DeForest Kelley
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 20, 1920
- Died
- June 11, 1999 (aged 79)
- Birthplace
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Biography
Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999) was an American actor, screenwriter, poet and singer known for his iconic roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and film series Star Trek. Kelley was delivered by his uncle at his parents' home in Atlanta, the son of Clora (née Casey) and Ernest David Kelley, who was a Baptist minister of Irish and Southern ancestry. DeForest was named after the pioneering electronics engineer Lee De Forest, and later named his Star Trek character's father "David" after his own. Kelley had an older brother, Ernest Casey Kelley. As a child, he often played outside for hours at a time. Kelley was immersed in his father's mission in Conyers and promised his father failure would mean "wreck and ruin". Before the end of his first year at Conyers, Kelley was introduced into the congregation to his musical talents and often sang solo in morning church services. Eventually, this led to an appearance on the radio station WSB AM in Atlanta, Georgia. As a result of his radio work, he won an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra at the Paramount Theater. In 1934, the family left Conyers for the community of Decatur. He attended the Decatur Boys High School where he played on the Decatur Bantams baseball team. Kelley also played football and other sports. Before his graduation, Kelley got a job as a drugstore car hop. He spent his weekends working in the local theatres. Kelley graduated in 1938. During World War II, Kelley served as an enlisted man in the United States Army Air Forces between March 10, 1943, and January 28, 1946, assigned to the First Motion Picture Unit. After an extended stay in Long Beach, California, Kelley decided to pursue an acting career and relocate to southern California permanently, living for a time with his uncle Casey. He worked as an usher in a local theater in order to earn enough money for the move. Kelley's mother encouraged her son in his new career goal, but his father disliked the idea. While in California, Kelley was spotted by a Paramount Pictures scout while doing a United States Navy training film.
Known For
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Virtuosity
Bonanza
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Photos
Filmography
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Movie · as Self - (archive footage)
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
Movie · as (archive footage)
The Pixar Story
Movie · as Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
40 Years of Star Trek
Movie · as Self
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
Movie · as Viking 1 (voice)
Trekkies
Movie · as Self
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
Movie · as Self
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
Movie · as Self
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Movie · as Self
Virtuosity
Movie · as Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
William Shatner: Captain's Log
Movie · as Self
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Movie · as Self
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
Movie · as Self
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
TV · as Dr. McCoy · 1 ep
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Movie · as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Movie · as Self
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Movie · as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: The Next Generation
TV · as Admiral Leonard McCoy · 1 ep
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Movie · as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Movie · as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Movie · as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Movie · as Dr. McCoy
The Star Trek Dream
Movie · as Self
Star Trek
TV · as Leonard McCoy (voice) · 22 eps
Night of the Lepus
Movie · as Elgin Clark
The Bull of the West
Movie · as Ben Tully
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
TV · as Frank Slater · 1 ep
Room 222
TV · as Matt Silverton · 1 ep
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
TV · as Parrish · 1 ep
Space Seed
Movie · as Dr. McCoy
Ironside
TV · as Mr. Fowler · 1 ep
Waco
Movie · as Bill Rile
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
Movie · as Tully
Star Trek
TV · as Dr. McCoy · 79 eps
Town Tamer
Movie · as Guy Tavenner
Black Spurs
Movie · as Sheriff Dal Nemo
Apache Uprising
Movie · as Toby Jack Saunders
Marriage on the Rocks
Movie · as Mr. Turner
Laredo
TV · as Dr. David Ingram · 1 ep
A Man Called Shenandoah
TV · as Egan · 1 ep
Where Love Has Gone
Movie · as Sam Corwin
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
Movie · as Amos Troop
The Fugitive
TV · as Charlie · 1 ep
The Dakotas
TV · as Martin Volet · 1 ep
The Gallant Men
TV · 1 ep
The Virginian
TV · as Ben Tully, Lt. Beldon · 1 ep
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Cain's Hundred
TV · as Bob Tully · 1 ep
Route 66
TV · as Willis, Harcourt · 1 ep
Coronado 9
TV · as Shep Harlow · 1 ep
Johnny Midnight
TV · 1 ep
Stagecoach West
TV · as Lt. Clarke · 1 ep
Assignment: Underwater
TV · as Barney · 1 ep
Warlock
Movie · as Curley Burne
Black Saddle
TV · as Sam King · 1 ep
Rawhide
TV · as Slate Prell · 1 ep
Riverboat
TV · as Alex Jeffords · 1 ep
Bonanza
TV · as Captain Moss Johnson, Dr. Michael Jons, Tully · 1 ep
Laramie
TV · as Bart Collins, Jack · 1 ep
The Deputy
TV · as Styles · 1 ep
The Man from Blackhawk
TV · as Johnson · 1 ep
The Law and Jake Wade
Movie · as Wexler
The Donna Reed Show
TV · as Mr. Williams · 1 ep
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV · as Sheriff Steve Pax, Ollie Tate · 1 ep
Bat Masterson
TV · as Brock Martin · 1 ep
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
TV · as Philip Conroy · 1 ep
Lawman
TV · as Sam White, Bent Carr · 1 ep
77 Sunset Strip
TV · as Phil Wingate · 1 ep
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Movie · as Morgan Earp
Raintree County
Movie · as Southern Officer
The Edge of Innocence
Movie · as Lambert
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV · as Captain Cole Scofield · 1 ep
Perry Mason
TV · as Peter Thorpe · 1 ep
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
TV · as Sheriff, Kenneth Porter · 1 ep
M Squad
TV · as Police Sgt. Miller, Detective · 2 eps
26 Men
TV · 1 ep
Trackdown
TV · as Perry Grimes, Brock Childers, Ed Crow, Tom Dooley · 1 ep
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV · as Deakin · 1 ep
The Silent Service
TV · as Lt. Comm. Enright · 1 ep
Alcoa Theatre
TV · as Marshal, Jake Britin · 1 ep
Tension at Table Rock
Movie · as Jim Breck
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
Movie · as Medic (uncredited)
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
TV · 1 ep
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV · as Les Porter, Sherm Pickard, Logan Wheeler, Swain · 1 ep
State Trooper
TV · as Graham Jones · 1 ep
House of Bamboo
Movie · as Charlie (uncredited)
Illegal
Movie · as Edward Clary
The View from Pompey's Head
Movie · as Jim - Hotel Clerk
Gunsmoke
TV · as Will Bailey · 1 ep
The Millionaire
TV · as Dr. Michael Wells · 1 ep
Matinee Theater
TV · 2 eps
Navy Log
TV · as Smithwick · 1 ep
Science Fiction Theatre
TV · 3 eps
Duffy of San Quentin
Movie · as Eddie Lee
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as Silas Morgan (uncredited) · 1 ep
Public Defender
TV · as Ralph Sanders · 1 ep
Studio 57
TV · as Ted Lance · 1 ep
The Lone Wolf
TV · as Ted Hopkins, Nick Kohler · 1 ep
Waterfront
TV · as Bob Vogelin, Bob Richards · 1 ep
Taxi
Movie · as Fred (uncredited)
You Are There
TV · as Soldier · 1 ep
City Detective
TV · as Benjamin, Hartfield · 1 ep
Revlon Mirror Theatre
TV · 1 ep
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
TV · 1 ep
Cavalcade of America
TV · 1 ep
Death Valley Days
TV · as Elliott Webster, Shad Cullen, Clint Rogers, Martin · 1 ep
Speak No Evil
Movie · as Ted
The Men
Movie · as Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Malaya
Movie · as Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
Duke of Chicago
Movie · as 'Ace' Martin
Ambassador for Christ
Movie · as Aram
The Lone Ranger
TV · as Bob Kittredge, Doctor Barnes, Sheriff · 1 ep
Canon City
Movie · as Smalley
Studio One
TV · as Bob Philo · 1 ep
Fear in the Night
Movie · as Vince Grayson
Variety Girl
Movie · as Bob Kirby
Beyond Our Own
Movie · as Bob Rogers
Public Prosecutor
TV · as Danny Watson · 1 ep
Time to Kill
Movie · as Peter