James Drury

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

74

Gender

Male

Birthday

1934-04-18

Day of death

2020-04-06 (85 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

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

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • Ironside

    Ironside

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Have Gun, Will Travel

    Have Gun, Will Travel

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

    Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

    Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

  • Lawman

    Lawman

  • Lawman

    Lawman

  • Walker, Texas Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger

  • It Takes a Thief

    It Takes a Thief

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

    Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

    Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

  • The Texan

    The Texan

  • The Detectives

    The Detectives

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Richard Diamond, Private Detective

    Richard Diamond, Private Detective

  • The Rebel

    The Rebel

  • The Rebel

    The Rebel

  • Bourbon Street Beat

    Bourbon Street Beat

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • Alias Smith and Jones

    Alias Smith and Jones

  • Bronco

    Bronco

  • Trackdown

    Trackdown

  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

    The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

  • Lock-Up

    Lock-Up

  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

    The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

    When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • The Gambler: The Luck Of The Draw

    The Gambler: The Luck Of The Draw

  • The Final Hour

    The Final Hour

  • Forbidden Planet

    Forbidden Planet

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

  • Hell to Pay

    Hell to Pay

  • Pollyanna

    Pollyanna

  • Breakout

    Breakout

  • Blackboard Jungle

    Blackboard Jungle

  • Ten Who Dared

    Ten Who Dared

  • Backtrack!

    Backtrack!

  • Love Me Tender

    Love Me Tender

  • Ride the High Country

    Ride the High Country

  • Bernardine

    Bernardine

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • The Bull of the West

    The Bull of the West

  • Diane

    Diane

  • Good Day for a Hanging

    Good Day for a Hanging

  • The Meanest Men in the West

    The Meanest Men in the West

  • The Young Warriors

    The Young Warriors

  • Bitter Heritage

    Bitter Heritage

  • The Last Wagon

    The Last Wagon

  • Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

    Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

  • Firehouse

    Firehouse

  • The Devil and Miss Sarah

    The Devil and Miss Sarah

  • The Brazen Bell

    The Brazen Bell

  • The Devil's Children

    The Devil's Children

  • Third of a Man

    Third of a Man

  • Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

    Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

  • The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo

    The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo

  • Return to the Titanic

    Return to the Titanic