Cast & creator
James Drury
Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, Perry Mason
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.
Also known as: James Child Drury Jr.
33
film credits
58
television credits
90
1950–2025 · acting roles
6.8
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (91)
Showing 91 of 91 credits
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Perry Mason
Eddy King
1957
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962
Wagon Train
Justin Claiborne
1957Wagon Train
Cole Crawford
1957
Ironside
Al
1967
Have Gun, Will Travel
Tony DeVries
1957
The Rifleman
Lloyd Carpenter
1958The Rifleman
Spicer
1958
The Red Skelton Show
Auctioneer
1951
The Virginian
The "Virginian"
1962
Rawhide
Kenley
1959Rawhide
Rance
1959Rawhide
Johnny Adler
1959
Cheyenne
Bill Magruder
1955
Walker, Texas Ranger
Captain Tom Price
1993
Lawman
Clay
1958Lawman
Stan Bates
1958
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Jess McHugh
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Roy Richards
1956
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Gunsmoke
Booth Rider
1955Gunsmoke
Johnny Red
1955Gunsmoke
Jerry Cass
1955Gunsmoke
Tom
1955
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Deacon
1993Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Doctor
1993
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
The Virginian (uncredited)
1968
The Detectives
Adrian
1959
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Anton Cavrek
1955
The Texan
Johnny Kaler
1958
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Michael Grimes
1955
Bronco
John Smith
1958
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Arthur Harding
1957
Alias Smith and Jones
Sheriff Lom Trevors
1971Alias Smith and Jones
Sheriff Tankersley
1971
The Rebel
Bert Pace
1959The Rebel
Paul Travers
1959
Trackdown
John Ward
1957
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Ethan Emerson
1993
Lock-Up
Frank Crotty
1959
Hollywood Squares
Self
1966
Black Saddle
Neal Adams
1959
It Takes a Thief
Mr. Clifton
1968Broken Arrow
Tahzay
1956
Bourbon Street Beat
1959
The Wonderful World of Disney
Deputy Joe Monroe
1954The Wonderful World of Disney
George Dodds
1954The Wonderful World of Disney
Jim Weaver
1954
Stagecoach West
'Stace'
1960
Letter to Loretta
Tony
1953Letter to Loretta
Bob Prentiss
1953
Steve Canyon
Lt. Richard Muller
1958
Forbidden Planet
Crewman Strong
1956
Maverick
Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
1994
Firehouse
Captain Spike Ryerson
1974
The Ed Wynn Show
1958
Ride the High Country
Billy Hammond
1962Cameo Theatre
George
1950
Love Me Tender
Ray Reno
1956
Blackboard Jungle
Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
1955
Pollyanna
George Dodds
1960
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw
Jim
1991
Titanic: Secrets of the Shipwreck
Self (archive footage)
2025
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus
Jim Weaver
1960
The Meanest Men in the West
The Range Boss (The Virginian)
1978
The Last Wagon
Lt. Kelly
1956
The Tender Trap
Eddie
1955
The Bull of the West
Man from Virginia
1972
Good Day for a Hanging
Paul Ridgely
1959
Diane
Lieutenant (uncredited)
1956
Ten Who Dared
Walter Powell
1960
The Devil and Miss Sarah
Gil Turner
1971
Walker, Texas Ranger: One Riot, One Ranger
Captain Tom Price
1993
Hell to Pay
JT Coffee
2005
The Virginian
Rider
2000
When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion
Self
1979
Backtrack!
Ramrod (archive footage)
1969
The Devil's Children
The Virginian
1962
Rapids Ahead/Bear Country
1960
Return to the Titanic
Self - Host
1981Return to the Titanic
Writer
1981
Third of a Man
Emmet
1962
Bernardine
Langley Philip Beaymont
1957
The Young Warriors
Sergeant Cooley
1967
The Brazen Bell
The Virginian
1964
The Final Hour
The Virginian
1965
Bitter Heritage
Jesse James, Jr.
1958The Cartoon Cowboys: Spirit of the Alamo
Buffalo Bill Cody (voice)/"The Mysterious Traveler" (voice)
2015
Breakout
Joe Baker
1970