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James Drury
Acting
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 Cristal…
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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.
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BODY OF WORK
James Drury's Filmography
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No Poster
The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo
as Buffalo Bill Cody (voice)/"The Mysterious Traveler" (voice)
Hell to Pay
as JT Coffee
The Virginian
as Rider
Maverick
as Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger
as Captain Tom Price
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
as Jim
Return to the Titanic
as Self - Host
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
as Self
The Meanest Men in the West
as The Range Boss (The Virginian)
The Bull of the West
as Man from Virginia
The Devil and Miss Sarah
as Gil Turner
Breakout
as Joe Baker
Backtrack!
as Ramrod (archive footage)
The Young Warriors
as Sergeant Cooley
The Final Hour
as The Virginian
The Brazen Bell
as The Virginian
The Devil's Children
as The Virginian
Third of a Man
as Emmet
Ride the High Country
as Billy Hammond
Ten Who Dared
as Walter Powell
Rapids Ahead/Bear Country
Pollyanna
as George Dodds
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus
as Jim Weaver
Good Day for a Hanging
as Paul Ridgely
Bitter Heritage
as Jesse James, Jr.
Bernardine
as Langley Philip Beaymont
Love Me Tender
as Ray Reno
The Last Wagon
as Lt. Kelly
Forbidden Planet
as Crewman Strong
Diane
as Lieutenant (uncredited)
The Tender Trap
as Eddie
Blackboard Jungle
as Hospital Attendant (uncredited)