James Drury

James Drury

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.

Acting

2000

1994

Maverick

Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)

1993

1993

1993

1993

Walker, Texas Ranger

Captain Tom Price

1993

1993

1991

1981

1979

1978

The Meanest Men in the West

The Range Boss (The Virginian)

1974

Firehouse

Captain Spike Ryerson

1971

1971

1969

Backtrack!

Ramrod (archive footage)

1968

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

The Virginian (uncredited)

1968

1968

It Takes a Thief

Mr. Clifton

1967

1962

1962

The Virginian

The "Virginian"

1962

1960

Ten Who Dared

Walter Powell

1960

Pollyanna

George Dodds

1960

1959

1959

1959

The Rebel

Paul Travers

1959

The Rebel

Bert Pace

1959

Lock-Up

Frank Crotty

1959

Rawhide

Kenley

1959

Rawhide

Rance

1959

Rawhide

Johnny Adler

1959

1958

Lawman

Unknown

1958

Lawman

Clay

1958

1958

The Rifleman

Lloyd Carpenter

1958

The Texan

Johnny Kaler

1958

Bronco

Unknown

1957

Trackdown

John Ward

1957

Perry Mason

Eddy King

1957

1957

Bernardine

Langley Philip Beaymont

1957

1956

1956

1956

1956

1956

Forbidden Planet

Crewman Strong

1956

Diane

Lieutenant (uncredited)

1955

1955

1955

Cheyenne

Bill Magruder

1955

Gunsmoke

Jerry Cass

1955

Gunsmoke

Johnny Red

1955

1955

Gunsmoke

Booth Rider

1955

Blackboard Jungle

Hospital Attendant (uncredited)

1954

1953

1953

Letter to Loretta

Bob Prentiss

1950

Writing

Infos

Full Name
James Drury
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
4/18/1934
Date of Death
4/6/2020
Also Known As

James Child Drury Jr.