James Drury Net Worth
James Drury Net Worth is
$1.5 Million
James Drury Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
James Child Drury, Jr., 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. | Full Name | James Drury |
| Net Worth | $1.5 Million |
| Date Of Birth | April 18, 1934 |
| Place Of Birth | New York City, New York, United States |
| Height | 6 ft (1.83 m) |
| Profession | Businessperson, Actor |
| Education | New York University |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Spouse | Carl Ann Head (m. 1979), Phyllis Mitchell (m. 1968–1979), Cristall Orton (m. 1957–1964) |
| Children | Timothy Drury |
| Parents | James Drury, Sr. |
| Nicknames | James Child Drury , James Child Drury, Jr. |
| Movies | Ride the High Country, Pollyanna, Love Me Tender, Forbidden Planet, Ten Who Dared, The Young Warriors, The Last Wagon, The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, Toby Tyler, Good Day for a Hanging, The Bull of the West, When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion, The Meanest Men in the West, Backtrack... |
| TV Shows | Firehouse, The Virginian |
| Star Sign | Aries |
| # | Trademark |
|---|---|
| 1 | Smoky, gravelly voice. |
| 2 | His Virginian character. |
| # | Quote |
|---|---|
| 1 | I've been riding horses since I was in diapers. My grandfather put me on his Belgian plow horse when I was just a toddler. The animal was so broad, my legs stuck straight out on both sides like I was doing the splits. It's one of my earliest memories. |
| 2 | [About his hometown]: Texas has been good to me. I've worked with many great horse trainers here and up through Oklahoma. I love it all - the dust, the sweat, the sunshine and the smell of the horses. |
| 3 | I was able to accomplish just about everything I set out to do as an actor. |
| 4 | [As to why it was impossible for himself to appear in each and every episode of The Virginian (1962)]: 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. |
| 5 | I started acting at age eight. I was forced to do a play in Manhattan and was cast as King Henry in a bible play. When people began clapping at the end of the play, I realized there was nothing I wanted more than to be on the stage. |
| 6 | [When he began as an unfamiliar actor]: I signed a contract with 20th century fox and did a series of films with them, was Love Me Tender with Elvis Presley. That was a great moment. |
| 7 | [Who spent most of his childhood in both New York and Oregon]: I was under care of my maternal grandfather who had come west with a wagon train when he was about 16. He told me about the Indians fights the wagon train was involved in and all the other different things that happened. So I had a real pipeline into the Old West. |
| 8 | [on his Texas residence]: Texas has been good to me. I've worked with many great horse trainers here and up through Oklahoma. I love it all - the dust, the sweat, the sunshine and the smell of the horses. |
| 9 | [about the popularity of The Virginian (1962)]: It was the first 90-minute Western on TV, and that gave our writers an opportunity to explore detailed stories," he said. "It was like doing a movie every week. We also had a wonderful cast of continuing characters, and with the great writing, the finest actors in Hollywood wanted guest starring roles - George C. Scott, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Robert Redford come to mind. Every day I'd go off to the set excited about the wonderful actors I'd be working with. |
| 10 | [Of Robert Fuller] He's really a magnificent, gifted actor and a fine professional, and he was able to work with these people very effectively in all those different series that he did, and I had nothing but admiration for him; he's one of my best friends, so it's nice that we're still in contact and quite often. |
| 11 | [on giving out acting advice] I think it's more of a question than listening to the other actors, because if you listen, they want to find out what you're going to do. By no means, trying to upstage anyone or anything like that, just listening to what they're saying and the eyes will come because of the anticipation, it's what you're going to respond. |
| 12 | [When asked if he knew Julie London through his best friend Robert Fuller] No, I had known Bobby Troup, her husband, very well, [we'd] done several shows together. But I never really knew Julie, except just to meet her. Bobby [Fuller] became their very lifelong friend . . . but I never spent any time on the road with her, [although] I think Bobby Fuller did. Bobby Troup and I did Perry Mason (1957) and we did several other shows before he ever started Emergency! (1972). It was a family affair on "Emergency!" except for Fuller, and he didn't really want to do a modern show, he wanted to do another western, but Jack Webb [the producer of "Emergency!"] talked him into it or insisted that he do it, and he was [eventually] very happy, because it was a great success and he had a wonderful time with Julie London and . . . Bobby Troup. |
| 13 | [on the death of Doug McClure] He was very instrumental in the success of the show and probably the best friend I ever had, and we lost him. He died too young, he was only 59, but you think about him everyday. |
| 14 | Owen Wister designed the character in 1902 when he came out with the novel, without a name. So you automatically assumed 'The Virginian' has some secrets [he'd rather not divulge], and there's an aura [that an] actor who plays the part carries with him as he comes through the door. |
| 15 | I was a brand-new contract player at MGM in 1954, and I was 20 years old, and the studio undertook to make a property called "Raintree County" [eventually made as Raintree County (1957)], with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. And I wanted the Montgomery Clift role much, and I told everybody about it that I wanted to play. I read the book, and I thought it was a wonderful role and I wanted to play. Obviously, nobody listened to me, Montgomery Clift played the role, and did a great job, but I always regretted that I didn't get a chance at that, because I like the property, the property gave me goosebumps when I read it, and I wanted to participate putting it on film. It was not to be and I had no regrets about it. I was very disappointed at the time that I couldn't make any headway, but that's the way life is. |
| 16 | [referring to his title role on The Virginian (1962)] Nobody knows the name of my character. Not even me. |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Friends with: Robert Fuller, John Smith, Doug McClure, Adam West, Alan Hale Jr., Michael Landon, James Arness, Clu Gulager, James Best, Denver Pyle, Chuck Norris, Bobby Troup, Beverly Garland, Clint Walker, Andy Griffith, Larry Hagman, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Lorne Greene, Don Collier, Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Lee Majors, Brian Keith, Peter Mark Richman, Claude Akins, Hugh O'Brian, Chuck Courtney, Robert Horton, Alex Cord, Abby Dalton, Ruta Lee, Chuck Connors, Robert Crawford Jr. and his brother Johnny Crawford, Yul Brynner, James Gregory, Raymond Burr, Joel McCrea, John McIntire, Terry Wilson, Denny Miller, Bernie Kopell, Dan Haggerty, Roberta Shore, Julie Adams, L.Q. Jones and Robert Conrad. |
| 2 | Credits Lee J. Cobb as his favorite acting mentor/best friend. |
| 3 | He is widely known to be a social butterfly. |
| 4 | He is a staunch Republican. |
| 5 | Surrogate son of Lee J. Cobb. |
| 6 | His acting mentor was the late Lee J. Cobb. |
| 7 | Went to college with Bernie Kopell. |
| 8 | Has been riding horses since birth. |
| 9 | Since 1976 he has resided in Houston, TX. |
| 10 | Despite staying on The Virginian (1962) for the entire run, it was impossible for both Drury and Doug McClure to appear in all 249 episodes, because it was a 90-minute show. |
| 11 | Met Robert Horton and Robert Fuller when the three were under contract at MGM in 1954. |
| 12 | His idols when he was very young were Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea and Jane Wyman. |
| 13 | Guest-starred on the first three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger (1993). |
| 14 | He was a guest at the 2012 Memphis Film Festival's "A Gathering of Guns 4: A TV Western Reunion" at the Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center in Olive Branch, Mississippi. |
| 15 | Best known by the public for his starring role as the title character in The Virginian (1962). |
| 16 | The son of a New York University professor of marketing, he was born in New York City but later grew up on a ranch in Oregon where he developed an affinity for horses and the outdoor life. |
| 17 | In 1997 and 2003 he was a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, NC. At the 2003 show he was reunited with The Virginian (1962) cast members Gary Clarke, Randy Boone, and Roberta Shore. |
| 18 | Son Timothy Drury is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist who has played with The Eagles and is a member of the British group Whitesnake. |
| 19 | Settled in Houston in the mid-1970s and has been in and out of the oil and natural gas business since. |
| 20 | Recorded a series of novels by acclaimed western author Kirby Jonas for a books-on-tape company called Books in Motion. |
| 21 | Trained as a classical actor at New York University by perform in works by such writers as William Shakespeare to George Bernard Shaw, he eventually relocated to California. |
| 22 | In 1971 he appeared in Finland for four appearances in different Mid-Summer festivals. At the time he was very popular there after having been in the TV series The Virginian (1962). He was told that kind of reception he got in Finland was like Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra got in the US. |
| 23 | Father of Timothy Drury, musician. |
| 24 | Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1991. |
| 25 | Following bit parts in films in the late '50s, he became a "second lead" for Disney until winning the title role of The Virginian (1962). |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | 1959 | TV Series | Deputy Joe Monroe |
| Zane Grey Theater | 1958-1959 | TV Series | Roy Richards / Jess McHugh |
| Good Day for a Hanging | 1959 | Paul Ridgely | |
| Bronco | 1958 | TV Series | John Smith |
| Flight | 1958 | TV Series | |
| The Texan | 1958 | TV Series | Johnny Kaler |
| The Silent Service | 1958 | TV Series | Masters |
| Bitter Heritage | 1958 | TV Movie | Jesse James, Jr. |
| Decision | 1958 | TV Series | The Virginian |
| The Walter Winchell File | 1958 | TV Series | Eddie Perkins |
| Man Without a Gun | 1958 | TV Series | Cort Hamish |
| Broken Arrow | 1958 | TV Series | Tahzay |
| Playhouse 90 | 1958 | TV Series | Jesse James |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | 1958 | TV Series | Michael Grimes |
| Bernardine | 1957 | Lt. Langley Beaumont | |
| Love Me Tender | 1956 | Ray Reno | |
| The Last Wagon | 1956 | Lt. Kelly | |
| Forbidden Planet | 1956 | Crewman Strong | |
| The 20th Century-Fox Hour | 1956 | TV Series | Anton Cavrek |
| Diane | 1956 | Lieutenant (uncredited) | |
| The Tender Trap | 1955 | Eddie | |
| Cameo Theatre | 1955 | TV Series | |
| Love Me or Leave Me | 1955 | Assistant Director (uncredited) | |
| Blackboard Jungle | 1955 | Hospital Attendant (uncredited) | |
| Billy and the Bandit | TV Movie post-production | Grandpa | |
| Hell to Pay | 2005 | JT Coffee | |
| The Virginian | 2000 | TV Movie | Rider |
| Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | 1995-1996 | TV Series | Doctor / Deacon |
| Maverick | 1994 | Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited) | |
| The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. | 1993-1994 | TV Series | Ethan Emerson |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | 1993 | TV Series | Captain Tom Price |
| The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw | 1991 | TV Movie | Jim |
| The All American Cowboy | 1985 | TV Movie | Host / Marshal |
| The Fall Guy | 1983 | TV Series | The Virginian |
| Firehouse | 1974 | TV Series | Captain Spike Ryerson |
| Alias Smith and Jones | 1971-1972 | TV Series | Sheriff Tankersley / Sheriff Lom Trevors |
| The Devil and Miss Sarah | 1971 | TV Movie | Gil Turner |
| Ironside | 1971 | TV Series | Al |
| The Virginian | 1962-1971 | TV Series | The Virginian |
| The Red Skelton Hour | 1971 | TV Series | Auctioneer |
| Breakout | 1970 | TV Movie | Joe Baker |
| It Takes a Thief | 1968 | TV Series | Mr. Clifton, Ticket Agent |
| The Young Warriors | 1966 | Sergeant Cooley | |
| Ride the High Country | 1962 | Billy Hammond | |
| Third of a Man | 1962 | Emmet | |
| Wagon Train | 1960-1962 | TV Series | Cole Crawford / Justin Claiborne |
| The Detectives | 1962 | TV Series | Adrian |
| Perry Mason | 1961 | TV Series | Eddy King |
| Rawhide | 1959-1961 | TV Series | Rance / Johnny Adler / Kenley |
| Stagecoach West | 1961 | TV Series | Stace |
| The Rifleman | 1958-1961 | TV Series | Spicer / Lloyd Carpenter |
| Michael Shayne | 1961 | TV Series | Eddie |
| The Loretta Young Show | 1960-1961 | TV Series | Bob Prentiss / Tony |
| Gunsmoke | 1955-1961 | TV Series | Tom / Johnny Red / Jerry Cass / ... |
| The Rebel | 1960 | TV Series | Paul Travers / Bert Pace |
| Ten Who Dared | 1960 | Walter Powell | |
| Pollyanna | 1960 | George Dodds | |
| Bourbon Street Beat | 1960 | TV Series | Joe Darle |
| Lock Up | 1960 | TV Series | Frank Crotty |
| Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus | 1960 | Jim Weaver | |
| Men Into Space | 1960 | TV Series | Maj. Nick Alborg |
| The Yank | 1960 | TV Movie | Mathew Dorn |
| Death Valley Days | 1959 | TV Series | Joe Plato |
| Cheyenne | 1959 | TV Series | Bill Magruder |
| Steve Canyon | 1959 | TV Series | Lt. Richard Muller |
| Black Saddle | 1959 | TV Series | Neal Adams |
| Lawman | 1959 | TV Series | Clay / Stan Bates |
| Richard Diamond, Private Detective | 1959 | TV Series | Harding Jr. |
| Trackdown | 1959 | TV Series | John Ward |
| Have Gun - Will Travel | 1959 | TV Series | Tony DeVries |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the Bunkhouse with Red Steagall | 2009 | TV Series | Himself |
| Way Out West | 1996 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion | 1979 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Mel Tillis Time | 1974 | TV Series | Himself |
| Mies Shiloh'sta | 1971 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| The Hollywood Squares | 1967-1970 | TV Series | Himself - Panelist |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1968-1970 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The David Frost Show | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| Laugh-In | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Bob Hope Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
| Dateline: Hollywood | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
| That Regis Philbin Show | 1965 | TV Series | Himself |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 | 1999 | TV Special documentary | Himself (uncredited) |
| The Meanest Men in the West | 1978 | TV Movie | The Range Boss (The Virginian) |
| America at the Movies | 1976 | Documentary | Billy Hammond (uncredited) |
| The Bull of the West | 1972 | TV Movie | Man from Virginia |
| Backtrack! | 1969 | Ramrod | |
| Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | 1963-1968 | TV Series | George Dodds / Jim Weaver / Walter Powell |
| The Final Hour | 1965 | The Virginian | |
| The Devil's Children | 1962 | The Virginian | |
| The Brazen Bell | 1962 | The Virginian | |
| Frontier Justice | 1958 | TV Series | Jess McHugh |
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Golden Boot | Golden Boot Awards | ||
| 1966 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Fictional Television Drama | The Virginian (1962) |
Known for movies
The Virginian (1962-1971)
as The Virginian
Forbidden Planet (1956)
as Crewman Strong
Ride the High Country (1962)
as Billy Hammond
Pollyanna (1960)
as George Dodds