You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Back in the day, my family members were huge fans of “The Virginian.” Recently we wondered what became of its lead actor, James Drury, since none of us could recall seeing him in other movies or TV shows.
A: Drury had a string of roles of various sizes before the 1962 premiere of “The Virginian,” where he was the title character — with no other name. Those earlier roles included Disney films “Toby Tyler” and “Pollyanna” and the classic Western “Ride the High Country.” He continued with “The Virginian” and its renamed version “The Men from Shiloh,” which ended in 1971. Following that, he guest-starred in series such as “Alias Smith and Jones,” “Walker, Texas Ranger,” and “The Fall Guy.” He also starred in the TV series “Firehouse,” which aired for a few months in 1974. In a 2018 interview cited by The New York Times, Drury said, “I had a great deal of issues getting past being seen as the man in the black hat.” But he found some satisfaction off-screen, including in the oil and gas business. He died in 2020 at the age of 85.
