An interesting interview with Hugh O’Brian by Jennifer Howard, March 29, 2005, where he talks about filming the fight sequence with James Drury in the premiere episode of The Virginian, “The Executioners” in 1962. It begins 2:08 into the interview.
Original footage from The Archive of American Television website.
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The Virginian Weblog 
Very interesting interview, but he didn’t mention Doug either when talking about The Virginian or Search. I geuss he forgot he was also in Search.
What he said about Jim and the fight certainly don’t apply to Doug, who always reacted when punched and never pulled his punchs, as shown in the opening credits for Season 3., where he takes that big swing. I remember there was one episode where Gary’s punchs didn’t look very realistic. Thanks for the link to this, Paul.
Hugh O’Brian implies Jim Drury wasn’t used to dealing with fights on a film set – yet one year earlier Jim appeared in “Guns in the Afternoon” aka “Ride the High Country” where he played quite a rowdy character in a top-class Western. And of course he’d appeared in many other films, including Westerns, prior to “The Virginian.” Jim Drury didn’t appear out of nowhere with no experience of a film set. He was already an experienced TV and film actor prior to 1962.
The Legend,Hugh O’Brian,one of the greats.The interviewer
MUST go back to school,she is distant,disinterested and weak.
Hugh,an old friend looked quite good.
DFM
I’ve noticed a few interviewers have a weak grasp of the person they are interviewing Daniel. Like they’ve been handed an assignment with a list of questions. Research of your subject is essential.
Hugh O’Brien is not Irish. Rather, a German of Pomeranian and/or Prussian origin!
Also, he is part Hebrew and British.