Lee Ryan finally meets her girlhood western hero, James Drury.
I think we all had a crush on some Hollywood hunk, when we were young. For the boys, it was typically the male star that they wanted to grow up to be like. For the girls, it was the male star that they wanted to grow up and marry. For me, it was James Drury of "The Virginian" television series.
Being raised in Montana, it isn't surprising that I'd pick a cowboy figure; but it was more than that. Not only was James Drury wildly good-looking, he had a rich smooth voice and the most phenomenal eyebrows. Oh yes, I'm an eyebrow fancier from way back!
What a thrill, when I found out that I was going to get to do an on-camera interview with my childhood heartthrob. Of course, I'd have to travel to Medicine Bow, Wyoming (in the middle of nowhere) for The Virginian Hotel's 100th Anniversary celebration to do it.
I must admit that I had mixed feelings about coming face-to-face with Jim Drury. You never know the truth of a person, until you spend time with them and see them in all circ*mstances. And I must say that I certainly got that opportunity. You see, Jim needed a personal assistant while he was in Wyoming, so I saddled up and took the reigns, so to speak.
Decked out in a ball cap, sunglasses and a black sweat outfit, I wouldn't have recognized James Drury, as he climbed out of his Texas-plated car. Due to an acute case of sciatica, he was obviously in a great deal of pain, as he made his way into the hotel with his wife, Carl Ann. Although she has her own health issues and was paired with a walker, they were a team that traveled everywhere together.
From years of smoking unfiltered Pall Malls, his voice had become very gravely, but his take-command reputation, from his days on "The Virginian," was still very much intact. He knew what he wanted, when he wanted it and worked hard to get it.
During the show's heyday, they shot up to five episodes a day, worked six days a week and rarely had enough time to get eight hours of rest -- let alone have a personal life. It was the first 90-minute television series and had a guest star roster that knocked the socks off of any other show; George C. Scott, Robert Redford, Harrison Ford, Bette Davis...the list is endless.
I did an exorbitant amount of research on the show, but also on the professional career of Mr. Drury. There was very little written about his private life. He'd always been a very clandestine person, so that part of his life had remained a mystery.
However, the heart of this article isn't about delving into his private life or the truths of who he is and who he isn't. What came roaring into my mind was, 'what happens to people, when they've shot their wad, are older, and now must live on the laurels of their past'? That can't be easy; financially, physically or emotionally.
Jim and Carl Ann live in a modest home, just outside of Houston. They don't have a maid or any live-in help; he does all of his own driving (mostly so he can smoke during the appearance trips) and Carl Ann bakes her own cookies (chocolate chip without nuts).
They are, in many ways, the typical older couple - with the exception of traveling all over the United States to meet up with the thousands of fans, who also love his eyebrows. Did I say that again?
I thought about how virile he once was. He had the show's producers, directors and crew by the tail. He was able to command most every decision. He was a star, a force to be reckoned with, to be sure.
His earlier years were also riddled with excessive drinking, several failed marriages and regular bouts with the crew and studio. This may have been the very reason that his career seemed to end, when "The Virginian" went off the air in 1972. However, it wouldn't have lasted as long as it did without his stalwart dedication. He was not an easy person to deal with, unless he wanted to be. Let's just say that not much has changed.
During our time together, I was asked to write him several commercials. His sharp mind, keen memory and on-camera charisma were still very much intact. The camera still loved him, just as much as it did, when he first began his career in the mid 50s. He was clearly not ready to hang up his hat.
During a shopping trip, he got a call from his agent. He must have driven past thirty parking spots and used up a half tank of gas, as he talked over the details of the audition. It appears that a new movie, "Nebraska," is on the horizon and he's up for a starring role. If he gets this picture, it could put him back up on his horse to finish out his career with dignity and a pay-off for all the years of hard work and travel to keep the memory of "The Virginian" alive.
In many ways, James Drury is the typical senior citizen. His body is failing, but his spirit, talents and drive is very much alive. However, he is also not just the typical senior citizen, he is The Virginian.
