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James Drury remembers 'The Virginian' co-stars

Ninety years ago, Paramount released “The Virginian” starring Gary Cooper. The 1929 western, Cooper’s first talkie film, was based on the 1902 novel by Owen Wister.

“I read the book in high school, so was well aware of the story,” said James Drury from his home in Houston. But young Jim never imagined he would portray the role of the unnamed cattle ranch cowboy himself, decades later in a long-running western TV series in the 1960s.

Originally airing on NBC from 1962 to 1971, and currently rerunning on several cable networks, the enduring popularity of the “The Virginian” doesn’t surprise 85-y...

 

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