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DeForest Kelley

Acting 79 (deceased) years old Atlanta, Georgia, USA ★ 1.3
Born: January 20, 1920
Died: June 11, 1999

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Star Trek
Star Trek Dr. McCoy 1966
Bonanza
Bonanza Tully 1959
Bonanza
Bonanza Dr. Michael Jons 1959
Bonanza
Bonanza Captain Moss Johnson 1959
Matinee Theater
Matinee Theater 1955

Jimmy's Seen (1)

New Jack City
New Jack City Slate Prell 1991

Filmography

Acting Credits (143)

Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies Self - (archive footage) 2022
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault (archive footage) 2016
The Pixar Story
The Pixar Story Leonard McCoy (archive footage) 2007
40 Years of Star Trek
40 Years of Star Trek Self 2006
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars Viking 1 (voice) 1998
Trekkies
Trekkies Self 1997
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations Self 1996
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond Self 1996
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories Self 1996
Virtuosity
Virtuosity Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited) 1995
William Shatner: Captain's Log
William Shatner: Captain's Log Self 1994
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Star Trek: A Captain's Log Himself 1994
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley Self 1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Dr. McCoy 1993
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1991
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special Self 1991
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1989
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation Admiral Leonard McCoy 1987
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1986
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1984
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1982
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy 1979
The Star Trek Dream
The Star Trek Dream Self 1975
Star Trek
Star Trek Leonard McCoy (voice) 1973
Night of the Lepus
Night of the Lepus Elgin Clark 1972
The Bull of the West
The Bull of the West Ben Tully 1972
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law Frank Slater 1971
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors 1969
Room 222
Room 222 Matt Silverton 1969
Ironside
Ironside Mr. Fowler 1967
Star Trek: The Menagerie
Star Trek: The Menagerie Dr. McCoy 1966
Star Trek
Star Trek Dr. McCoy 1966
Waco
Waco Bill Rile 1966
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
Bonanza: Ride the Wind Tully 1966
Apache Uprising
Apache Uprising Toby Jack Saunders 1965
Marriage on the Rocks
Marriage on the Rocks Mr. Turner 1965
Laredo
Laredo Dr. David Ingram 1965
A Man Called Shenandoah
A Man Called Shenandoah Egan 1965
Town Tamer
Town Tamer Guy Tavenner 1965
Black Spurs
Black Spurs Sheriff Dal Nemo 1965
Where Love Has Gone
Where Love Has Gone Sam Corwin 1964
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
Gunfight at Comanche Creek Amos Troop 1963
The Fugitive
The Fugitive Charlie 1963
The Dakotas
The Dakotas Martin Volet 1963
The Gallant Men
The Gallant Men 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
The Virginian
The Virginian Ben Tully 1962
The Virginian
The Virginian Lt. Beldon 1962
Cain's Hundred
Cain's Hundred Bob Tully 1961
Route 66
Route 66 1960
Stagecoach West
Stagecoach West Lt. Clarke 1960
Assignment: Underwater
Assignment: Underwater Barney 1960
Coronado 9
Coronado 9 1960
Coronado 9
Coronado 9 Shep Harlow 1960
Johnny Midnight
Johnny Midnight 1960
The Man from Blackhawk
The Man from Blackhawk Johnson 1959
Laramie
Laramie Bart Collins 1959
Laramie
Laramie Jack 1959
Riverboat
Riverboat Alex Jeffords 1959
Bonanza
Bonanza Tully 1959
Bonanza
Bonanza Dr. Michael Jons 1959
Bonanza
Bonanza Captain Moss Johnson 1959
The Deputy
The Deputy Styles 1959
Warlock
Warlock Curley Burne 1959
Black Saddle
Black Saddle Sam King 1959
Rawhide
Rawhide Slate Prell 1959
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip Phil Wingate 1958
Bat Masterson
Bat Masterson Brock Martin 1958
Lawman
Lawman Sam White 1958
Lawman
Lawman Bent Carr 1958
The Donna Reed Show
The Donna Reed Show Mr. Williams 1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Wanted: Dead or Alive Sheriff Steve Pax 1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Wanted: Dead or Alive Ollie Tate 1958
The Law and Jake Wade
The Law and Jake Wade Wexler 1958
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Philip Conroy 1958
Raintree County
Raintree County Southern Officer 1957
The Edge of Innocence
The Edge of Innocence Lambert 1957
26 Men
26 Men 1957
Trackdown
Trackdown Perry Grimes 1957
Trackdown
Trackdown Brock Childers 1957
Trackdown
Trackdown Ed Crow 1957
Trackdown
Trackdown Tom Dooley 1957
Alcoa Theatre
Alcoa Theatre Marshal 1957
Alcoa Theatre
Alcoa Theatre Jake Britin 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Peter Thorpe 1957
M Squad
M Squad Police Sgt. Miller 1957
M Squad
M Squad Detective 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Have Gun, Will Travel Deakin 1957
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond, Private Detective Sheriff 1957
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond, Private Detective Kenneth Porter 1957
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Morgan Earp 1957
The Silent Service
The Silent Service Lt. Comm. Enright 1957
Tales of Wells Fargo
Tales of Wells Fargo Captain Cole Scofield 1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Les Porter 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Sherm Pickard 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Logan Wheeler 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Swain 1956
Tension at Table Rock
Tension at Table Rock Jim Breck 1956
State Trooper
State Trooper Graham Jones 1956
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
The Adventures of Jim Bowie 1956
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit Medic (uncredited) 1956
The View from Pompey's Head
The View from Pompey's Head Jim - Hotel Clerk 1955
Matinee Theater
Matinee Theater 1955
Illegal
Illegal Edward Clary 1955
Navy Log
Navy Log 1955
Navy Log
Navy Log Smithwick 1955
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke Will Bailey 1955
House of Bamboo
House of Bamboo Charlie (uncredited) 1955
Science Fiction Theatre
Science Fiction Theatre 1955
The Millionaire
The Millionaire Dr. Michael Wells 1955
The Wonderful World of Disney
The Wonderful World of Disney Silas Morgan (uncredited) 1954
Studio 57
Studio 57 Ted Lance 1954
Waterfront
Waterfront Bob Vogelin 1954
Waterfront
Waterfront Bob Richards 1954
The Lone Wolf
The Lone Wolf Ted Hopkins 1954
The Lone Wolf
The Lone Wolf Nick Kohler 1954
Duffy of San Quentin
Duffy of San Quentin Eddie Lee 1954
Public Defender
Public Defender Ralph Sanders 1954
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse 1953
City Detective
City Detective 1953
Revlon Mirror Theatre
Revlon Mirror Theatre 1953
You Are There
You Are There 1953
Taxi
Taxi Fred (uncredited) 1953
Cavalcade of America
Cavalcade of America 1952
Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days Elliott Webster 1952
Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days Shad Cullen 1952
Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days Clint Rogers 1952
Death Valley Days
Death Valley Days Martin 1952
The Men
The Men Dr. Sherman (uncredited) 1950
Speak No Evil
Speak No Evil Ted 1950
Malaya
Malaya Lt. Glenson (uncredited) 1949
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger Bob Kittredge 1949
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger Doctor Barnes 1949
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger Sheriff 1949
Duke of Chicago
Duke of Chicago 'Ace' Martin 1949
Ambassador for Christ
Ambassador for Christ Aram 1949
Studio One
Studio One Bob Philo 1948
Canon City
Canon City Smalley 1948
Beyond Our Own
Beyond Our Own Bob Rogers 1947
Variety Girl
Variety Girl Bob Kirby 1947
Fear in the Night
Fear in the Night Vince Grayson 1947
Public Prosecutor
Public Prosecutor 1947
Time to Kill
Time to Kill Peter 1945

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