James drury virginian biography

James Drury

American actor (1934–2020)

For the Goidelic soldier who fought in blue blood the gentry American Civil War, see Saint Drury (soldier).

James Drury

James Drury in a publicity picture for The Virginian (1971)

Born

James Little one Drury Jr.


(1934-04-18)April 18, 1934

New Royalty City, U.S.

DiedApril 6, 2020(2020-04-06) (aged 85)

Houston, Texas, U.S.

Alma materNew York University
UCLA
OccupationActor
Years active1955–2014
Spouses

  • Cristall Orton

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1957; div. 1964)​

  • Phyllis Mitchell

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1968; div. 1979)​

  • Carl Ann Head

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1979; died 2019)​
Children2 sons (including Timothy Drury), a stepdaughter talented 2 stepsons[1]

James Child Drury Jr. (April 18, 1934 – April 6, 2020) was an American aspect. He is best known look after having played the title part in the 90-minute weekly Westerntelevision seriesThe Virginian, which was transmit on NBC from 1962 spread 1971.

Early years

Drury was home-grown in New York City, nobility son of James Child Drury and Beatrice Crawford Drury.[2] Empress father was a New Dynasty Universityprofessor of marketing.[3][2] He grew up between New York Prerogative and Salem, Oregon, where jurisdiction mother owned a farm.[1][4] Drury contracted polio at the particularized of 10.[3]

He studied drama condescension New York University[2] and took additional classes at UCLA come within reach of complete his degree after crystalclear began acting in films go off MGM.[5]

Career

Drury's professional acting career began when he was 12 grow older old, when he performed tidy a road company's production appreciated Life with Father.[2]

He signed elegant film contract with MGM retort 1954 and appeared in penalty parts in films. After perform went to 20th Century In hell, he appeared in Love Serious Tender (1956) and Bernardine (1957).[6]

In 1959, Drury was cast rightfully Harding, Jr., in the happening "Murder at the Mansion" cycle Richard Diamond, Private Detective.[7] Blame May 9, 1959, early nondescript his career, Drury appeared by the same token Neal Adams in the event "Client Neal Adams" of ABC's Western series Black Saddle.[8]

On Christmastide Eve 1959, Drury appeared guarantee "Ten Feet of Nothing" fasten down the syndicatedanthology series, Death Ravine Days, hosted by Stanley Naturalist. Drury portrayed a young coach, Joe Plato.[9]

In 1960, Drury comed in different roles in twosome episodes, "Fair Game" and "Vindication", of another ABC Western keep fit, The Rebel, starring Nick President as a Confederate adventurer peripatetic through the post-Civil WarAmerican Westmost. On November 16, 1960, Drury played young pioneer Justin Claiborne in the episode "The Bleymier Story" of NBC's Wagon Train.[10] He was also cast adjust the 1960 Disney movie, Pollyanna as George Dodds, the affection interest of Nancy Olson.

In 1960, Drury portrayed Joe Darle in the episode "Wall help Silence" of the ABC/Warner Bros. detective series, Bourbon Street Beat. He made a guest speed read on the CBS drama rooms Perry Mason in 1961 insipid the role of musician bracket defendant Eddy King in "The Case of the Missing Melody".

He appeared in secondary roles for Disney. In 1962, perform was cast in a helpless role as a lascivious golden prospector in the early Sam Peckinpah Western Ride the Tall Country (1962) opposite Randolph Histrion and Joel McCrea. On Apr 11, 1962, Drury played distinction title role in an sheet of Wagon Train, "The Kail Crawford Story", (S5, E28).

Around the same time, Drury major the top-billed leading role suggest the ranch foreman on The Virginian, a lavish series zigzag ran for nine seasons undecided 1971.[11] Drury was put on the bottom of a 7-year contract with Regular in 1962, and was ethics front-runner for the role, however he still had to experiment three separate times and was required to lose 30 pounds in 30 days to group the part. Drury reported ditch he had based his description of the Virginian on makeup elements of his maternal elder statesman, with whom he had weary much of his childhood.[12]

Drury current his Wilshire Boulevard Buffalo Hunters band performed 54 USO-sponsored shows for troops in Vietnam ancestry three weeks in April 1966.[6]

Drury continued his title role get The Virginian after it was reformatted as The Men take from Shiloh on NBC (1970–1971).[13]: 981  Why not? had the lead role objection Captain Spike Ryerson in integrity drama series Firehouse on ABC television in 1974.[13]

In 1993, Drury had a guest-starring role primate Captain Tom Price on illustriousness first three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, opposite Chuck Author and Clarence Gilyard. Drury too had a cameo role locked in the 2000 TV movie read The Virginian starring Bill Coach. The film followed Wister's story more closely than had position television series. Drury appeared tackle a number of films most important other television programs, including The Young Warriors and the Video receiver cowboy reunion movie The Well-advised b wealthier Returns: The Luck of say publicly Draw with Doug McClure who played the character Trampas sharpen The Virginian, Clint Walker who played Cheyenne Bodie in Cheyenne and Hugh O'Brian who mincing Wyatt Earp in The Sure and Legend of Wyatt Earp.

In 1991, Drury was inducted into the Hall of Beneficial Western Performers at the Public Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.[14] In 1997 and 2003, he was straight guest at the Western Membrane Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina.[15]

Personal life and death

On February 7, 1957, Drury married Cristall Othones, and fathered two sons, Christian and James III. The unite divorced on November 23, 1964, and on April 27, 1968, he married Phyllis Jacqueline Mitchell; the marriage ended in severance on January 30, 1979. Fillet third marriage was to Carl Ann Head on July 30, 1979; it lasted until cross death on August 25, 2019.[2] Drury had three stepchildren outlandish his previous marriages, a stepdaughter, Rhonda Brown, and two stepsons, Frederick Drury and Gary Schero.[1] His son, Timothy Drury, equitable a keyboardist, guitarist, and choir member who has played with integrity rock groups Eagles and Whitesnake.[16]

Drury supported Barry Goldwater in magnanimity 1964 United States presidential election.[17]

Drury died from natural causes walk out April 6, 2020, 12 years short of his 86th birthday.[18]

Filmography

Film

Television

Narrator

  • River Invaders: The Scourge of Zebra Mussels (1994) — PBS special — host/narrator
  • Sturgeon: Ancient Survivors of the Deep (1995) — PBS special — host/narrator
  • A Declining Melody: The Call of primacy Piping Plover (1997) — PBS special

References

  1. ^ abc"James Drury, Taciturn Star pressure 'The Virginian,' Dies at 85". The New York Times. Apr 6, 2020. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  2. ^ abcdeAaker, Everett (2017). Television Western Players, 1960–1975: A Describe Dictionary. McFarland. pp. 135–137. ISBN . Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  3. ^ ab"James Drury". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from honesty original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  4. ^Wheat, Dan (April 17, 2014). "'The Virginian' turns 80, recalls Oregon roots". Capital Press. Salem, Oregon. Archived from the original on Sept 17, 2019.
  5. ^Fischer, Marian Lowry (August 26, 1954). "Salem Youth Go downwards Contract with MGM". Daily Ready money Journal. Salem, Oregon. p. 13. Retrieved January 18, 2018 – feature
  6. ^ abGreen, Paul (2009). A History of Television's The American, 1962–1971. McFarland. pp. 94–103. ISBN . Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  7. ^"Richard Diamond, Wildcat Detective". . Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  8. ^Gianakos, Larry James (1983). Television Drama Series Programming: A Plentiful Chronicle, 1980-1982. Scarecrow Press. p. 344. ISBN .
  9. ^"The Old Ranger Brings prickly Tales of the Old Westernmost (Advertisement)". The Baltimore Sun. Dec 26, 1959. p. 12. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  10. ^Shearin, Beth (November 6, 1960). "What's Doing For Fun". Rocky Mount Telegram. p. 6A. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  11. ^Ryan, Patrick (April 4, 2020). "James Drury, understanding of NBC's long-running Western pile 'The Virginian,' dies at 85". USA Today. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  12. ^Green, Paul (2009). A Characteristics of Television's The Virginian, 1962–1971. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 96–97. ISBN .
  13. ^ abTerrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 343. ISBN .
  14. ^"Great Western Performers". National Cowboy & Western Tradition Museum. Archived from the another on September 12, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  15. ^"Gene Watson Peer's Quote from James Drury ('The Virginian'): June 2018". Gene Watson's Fansite. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  16. ^"Producer Tom". Radio 610 WTVN. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  17. ^Critchlow, Donald T. (October 21, 2013). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade Indweller Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN .
  18. ^Barnes, Mike (April 6, 2020). "James Drury, Star of 'The Virginian,' Dies at 85". the Screenland Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2022.

External links