet
Crewman Strong
Ride the High Country
Billy Hammond
Pollyanna
George Dodds
Love Me Tender
Ray Reno
The Last Wagon
Lt. Kelly
The Tender Trap
Eddie
Blackboard Jungle
Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
Jim
The Meanest Men in the West
The Range Boss (The Virginian)
Ten Who Dared
Walter Powell
The Virginian
Rider
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus
Jim Weaver
Good Day for a Hanging
Paul Ridgely
The Bull of the West
Man from Virginia
Hell to Pay
JT Coffee
Diane
Lieutenant (uncredited)
The Final Hour
The Virginian
Backtrack!
Ramrod (archive footage)
Bitter Heritage
Jesse James, Jr.
Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger
Captain Tom Price
Bernardine
Langley Philip Beaymont
The Young Warriors
Sergeant Cooley
The Devil and Miss Sarah
Gil Turner
The Brazen Bell
The Virginian
The Devil's Children
The Virginian
Breakout
Joe Baker
Third of a Man
Emmet
Rapids Ahead/Bear Country
1960
TV Shows (50)
Perry Mason
Eddy King · 1 eps
Ironside
Al · 1 eps
The Rifleman
Lloyd Carpenter · 1 eps
The Rifleman
Spicer · 1 eps
Wagon Train
Justin Claiborne · 1 eps
Wagon Train
Cole Crawford · 1 eps
The Virginian
The "Virginian" · 249 eps
Have Gun, Will Travel
Tony DeVries · 1 eps
The Red Skelton Show
Auctioneer · 1 eps
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Deacon · 1 eps
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Doctor · 1 eps
Walker, Texas Ranger
Captain Tom Price · 3 eps
Cheyenne
Bill Magruder · 1 eps
Rawhide
Kenley · 1 eps
Rawhide
Rance · 1 eps
Rawhide
Johnny Adler · 1 eps
Lawman
Clay · 1 eps
Lawman
Stan Bates · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Booth Rider · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Johnny Red · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Jerry Cass · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Tom · 1 eps
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Michael Grimes · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Jess McHugh · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Roy Richards · 1 eps
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Arthur Harding · 1 eps
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Ethan Emerson · 1 eps
The Rebel
Bert Pace · 1 eps
The Rebel
Paul Travers · 1 eps
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Anton Cavrek · 1 eps
Alias Smith and Jones
Sheriff Lom Trevors · 1 eps
Alias Smith and Jones
Sheriff Tankersley · 1 eps
The Texan
Johnny Kaler · 1 eps
The Detectives
Adrian · 1 eps
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
The Virginian (uncredited) · 2 eps
It Takes a Thief
Mr. Clifton · 1 eps
Bronco
John Smith · 1 eps
Trackdown
John Ward · 1 eps
Lock-Up
Frank Crotty · 1 eps
Black Saddle
Neal Adams · 1 eps
Stagecoach West
'Stace' · 1 eps
Bourbon Street Beat
1 eps
Steve Canyon
Lt. Richard Muller · 1 eps
The Wonderful World of Disney
Deputy Joe Monroe · 1 eps
The Wonderful World of Disney
George Dodds · 3 eps
The Wonderful World of Disney
Jim Weaver · 2 eps
Letter to Loretta
Tony · 1 eps
Letter to Loretta
Bob Prentiss · 1 eps
The Ed Wynn Show
1 eps
Firehouse
Captain Spike Ryerson · 2 eps
Self / Appearances (8)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 2 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · 1 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · 1 eps
The Bob Hope Show
Self · 1 eps
Hollywood Squares
Self · 5 eps
Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck
Self (archive footage) · 2 eps
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
Return to the Titanic
Self - Host