Cristall Orton was the first wife of American actor James Drury, best known for playing the title character in the TV western The Virginian. Cristall and James married in 1957 and had two sons, Timothy Drury and James Drury III, before divorcing in 1964.
Cristall lived a private life and did not build a public career in Hollywood. Some genealogical records identify her as Cristali Othoneos, a woman born in Greece in 1928 who later moved to the United States.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Known name | Cristall Orton |
| Other recorded names | Cristall Othoneos, Cristall Othones, Cristall Drury |
| Reported birth name | Cristali Othoneos |
| Reported date of birth | June 18, 1928 |
| Reported birthplace | Síkinos, Cyclades, Greece |
| Known for | James Drury’s first wife |
| Former husband | James Drury |
| Marriage date | February 7, 1957 |
| Divorce date | November 23, 1964 |
| Children | Timothy Drury and James Drury III |
| Reported date of death | December 23, 2004 |
| Reported place of death | Sacramento, California |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Her Name Appears in Different Forms
Cristall’s name appears differently across public records and entertainment sources.
She is commonly called Cristall Orton, but other records use Cristall Othoneos, Cristall Othones, and Cristall Drury.
Genealogical records identify a woman named Cristali Othoneos who married James Child Drury Jr. on February 7, 1957. The matching marriage details indicate that these names refer to the same person.
Cristall Orton Drury was the name used during her marriage.
Early Life in Greece
Genealogical records report that Cristall was born Cristali Othoneos on June 18, 1928, in Síkinos, Cyclades, Greece.
The same records say she moved to New York City in 1946, when she was around 18 years old.
Details about her childhood in Greece are limited.
Her parents are listed in genealogical records as John Orton and Anna Divoli. A sister named Katina Othones DiClemente is also listed.
There is not enough reliable information to establish her complete family background or number of siblings.
Education and Career
Cristall Orton’s education is not publicly documented.
Her profession is also unclear. There is no reliable evidence that she worked as an actress or had another public career in entertainment.
Most available information about her comes from records related to James Drury and their children.
Marriage to James Drury
Cristall Orton married James Drury on February 7, 1957.
James was still building his acting career at the time. He had already started appearing in movies and television but had not yet received the role that would make him best known.
Their marriage therefore covered an important period in his early Hollywood career.
Cristall Orton and James remained married until November 23, 1964, when their divorce was finalized.
The reason for their divorce has not been reliably documented.
Cristall Was Married to James During The Virginian
James Drury began playing the title character in NBC’s The Virginian in 1962.
Cristall was still married to him when the series began.
The western became James’ best-known television work and ran for nine seasons, ending in 1971.
This means their marriage covered the first few years of the show that made James a major television western star.
Cristall Orton’s Children
Cristall Orton and James had two sons:
- Timothy Drury
- James Drury III
They were James Drury’s only biological children.
The couple did not have any publicly documented daughters together.
Who Is Timothy Drury?
Timothy Drury followed a creative career but chose music rather than acting.
He became a professional musician known for working as a keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and composer.
Timothy has been associated with several major musicians and bands during his career, including Whitesnake, Don Felder, Stevie Nicks, Bryan Adams, and Melissa Etheridge.
He has also worked in composing, recording, songwriting, producing, and performing.
Timothy later married Kate Drury.
Who Was James Drury III?
Cristall’s other son is commonly identified as James Drury III. Genealogical records give his name as James Randolph Drury.
Unlike his father and brother, James lived largely outside the public eye.
A later obituary identified him as the son of James Drury and Cristall Drury. It also stated that both of his parents had died before him.
James Drury III died in 2021.
Who Was James Drury?
James Child Drury Jr. was born on April 18, 1934, in New York City.
Although born in New York, he spent part of his childhood on his maternal family’s ranch in Oregon. His grandfather introduced him to horses and ranch life at a young age.
James became an experienced horse rider, a skill that later helped him in western films and television shows.
He studied drama at New York University before continuing his education at UCLA, where he studied subjects including horticulture and animal husbandry.
He eventually entered Hollywood and appeared in movies and television during the 1950s.
His early screen credits included projects such as Blackboard Jungle, Forbidden Planet, and Love Me Tender.
He also appeared in western television programs including Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Bonanza, and The Texan.
James Drury and The Virginian
James became widely known after being cast as the lead character in The Virginian.
The NBC western premiered in 1962.
The series was unusual for its 90-minute episodes and became one of the longest-running western dramas on American television.
James remained closely associated with the role for the rest of his career.
After his acting career slowed, he also became involved in business. Reports say he worked with horse ranching, asphalt recycling, and the oil and gas industry.
James Drury’s Later Marriages
After his divorce from Cristall, James married Phyllis Jacqueline Mitchell in 1968.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 1979. They did not have children together.
James then married Carl Ann Head on July 30, 1979.
They remained married for about 40 years until Carl Ann died in 2019.
James Drury died from natural causes on April 6, 2020, at his home in Houston, Texas. He was 85.
What Happened to Cristall Orton?
Cristall remained largely outside the public eye after her divorce from James Drury.
There is little reliable information about where she lived during much of her later life, whether she remarried, or what work she did.
Genealogical records report that Cristali Othoneos died on December 23, 2004, in Sacramento, California, at age 76.
The same records list East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento as her burial place.
A 2021 obituary for her son also stated that his mother, Cristall Drury, had died before him.
Cristall Orton’s Net Worth
Cristall Orton’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There are no trustworthy public records showing her earnings, assets, property, or estate value.
Social Media and Public Life
Cristall Orton lived before social media became part of everyday public life.
There are no verified social media accounts associated with her.
She also appears to have avoided public attention. There are few interviews or detailed public profiles about her separate from James Drury and their children.
Interesting Facts
- Cristall Orton was James Drury’s first wife.
- Her name also appears as Cristall Othoneos, Cristall Othones, and Cristall Drury.
- Genealogical records identify her as Cristali Othoneos.
- She was reportedly born on June 18, 1928, in Síkinos, Greece.
- Genealogical records say she moved to New York City in 1946.
- She married James Drury on February 7, 1957.
- She was married to James when The Virginian premiered in 1962.
- Cristall and James divorced on November 23, 1964.
- They had two sons, Timothy Drury and James Drury III.
- Timothy became a professional musician.
- James Drury III lived a more private life and died in 2021.
- Cristall’s education and profession are not reliably documented.
- Her personal net worth is not publicly known.
- Genealogical records report that she died in Sacramento, California, on December 23, 2004.
- She was reportedly 76 years old when she died.
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