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James Drury is a Actor American born on 18 april 1934 at New York City (USA)

James Drury

James Drury
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Birth name James Child Drury
Nationality USA
Birth 18 april 1934 at New York City (USA)
Death 6 april 2020 (at 85 years)

James Child Drury, Jr. (born April 18, 1934), is an American actor probably best known for his success in playing the title role in the 90-minute weekly Western television series The Virginian, broadcast on NBC from 1962–1971.

Biography

Drury was born in New York City, where his father James, Sr., was a New York University professor of marketing. He grew up in both New York and Oregon. Drury contracted polio at the age of ten.

In 1959, Drury was cast as Harding, Jr., in the episode "Murder at the Mansion" of the David Janssen CBS crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective. John Hoyt played Harding, Sr., with Frank Ferguson as Capt. Hoyt.

On May 9, 1959, early in his career, Drury appeared as Neal Adams in the episode "Client Neal Adams" of ABC's western series Black Saddle. In the story line, Adams is an old friend of series protagonist Clay Culhane, a gunfighter-turned-lawyer played by Peter Breck. Adams has robbed a bank of $8,000 and was subsequently shot in the back by a pursuing bounty hunter, played by Charles Aidman. Adams asks Culhane for help and makes the false claim that the bounty hunter is the brother of a man whom Adams had earlier killed in self-defense. From the start, Marshal Gib Scott, played by Russell Johnson, doubts Adams' story and questions Culhane's judgment in the matter.

In 1960, Drury appeared in different roles in two episodes, "Fair Game" and "Vindication" of another ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams as a Confederate adventurer roaming through the post-Civil War American West.

On November 16, 1960, Drury delivered a solid performance as young pioneer Justin Claiborne in the episode "The Bleymier Story" of NBC's Wagon Train, broadcast just days after the death of series lead Ward Bond. Robert Horton as the scout Flint McCullough struggles to get a wagon train through a Sioux burial ground. Dan Duryea played the mentally unstable Samuel Bleymier who is obsessed by demons and superstitions. Bleymier also opposes the interest shown by Claiborne to his daughter, Belle, portrayed by Elen Willard. The episode is filmed mostly during heavy rains, high winds, and a cyclone.

In 1960, Drury portrayed Joe Darle in the episode "Wall of Silence" of the ABC/Warner Brothers detective series, Bourbon Street Beat, set in New Orleans and starring Andrew Duggan.

He made a memorable guest appearance on the CBS drama series Perry Mason in 1961, as he played the role of musician and defendant Eddy King in "The Case of the Missing Melody," with Raymond Burr.

Drury played in secondary roles for Walt Disney. In 1962, he was cast in a substantial role as a lascivious gold prospector in the early Sam Peckinpah western Ride the High Country. In the same year, Drury landed the top-billed leading role of the ranch foreman on The Virginian, a lavish series which ran for nine seasons. The show was based on Owen Wister's classic novel, and the various screen versions that had been filmed since. It has been rumored that Drury was possibly cast because of a vague resemblance to Gary Cooper, who had played the part in an early film version. Director Andrew J. Fenady stated that Drury was offered the lead role in the series because of his impressive performance in an unsuccessful television pilot The Yank that was inspired by Nick Adams' The Rebel, on which Drury had guest starred twice. In the series, as in the novel, the actual name of "The Virginian" is never revealed. Drury's costars on The Virginian included Lee J. Cobb, Doug McClure, Randy Boone, Roberta Shore, Gary Clarke, Clu Gulager, Diane Roter and toward the end of the run, Tim Matheson.

The Virginian was one of the few 90-minute series on television in the 1960s. It running time, plus high number of episodes per season (up to 30), created challenges with the shooting schedule. In a 2013 interview, James Drury recalled:

"The majority of...episodes were shot in eight days. When we started out, they took about ten days. They decided they couldn't afford that much time because we aired the episodes every five days (excluding weekends). To keep up with the airing schedule, we had to run multiple units--as many as four or five different episodes filming at the same time. I would ride my horse or take the studio limousine back and forth between the sets to do my two line piece in one episode, ten pages of dialogue in another episode, do a cattle drive in another episode, a wild horse drive in another, and then a gunfight and a robbery in yet another episode. I had to keep everything straight and it was absolutely no problem and a joy to do. I would do it all over again tomorrow."

In 1993, Drury had a guest-starring role as Captain Tom Price on the first three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, opposite Chuck Norris and Clarence Gilyard. Drury also had a cameo role in the 2000 TV movie of The Virginian starring Bill Pullman. The film followed Wister's novel more closely than had the television series. Drury appeared in a number of films and other television programs, including The Young Warriors and the TV cowboy reunion movie The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw with Doug McClure, who played the character Trampas during The Virginian.

In 1991, Drury was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. 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.

Drury was in the oil and natural gas business in Houston at the turn of the 21st century. His son, Timothy Drury, is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist who has played with the rock groups The Eagles and Whitesnake. Drury was a close friend of the Houston marksman Joe Bowman, who trained numerous actors on how to use weapons. Drury is also the longtime best friend of both Robert Horton and Robert Fuller, since 1954, where the three met while under contract at MGM Studios. Together (along with Horton, until his final appearance in 2011), they attend the annual Festival of The West in Scottsdale, Arizona, among other Western Festivals. He also was a longtime friend of James Best, an actor and acting coach eight years Drury's senior. He and Best met in 1965 on the set of The Virginian. Best died in April, 2015.

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of James Drury (15 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Maverick
Maverick (1994)
, 2h7
Directed by Richard Donner
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure, Western
Themes Jeu, Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Poker
Actors Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner, Graham Greene, Alfred Molina, James Coburn
Roles Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
Rating69% 3.499133.499133.499133.499133.49913
The story, set in the American Old West, is a first-person account by wisecracking gambler Bret Maverick (Mel Gibson) of his misadventures on the way to a major five-card draw poker tournament. Besides wanting to win the tournament for the prize money, he also wants to prove, once and for all, that he is the best card player of his time.
The Gambler, 4h
Directed by Dick Lowry
Origin USA
Genres Western
Themes Musical films
Actors Kenny Rogers, Rick Rossovich, Christine Belford, Gene Barry, Bruce Boxleitner, Reba McEntire
Roles Jim
Rating62% 3.148693.148693.148693.148693.14869
Kenny Rogers stars comme Brady Hawkes, en tant que joueur titulaire, se lance dans un voyage pour rencontrer un fils qu'il n'a jamais connu après que ce dernier lui envoie une lettre. Sur le chemin, Brady rencontre Billy Montana (Bruce Boxleitner) et les deux deviennent amis. Billy (en essayant d'aider Brady dans sa quête) croit se sentir comme un joueur de poker professionnel lui-même. Bien que Billy fait des erreurs le long du chemin (certains d'entre eux comprennent: essayer de trouver un moyen de tricher ou faire parler lisse), Brady assure qu'il reste sur un bon comportement lors d'un trajet en train de Yuma, CA. La prostituée aide duo Jennie Reed (Lee Purcell) qui a du mal avec un baron de train. A la fin, le beau-père du fils de Brady (Clu Gulager) est confronté.
The Young Warriors, 1h33
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War
Themes Political films
Actors James Drury, Norman Fell, Robert Pine, Buck Young, Kent McCord
Roles Sergeant Cooley
Rating55% 2.770362.770362.770362.770362.77036
Europe: 1944. A group of replacements are assigned to Sgt Cooley's squad and sent into battle. Initially frightened, Hacker grows to love killing but loses that feeling as well. He is promoted to Corporal and later given his own squad.
Ride the High Country, 1h34
Directed by Sam Peckinpah
Origin USA
Genres Action, Western
Actors Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Mariette Hartley, Edgar Buchanan, L. Q. Jones, John Davis Chandler
Roles Billy Hammond
Rating73% 3.6966253.6966253.6966253.6966253.696625
In the early years of the twentieth century, an aging ex-lawman, Steve Judd (Joel McCrea), is hired to guard a shipment of gold from a high country mining camp to the town of Hornitos, California. Six miners were recently murdered trying to transport their gold on the one trail leading down from the crest of the Sierra Nevada. In his prime, Judd was a tough and respected lawman, but now his threadbare clothes and spectacles serve as reminders that he is long past his prime. Judd enlists the help of his old friend and partner Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott) to guard the gold shipment. Gil, who makes his living passing himself off as a legendary sharpshooter named The Oregon Kid, enlists the help of his young sidekick, Heck Longtree (Ron Starr).
Pollyanna
Pollyanna (1960)
, 2h14
Directed by David Swift
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Adventure
Themes Films about children, Children's films
Actors Hayley Mills, Jane Wyman, Karl Malden, Richard Egan, Adolphe Menjou, Agnes Moorehead
Roles George Dodds
Rating73% 3.695993.695993.695993.695993.69599
Pollyanna, fille orpheline de missionnaires, arrive dans la petite ville de Harrington pour vivre avec sa riche tante, Polly Harrington. Pollyanna est jeune et gaie, se concentre sur la bonté de vie et, ainsi se fait de nombreux amis dans la communauté dont l'hypocondriaque M Snow et l'acide ermite M. Pendergast.
Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus, 1h36
Directed by Charles Barton
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Circus films, Children's films
Actors Kevin Corcoran, Henry Calvin, Bob Sweeney, Gene Sheldon, Richard Eastham, James Drury
Roles Jim Weaver
Rating67% 3.388963.388963.388963.388963.38896
Overhearing stern Uncle Daniel describe him as a "millstone", hurt and insulted, Toby Tyler runs away from his foster home to join the circus. There he soon befriends Mr. Stubbs, the frisky chimpanzee. However, the circus isn't all fun and games. Harry Tupper, the evil candy vendor, convinces Toby that his Aunt Olive and Uncle Daniel don't love him or want him back. Devastated, Toby resigns himself to circus life, even scoring himself a much bigger role. When he discovers, with the help of Mr. Stubbs, that Harry lied to him about Aunt Olive and Uncle Daniel, who truly do love him, he departs the circus for home. On the way, Toby finds that Mr. Stubbs has followed him, and decides to take the chimp home with him, for safe keeping. Soon after though, Mr. Stubbs gets chased by a hunter's dog. The hunter, Jim Weaver, accidentally shoots Mr. Stubbs just as Harry arrives to haul Toby back to the circus.
Ten Who Dared, 1h32
Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Adventure, Western
Themes Children's films
Actors Brian Keith, Ben Johnson, John Beal, James Drury, R.G. Armstrong, Roy Barcroft
Roles Walter Powell
Rating55% 2.7647652.7647652.7647652.7647652.764765
En 1869, John Wesley Powell se lance dans une expédition pour descendre le fleuve Colorado dans le Grand Canyon.
Good Day for a Hanging, 1h25
Directed by Nathan Juran
Origin USA
Genres Action, Western
Themes Films about capital punishment
Actors Fred MacMurray, Robert Vaughn, Margaret Hayes, Joan Blackman, James Drury, Edmon Ryan
Roles Paul Ridgely
Rating62% 3.1479953.1479953.1479953.1479953.147995
Eddie Campbell (Robert Vaughn) watches a stagecoach as it rides toward a Nebraska town. Other members of his gang are waiting there to rob the bank. Ben Cutler (Fred MacMurray), owner of the stage line, is on board, and is returning home to be wed to Ruth Granger (Margaret Hayes).
Bernardine
Bernardine (1957)
, 1h35
Directed by Henry Levin
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical
Themes Musical films, Films based on plays
Actors Pat Boone, Terry Moore, Dick Sargent, Janet Gaynor, Dean Jagger, Ernestine Wade
Roles Langley Philip Beaymont
Rating56% 2.81242.81242.81242.81242.8124
A singing teen pairs his military-officer brother with a dream-girl telephone operator new in town.
Diane
Diane (1956)
, 1h50
Directed by David Miller
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films, Histoire de France, Films about royalty
Actors Lana Turner, Pedro Armendáriz, Roger Moore, Marisa Pavan, Cedric Hardwicke, Torin Thatcher
Roles Lieutenant (uncredited)
Rating60% 3.0482953.0482953.0482953.0482953.048295
The action is set in 16th-century France. Diane de Poitiers (Lana Turner) becomes the mistress of Prince Henri (Roger Moore), second in line to the throne. Their liaison continues through Henri's arranged marriage to the Italian Catherine de' Medici (Marisa Pavan). Unknown to Catherine, her Medici relations arrange the death of the Dauphin and Henri's ascent to the throne as King Henry II. The antagonism of the two women, abetted by Medici scheming, eventually results in the death of Henri. Catherine, now ruling as regent for her three young sons, banishes Diane but spares her rival's life in a gesture of mutual respect.
Forbidden Planet, 1h38
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Space adventure films, Monde imaginaire, Théâtre, Dans l'espace, Sur une planète fictive, Films set in the future, Political films, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films, Invisibilité
Actors Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly, Richard Anderson
Roles Crewman Strong
Rating74% 3.748123.748123.748123.748123.74812
In the 23rd century, to discover the fate of an expedition sent 20 years earlier, starship C-57D reaches the distant planet Altair IV. Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), one of the expedition's scientists, contacts the starship. He states no assistance is required, warning the Earth ship away, saying he cannot guarantee their safety. Commander John Adams (Leslie Nielsen) insists on landing.
The Last Wagon, 1h38
Directed by Delmer Daves
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Western
Themes Children's films
Actors Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr, Susan Kohner, Tommy Rettig, Nick Adams, Stephanie Griffin
Roles Lt. Kelly, leader of the cavalry detachment
Rating69% 3.4932953.4932953.4932953.4932953.493295
Sheriff Bull Harper (George Mathews) is taking "Comanche" Todd (Richard Widmark), a white man who has lived most of his life among the Indians, to be tried for the murder of Harper's three brothers. The pair join a wagon train led by Colonel Normand (Douglas Kennedy). Harper's brutal treatment of Todd causes friction with some members of the wagon train. When the sheriff beats a lad for giving Todd a pipe to smoke, Todd takes advantage of the distraction to kill his tormentor with a dropped axe.
Love Me Tender, 1h29
Directed by Robert D. Webb
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Musical, Romance, Western
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Political films, Children's films
Actors Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley, Ken Clark, Neville Brand, Mildred Dunnock
Roles Ray Reno
Rating61% 3.0990253.0990253.0990253.0990253.099025
Presley plays Clint Reno, the youngest of the four Reno brothers who stays home to take care of his mother and the family farm as older brothers Vance, Brett and Ray fight in the American Civil War for the Confederate Army. The family is mistakenly informed that eldest brother Vance has been killed on the battlefield. After four years of war, the brothers return home and find that Vance's girlfriend Cathy has married Clint. Although Vance accepts this wholeheartedly ("We always wanted Cathy in the family"), the family has to struggle to reach stability with this issue. The subplot of unresolved passion carries the film; it is clear from the outset upon the Reno brothers return home that Cathy still loves Vance, although she is true to the younger Clint. Honor prevails for Vance, but jealousy turns Clint into an irrationally thinking rival for the love of the heroine.
Blackboard Jungle, 1h41
Directed by Richard Brooks
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about education, Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern, Sidney Poitier, Margaret Hayes, John Hoyt
Roles Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
Rating73% 3.69543.69543.69543.69543.6954
Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) is a new teacher at North Manual High School, an inner-city school where many of the pupils, led by student Gregory Miller (Sidney Poitier), frequently engage in anti-social behavior. Dadier makes various attempts to engage the students' interest in education, challenging both the school staff and the pupils. He is subjected to violence as well as duplicitous schemes; he first suspects Miller, but later realizes that Artie West (Vic Morrow) is the perpetrator, and challenges him in a classroom showdown.
The Tender Trap, 1h51
Directed by Charles Walters
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical theatre, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Théâtre, Musical films, Films based on plays
Actors Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, David Wayne, Celeste Holm, Lola Albright, Carolyn Jones
Roles Eddie
Rating62% 3.148453.148453.148453.148453.14845
Charlie Y. Reader (Frank Sinatra) is a 35-year-old theatrical agent in New York, living a seemingly idyllic life as a bachelor. Numerous women – among them Poppy (Lola Albright), Helen (Carolyn Jones), and Jessica (Jarma Lewis) – come and go, cleaning and cooking for him.