James Drury “The Long Chase” Alias Smith and Jones DVD Release

One of James Drury’s first roles following the cancellation of The Men From Shiloh was the third season premiere episode of Alias Smith and Jones, “The Long Chase” (3:01). James Drury had previously featured as a guest star on the AS&J pilot episode playing Sheriff Lom Trevors. Once again he plays a sheriff, but this time it’s Sheriff Tankersley who is given the run around by Hannibal Heyes (Roger Davis) and Kid Curry (Ben Murphy) in a effort to restore the reputation of their long-time Bannerman Agency detective “friend’ Harry Briscoe (J.D. Cannon).

Timeless Media are releasing seasons 2 and 3 of Alias Smith and Jones in a 6 DVD set in June 2010. More information can be found on my Pete Duel Weblog.

The Virginian First Season DVD

Amazon now have The Virginian DVD listed on their site for pre-order.  The entire first season on 10 DVDs for $71.99 complete with tin packaging.  NTSC Region 1 Format (USA & Canada). 

The perfect companion to my 290 page softcover edition (10 x 7 inches) for sale through Amazon and all major online bookstores or direct from my publisher McFarland & Co.  It’s also available for immediate download as a Kindle ebook from Amazon for $14.99. 

Here’s the blurb from my publisher describing my book. 

“On September 19, 1962, The Virginian made its primetime broadcast premiere. Based on the 1902 novel by Owen Wister, The Virginian had already been through four movie adaptations when Frank Price mentioned the story’s series potential to NBC. In need of a western to compete for the genre’s huge audience share, the network gambled money and resources on Price’s recommendation. Filmed exclusively in color, The Virginian became TV’s first 90-minute western series. By 1967, the show had broken into the Nielsen rating’s top ten, and NBC’s gamble had paid off. Immensely successful (in spite of a rough fourth season which almost spelled the end for the series), The Virginian ran for nine seasons, becoming television’s third longest running western.

This work documents the creative history of The Virginian. It investigates the original inspirations for the main character and follows the story through various motion picture adaptations. The primary focus, however, is The Virginian’s transformation into television. Personal interviews with executive producer Frank Price and actors, James Drury, Gary Clarke, Roberta Shore, Randy Boone, Sara Lane and Pippa Scott provide insider details. The book also looks at the ways in which the show changed over time. An extensive episode guide includes title, air date, guest star(s), writers, producers, director and a brief synopsis of each of The Virginian’s 249 episodes along with a detailed list of cast and production staff. An appendix provides a cross-section of collectibles available from internet auction sites and memorabilia dealers.”

Reviews of my book from The Virginian cast and producers: 

James Drury – The Virginian
“I really enjoyed your book.  It is comprehensive and a valuable resource for anyone interested in studying The Virginian.”

Randy Boone – Randy Benton
“In my humble opinion the book was very interesting and very well written.  I was fascinated.  Thank you for writing the book.”

Sara Lane – Elizabeth Grainger
“My husband is reading the book avidly and loving it.  It’s a wonderful book.”

Frank Price – Executive Producer
“I am very impressed with it. You did a great job of research on The Virginian and it is certainly apparent in the book.  It is a work that reflects your high standards.”

Joel Rogosin – The Virginian Producer, Writer & Director
“I’m pleased to have added your wonderfully detailed and nostalgic book to my shelves.  Congratulations on this remarkable effort!  I’m having a great time leafing through it.  All in all, what a treat!”