James Drury
Acting
1934-04-18 · New York City, New York, USA
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.
Filmography
Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck
2025 · Series
The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo
2015 · Movie
Hell to Pay
2005 · Movie
The Virginian
2000 · Movie
Maverick
1994 · Movie
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993 · Series
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · Series
Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger
1993 · Movie
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
1993 · Series
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
1991 · Movie
Return to the Titanic
1981 · Movie
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
1979 · Movie
The Meanest Men in the West
1978 · Movie
Firehouse
1974 · Series
The Bull of the West
1972 · Movie
The Devil and Miss Sarah
1971 · Movie
Alias Smith and Jones
1971 · Series
Breakout
1970 · Movie
Backtrack!
1969 · Movie
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968 · Series
It Takes a Thief
1968 · Series
Ironside
1967 · Series
The Young Warriors
1967 · Movie
Hollywood Squares
1966 · Series
The Final Hour
1965 · Movie
The Brazen Bell
1964 · Movie
The Devil's Children
1962 · Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Series
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Series
The Virginian
1962 · Series
Third of a Man
1962 · Movie
Ride the High Country
1962 · Movie
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Series
Ten Who Dared
1960 · Movie
Rapids Ahead/Bear Country
1960 · Movie
Stagecoach West
1960 · Series
Pollyanna
1960 · Movie
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus
1960 · Movie
The Detectives
1959 · Series
Bourbon Street Beat
1959 · Series
The Rebel
1959 · Series
Lock-Up
1959 · Series
Black Saddle
1959 · Series
Rawhide
1959 · Series
Good Day for a Hanging
1959 · Movie
Lawman
1958 · Series
The Rifleman
1958 · Series
The Texan
1958 · Series
The Ed Wynn Show
1958 · Series
Bronco
1958 · Series
Steve Canyon
1958 · Series
Bitter Heritage
1958 · Movie
Trackdown
1957 · Series
Perry Mason
1957 · Series
Wagon Train
1957 · Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957 · Series
Bernardine
1957 · Movie
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
1957 · Series
Love Me Tender
1956 · Movie
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956 · Series
Broken Arrow
1956 · Series
The Last Wagon
1956 · Movie
Forbidden Planet
1956 · Movie
Diane
1956 · Movie
The Tender Trap
1955 · Movie
The 20th Century Fox Hour
1955 · Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955 · Series
Cheyenne
1955 · Series
Gunsmoke
1955 · Series
Blackboard Jungle
1955 · Movie
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954 · Series
Letter to Loretta
1953 · Series
The Red Skelton Show
1951 · Series
Cameo Theatre
1950 · Series
The Bob Hope Show
1950 · Series