James Drury

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James Child Drury (born 18 April 1934 in New York, New York) played the title role in the 90-minute weekly television series The Virginian from 1962 to 1971

After a series of bit parts and playing second-lead for Disney, Drury landed the part of a ranch hand on The Virginian. The show was based on Owen Wister's classic novel and the various screen versions that had been filmed since; the tall, dark, lanky Drury was probably cast due to a vague resemblance to Gary Cooper, who'd played the part in an early movie version. Drury also played the part in a refurbished version called The Men From Shiloh.

Drury also appeared in a number of movies and other TV series, including the TV cowboy reunion movie The Gambler Returns: Luck of the Draw with his co-star Doug McClure, who played Trampas for the entire run of The Virginian. Another TV series was western Alias Smith and Jones starring Pete Duel and Ben Murphy. Drury played a sheriff who used to be an outlaw. He had worked with Pete Duel twice before in two different episodes of The Virginian.

Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1991, in 1997 and 2003 he was a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the 2003 show, he was reunited with his "Virginian" co-stars Gary Clarke, Randy Boone and Roberta Shore

[edit] Personal life

Drury has been married three times: Cristall Orton from 1957 to 1964, two sons including Timothy Drury, not to be confused with Phyllis' son Tim (adopted by James) whose violent criminal past coupled with severe alcoholism has landed him in various jails and prisons for the majority of his adult life. Phyllis Mitchell, whom he married in 1968 and divorced in the mid-70's due to her alcoholism and drug abuse, inability to satisfy him sexually, poor judgement with the family's financial affairs and deplorable parenting concepts; his present wife is Carl Ann. The couple have been married for 20+ years, and reside in Houston, Texas