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

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Ironside

    Ironside

  • Have Gun, Will Travel

    Have Gun, Will Travel

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

    Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

    Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

  • Walker, Texas Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • The Rebel

    The Rebel

  • The Rebel

    The Rebel

  • Lawman

    Lawman

  • Lawman

    Lawman

  • The Bob Hope Show

    The Bob Hope Show

  • The Texan

    The Texan

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

    Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

    Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alias Smith and Jones

    Alias Smith and Jones

  • It Takes a Thief

    It Takes a Thief

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • The Detectives

    The Detectives

  • Bronco

    Bronco

  • Trackdown

    Trackdown

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

  • Richard Diamond, Private Detective

    Richard Diamond, Private Detective

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

    The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

  • Lock-Up

    Lock-Up

  • Bernardine

    Bernardine

  • Pollyanna

    Pollyanna

  • Diane

    Diane

  • Bourbon Street Beat

    Bourbon Street Beat

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • Backtrack!

    Backtrack!

  • Breakout

    Breakout

  • The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw

    The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw

  • Forbidden Planet

    Forbidden Planet

  • Ride the High Country

    Ride the High Country

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • Ten Who Dared

    Ten Who Dared

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • The Bull of the West

    The Bull of the West

  • The Last Wagon

    The Last Wagon

  • Love Me Tender

    Love Me Tender

  • When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

    When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion

  • Blackboard Jungle

    Blackboard Jungle

  • The Young Warriors

    The Young Warriors

  • The Final Hour

    The Final Hour

  • The Meanest Men in the West

    The Meanest Men in the West

  • Good Day for a Hanging

    Good Day for a Hanging

  • Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

    Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger

  • Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

    Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus

  • Third of a Man

    Third of a Man

  • Hell to Pay

    Hell to Pay

  • Firehouse

    Firehouse

  • The Devil and Miss Sarah

    The Devil and Miss Sarah

  • Return to the Titanic

    Return to the Titanic

  • The Devil's Children

    The Devil's Children

  • Bitter Heritage

    Bitter Heritage

  • Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

    Rapids Ahead/Bear Country

  • The Brazen Bell

    The Brazen Bell

  • The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo

    The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo