James Drury

James Drury

Acting
Born 1934-04-18 - Died 2020-04-06New York City, New York, USA

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.

Movies (32)

Forbidden Planet
7.3

Forbidden Planet

1956Movie7.3
Maverick
6.9

Maverick

1994Movie6.9
Blackboard Jungle
6.9

Blackboard Jungle

1955Movie6.9
Ride the High Country
7.1

Ride the High Country

1962Movie7.1
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus
6.4

Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

1960Movie6.4
Pollyanna
7.0

Pollyanna

1960Movie7.0
Love Me Tender
6.2

Love Me Tender

1956Movie6.2
The Tender Trap
6.2

The Tender Trap

1955Movie6.2
The Last Wagon
6.5

The Last Wagon

1956Movie6.5
Ten Who Dared
6.0

Ten Who Dared

1960Movie6.0
The Meanest Men in the West
4.2

The Meanest Men in the West

1978Movie4.2
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

1979Movie
The Virginian
5.4

The Virginian

2000Movie5.4
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
4.8

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw

1991Movie4.8
Good Day for a Hanging
6.4

Good Day for a Hanging

1959Movie6.4
The Devil and Miss Sarah
6.7

The Devil and Miss Sarah

1971Movie6.7
Bitter Heritage
8.0

Bitter Heritage

1958Movie8.0
Hell to Pay
6.5

Hell to Pay

2005Movie6.5
Diane
6.0

Diane

1956Movie6.0
The Young Warriors
6.8

The Young Warriors

1967Movie6.8
The Bull of the West
5.7

The Bull of the West

1972Movie5.7
The Brazen Bell
10.0

The Brazen Bell

1964Movie10.0
The Final Hour
7.0

The Final Hour

1965Movie7.0
Return to the Titanic

Return to the Titanic

1981Movie
Third of a Man
9.0

Third of a Man

1962Movie9.0
Backtrack!
6.0

Backtrack!

1969Movie6.0
The Devil's Children
9.0

The Devil's Children

1962Movie9.0
Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger
6.0

Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

1993Movie6.0
Bernardine
7.6

Bernardine

1957Movie7.6
Breakout
7.0

Breakout

1970Movie7.0
Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

1960Movie
The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo

The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo

2015Movie

TV Shows (43)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962Series7.5
Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
The Mike Douglas Show
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show

1961Series5.8
Ironside
6.8

Ironside

1967Series6.8
The Rifleman
7.1

The Rifleman

1958Series7.1
Wagon Train
6.6

Wagon Train

1957Series6.6
The Merv Griffin Show
6.8

The Merv Griffin Show

1962Series6.8
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
The Red Skelton Show
7.4

The Red Skelton Show

1951Series7.4
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
6.7

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

1993Series6.7
Walker, Texas Ranger
7.0

Walker, Texas Ranger

1993Series7.0
Cheyenne
6.2

Cheyenne

1955Series6.2
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
Lawman
6.0

Lawman

1958Series6.0
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
6.2

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956Series6.2
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
6.8

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957Series6.8
The Rebel
5.1

The Rebel

1959Series5.1
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
6.8

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1968Series6.8
It Takes a Thief
7.2

It Takes a Thief

1968Series7.2
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
The 20th Century Fox Hour
6.0

The 20th Century Fox Hour

1955Series6.0
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
7.1

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

1993Series7.1
The Bob Hope Show
7.0

The Bob Hope Show

1950Series7.0
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
The Detectives
6.7

The Detectives

1959Series6.7
Alias Smith and Jones
7.0

Alias Smith and Jones

1971Series7.0
Bronco
6.0

Bronco

1958Series6.0
Trackdown
6.9

Trackdown

1957Series6.9
Lock-Up
6.4

Lock-Up

1959Series6.4
Bourbon Street Beat
6.0

Bourbon Street Beat

1959Series6.0
Black Saddle
6.2

Black Saddle

1959Series6.2
Broken Arrow
6.5

Broken Arrow

1956Series6.5
Hollywood Squares
7.5

Hollywood Squares

1966Series7.5
Stagecoach West
6.7

Stagecoach West

1960Series6.7
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.9

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954Series7.9
Steve Canyon
7.3

Steve Canyon

1958Series7.3
Letter to Loretta
6.6

Letter to Loretta

1953Series6.6
The Ed Wynn Show
7.0

The Ed Wynn Show

1958Series7.0
Cameo Theatre
8.0

Cameo Theatre

1950Series8.0
Firehouse
7.0

Firehouse

1974Series7.0
Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck

Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck

2025Series