DeForest Kelley
Acting
Born: January 20, 1920 · Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Died: June 11, 1999 (aged 79)
Highest Rated
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
1982
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1979
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
1984
Star Trek
1966
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
1989
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
Virtuosity
1995
Bonanza
1959
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957
Photos (5)
Movies (41)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Dr. McCoy
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
The Pixar Story
Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
The Law and Jake Wade
Wexler
Illegal
Edward Clary
Town Tamer
Guy Tavenner
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Morgan Earp
Virtuosity
Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
Viking 1 (voice)
House of Bamboo
Charlie (uncredited)
Night of the Lepus
Elgin Clark
Warlock
Curley Burne
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
Medic (uncredited)
Marriage on the Rocks
Mr. Turner
The Men
Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Raintree County
Southern Officer
Where Love Has Gone
Sam Corwin
Tension at Table Rock
Jim Breck
Apache Uprising
Toby Jack Saunders
Variety Girl
Bob Kirby
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
Amos Troop
Fear in the Night
Vince Grayson
Waco
Bill Rile
Space Seed
Dr. McCoy
The Bull of the West
Ben Tully
Duffy of San Quentin
Eddie Lee
The View from Pompey's Head
Jim - Hotel Clerk
Malaya
Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
Tully
Duke of Chicago
'Ace' Martin
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
(archive footage)
Black Spurs
Sheriff Dal Nemo
Taxi
Fred (uncredited)
Canon City
Smalley
The Edge of Innocence
Lambert
Ambassador for Christ
Aram
Beyond Our Own
Bob Rogers
TV Shows (90)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Admiral Leonard McCoy · 1 eps
Perry Mason
Peter Thorpe · 1 eps
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Dr. McCoy · 1 eps
Bonanza
Tully · 2 eps
Bonanza
Dr. Michael Jons · 1 eps
Bonanza
Captain Moss Johnson · 1 eps
Star Trek
Dr. McCoy · 79 eps
Ironside
Mr. Fowler · 1 eps
The Fugitive
Charlie · 1 eps
The Virginian
Ben Tully · 1 eps
The Virginian
Lt. Beldon · 1 eps
Matinee Theater
2 eps
Have Gun, Will Travel
Deakin · 1 eps
Studio One
Bob Philo · 1 eps
The Donna Reed Show
Mr. Williams · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Les Porter · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Sherm Pickard · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Logan Wheeler · 1 eps
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Swain · 1 eps
Route 66
Willis · 1 eps
Route 66
Harcourt · 1 eps
Rawhide
Slate Prell · 1 eps
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Sheriff Steve Pax · 1 eps
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Ollie Tate · 1 eps
The Lone Ranger
Bob Kittredge · 1 eps
The Lone Ranger
Doctor Barnes · 1 eps
The Lone Ranger
Sheriff · 1 eps
Lawman
Sam White · 1 eps
Lawman
Bent Carr · 1 eps
77 Sunset Strip
Phil Wingate · 1 eps
Gunsmoke
Will Bailey · 1 eps
Bat Masterson
Brock Martin · 1 eps
Laramie
Bart Collins · 1 eps
Laramie
Jack · 1 eps
M Squad
Police Sgt. Miller · 2 eps
M Squad
Detective · 1 eps
State Trooper
Graham Jones · 1 eps
Trackdown
Perry Grimes · 1 eps
Trackdown
Brock Childers · 1 eps
Trackdown
Ed Crow · 1 eps
Trackdown
Tom Dooley · 1 eps
Tales of Wells Fargo
Captain Cole Scofield · 1 eps
Room 222
Matt Silverton · 1 eps
Studio 57
Ted Lance · 1 eps
Laredo
Dr. David Ingram · 1 eps
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Sheriff · 1 eps
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Kenneth Porter · 1 eps
The Millionaire
Dr. Michael Wells · 1 eps
Navy Log
1 eps
Navy Log
Smithwick · 1 eps
Black Saddle
Sam King · 1 eps
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Frank Slater · 1 eps
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1 eps
The Deputy
Styles · 1 eps
Alcoa Theatre
Marshal · 1 eps
Alcoa Theatre
Jake Britin · 1 eps
Public Defender
Ralph Sanders · 1 eps
Riverboat
Alex Jeffords · 1 eps
You Are There
1 eps
You Are There
Soldier · 1 eps
Star Trek
Leonard McCoy (voice) · 22 eps
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Philip Conroy · 1 eps
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
Parrish · 1 eps
Cavalcade of America
1 eps
Stagecoach West
Lt. Clarke · 1 eps
The Wonderful World of Disney
Silas Morgan (uncredited) · 1 eps
Science Fiction Theatre
3 eps
Cain's Hundred
Bob Tully · 1 eps
The Dakotas
Martin Volet · 1 eps
26 Men
1 eps
The Lone Wolf
Ted Hopkins · 1 eps
The Lone Wolf
Nick Kohler · 1 eps
City Detective
Benjamin · 1 eps
City Detective
Hartfield · 1 eps
Coronado 9
1 eps
Coronado 9
Shep Harlow · 1 eps
Johnny Midnight
1 eps
The Gallant Men
1 eps
Death Valley Days
Elliott Webster · 1 eps
Death Valley Days
Shad Cullen · 1 eps
Death Valley Days
Clint Rogers · 1 eps
Death Valley Days
Martin · 1 eps
Waterfront
Bob Vogelin · 1 eps
Waterfront
Bob Richards · 1 eps
The Silent Service
Lt. Comm. Enright · 1 eps
Revlon Mirror Theatre
1 eps
Assignment: Underwater
Barney · 1 eps
The Man from Blackhawk
Johnson · 1 eps
A Man Called Shenandoah
Egan · 1 eps
Public Prosecutor
Danny Watson · 1 eps
Self / Appearances (9)
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · 1 eps
Trekkies
Self
40 Years of Star Trek
Self
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Self - (archive footage)
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Self
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Self
The Star Trek Dream
Self
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
Self