James Drury

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

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Perry Mason

The Mike Douglas Show

Ironside

The Rifleman

The Rifleman

Wagon Train

Wagon Train

All Movies (32)

• The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo2015 · as Buffalo Bill Cody (voice)/"The Mysterious Traveler" (voice)
• Hell to Pay2005 · as JT Coffee
• The Virginian2000 · as Rider
• Maverick1994 · as Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
• Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger1993 · as Captain Tom Price
• The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw1991 · as Jim
• Return to the Titanic1981 · as Self - Host
• When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion1979 · as Self
• The Meanest Men in the West1978 · as The Range Boss (The Virginian)
• The Bull of the West1972 · as Man from Virginia
• The Devil and Miss Sarah1971 · as Gil Turner
• Breakout1970 · as Joe Baker
• Backtrack!1969 · as Ramrod (archive footage)
• The Young Warriors1967 · as Sergeant Cooley
• The Final Hour1965 · as The Virginian
• The Brazen Bell1964 · as The Virginian
• The Devil's Children1962 · as The Virginian
• Third of a Man1962 · as Emmet
• Ride the High Country1962 · as Billy Hammond
• Ten Who Dared1960 · as Walter Powell
• Rapids Ahead/Bear Country1960
• Pollyanna1960 · as George Dodds
• Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus1960 · as Jim Weaver
• Good Day for a Hanging1959 · as Paul Ridgely
• Bitter Heritage1958 · as Jesse James, Jr.
• Bernardine1957 · as Langley Philip Beaymont
• Love Me Tender1956 · as Ray Reno
• The Last Wagon1956 · as Lt. Kelly
• Forbidden Planet1956 · as Crewman Strong
• Diane1956 · as Lieutenant (uncredited)
• The Tender Trap1955 · as Eddie
• Blackboard Jungle1955 · as Hospital Attendant (uncredited)

All TV Shows (57)

• Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.1993 · as Ethan Emerson
• Walker, Texas Ranger1993 · as Captain Tom Price
• Kung Fu: The Legend Continues1993 · as Deacon
• Kung Fu: The Legend Continues1993 · as Doctor
• Firehouse1974 · as Captain Spike Ryerson
• Alias Smith and Jones1971 · as Sheriff Lom Trevors
• Alias Smith and Jones1971 · as Sheriff Tankersley
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In1968 · as The Virginian (uncredited)
• It Takes a Thief1968 · as Mr. Clifton
• Ironside1967 · as Al
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Virginian1962 · as The "Virginian"
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Stagecoach West1960 · as 'Stace'
• The Detectives1959 · as Adrian
• Bourbon Street Beat1959
• The Rebel1959 · as Bert Pace
• The Rebel1959 · as Paul Travers
• Lock-Up1959 · as Frank Crotty
• Black Saddle1959 · as Neal Adams
• Rawhide1959 · as Kenley
• Rawhide1959 · as Johnny Adler
• Rawhide1959 · as Rance
• Lawman1958 · as Clay
• Lawman1958 · as Stan Bates
• The Rifleman1958 · as Lloyd Carpenter
• The Rifleman1958 · as Spicer
• The Texan1958 · as Johnny Kaler
• The Ed Wynn Show1958
• Bronco1958 · as John Smith
• Steve Canyon1958 · as Lt. Richard Muller
• Trackdown1957 · as John Ward
• Perry Mason1957 · as Eddy King
• Wagon Train1957 · as Justin Claiborne
• Wagon Train1957 · as Cole Crawford
• Have Gun, Will Travel1957 · as Tony DeVries
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective1957 · as Arthur Harding
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre1956 · as Jess McHugh
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre1956 · as Roy Richards
• Broken Arrow1956 · as Tahzay
• The 20th Century Fox Hour1955 · as Anton Cavrek
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Michael Grimes
• Cheyenne1955 · as Bill Magruder
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Booth Rider
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Jerry Cass
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Johnny Red
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Tom
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as Deputy Joe Monroe
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as George Dodds
• The Wonderful World of Disney1954 · as Jim Weaver
• Letter to Loretta1953 · as Tony
• Letter to Loretta1953 · as Bob Prentiss
• The Red Skelton Show1951 · as Auctioneer
• Cameo Theatre1950 · as George
• The Bob Hope Show1950 · as Self