JAMES DRURY 18 APRIL, 1934 - 6 APRIL, 2020

 

The actor James Drury was born on this day (18 April, 1934).  He died at 85 on 6 April, 2020.

His early on screen appearances were bit parts, sometimes uncredited, and small roles.  He built up a CV of guest starring parts in many TV shows, mainly westerns, including Bronco, Have Gun - Will Travel, Lawman, Cheyenne, Death Valley Days, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Alias Smith and Jones and many more.

He also had suit-and-tie parts in Richard Diamond: Private Detective, Perry Mason, Ironside and The Detectives amongst others.

I remember him in a great western, Ride the High Country (1959), directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring two megastars, Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott.  

Of course, his biggest claim to fame was The Virginian, starring in 249 episodes from 1962 to 1971.  He had made a pilot in 1958, playing the same character, but it flopped.

The Virginian was the third longest western TV show after Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

So, today, I am happy to salute James Drury.

Here's a link to his screen CV:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238628/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_q_James%2520Drury