DeForest Kelley
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Jan 20, 1920
- Died
- Jun 11, 1999 (aged 79)
- Place of birth
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Credits
- 119
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
1982Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1979Movie
Dr. McCoy
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987TV
Admiral Leonard McCoy
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
1984Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek
1966TV
Dr. McCoy
Filmography
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
2022Movie
Self - (archive footage)
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
2016Movie
(archive footage)
The Pixar Story
2007Movie
Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
40 Years of Star Trek
2006Movie
Self
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
1998Movie
Viking 1 (voice)
Trekkies
1997Movie
Self
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
1996Movie
Self
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996Movie
Self
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
1996Movie
Self
Virtuosity
1995Movie
Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
William Shatner: Captain's Log
1994Movie
Self
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
1994Movie
Self
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
1993Movie
Self
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993TV
Dr. McCoy
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
1991Movie
Self
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
1989Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987TV
Admiral Leonard McCoy
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
1984Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
1982Movie
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1979Movie
Dr. McCoy
The Star Trek Dream
1975Movie
Self
Star Trek
1973TV
Leonard McCoy (voice)
Night of the Lepus
1972Movie
Elgin Clark
The Bull of the West
1972Movie
Ben Tully
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971TV
Frank Slater
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969TV
Parrish
Room 222
1969TV
Matt Silverton
Ironside
1967TV
Mr. Fowler
Space Seed
1967Movie
Dr. McCoy
Star Trek
1966TV
Dr. McCoy
Waco
1966Movie
Bill Rile
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
1966Movie
Tully
Apache Uprising
1965Movie
Toby Jack Saunders
Marriage on the Rocks
1965Movie
Mr. Turner
Laredo
1965TV
Dr. David Ingram
A Man Called Shenandoah
1965TV
Egan
Town Tamer
1965Movie
Guy Tavenner
Black Spurs
1965Movie
Sheriff Dal Nemo
Where Love Has Gone
1964Movie
Sam Corwin
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
1963Movie
Amos Troop
The Fugitive
1963TV
Charlie
The Dakotas
1963TV
Martin Volet
The Gallant Men
1962TV
The Merv Griffin Show
1962TV
Self
The Virginian
1962TV
Ben Tully, Lt. Beldon
Cain's Hundred
1961TV
Bob Tully
Route 66
1960TV
Willis, Harcourt
Stagecoach West
1960TV
Lt. Clarke
Assignment: Underwater
1960TV
Barney
Coronado 9
1960TV
Shep Harlow
Johnny Midnight
1960TV
The Man from Blackhawk
1959TV
Johnson
Laramie
1959TV
Bart Collins, Jack
Riverboat
1959TV
Alex Jeffords
Bonanza
1959TV
Captain Moss Johnson, Tully, Dr. Michael Jons
The Deputy
1959TV
Styles
Warlock
1959Movie
Curley Burne
Black Saddle
1959TV
Sam King
Rawhide
1959TV
Slate Prell
77 Sunset Strip
1958TV
Phil Wingate
Bat Masterson
1958TV
Brock Martin
Lawman
1958TV
Sam White, Bent Carr
The Donna Reed Show
1958TV
Mr. Williams
Wanted: Dead or Alive
1958TV
Sheriff Steve Pax, Ollie Tate
The Law and Jake Wade
1958Movie
Wexler
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
1958TV
Philip Conroy
Raintree County
1957Movie
Southern Officer
The Edge of Innocence
1957Movie
Lambert
26 Men
1957TV
Trackdown
1957TV
Perry Grimes, Brock Childers, Ed Crow, Tom Dooley
Alcoa Theatre
1957TV
Marshal, Jake Britin
Perry Mason
1957TV
Peter Thorpe
M Squad
1957TV
Police Sgt. Miller, Detective
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957TV
Deakin
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
1957TV
Sheriff, Kenneth Porter
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957Movie
Morgan Earp
The Silent Service
1957TV
Lt. Comm. Enright
Tales of Wells Fargo
1957TV
Captain Cole Scofield
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956TV
Les Porter, Logan Wheeler, Sherm Pickard, Swain
Tension at Table Rock
1956Movie
Jim Breck
State Trooper
1956TV
Graham Jones
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956TV
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
1956Movie
Medic (uncredited)
The View from Pompey's Head
1955Movie
Jim - Hotel Clerk
Matinee Theater
1955TV
Illegal
1955Movie
Edward Clary
Navy Log
1955TV
Smithwick
Gunsmoke
1955TV
Will Bailey
House of Bamboo
1955Movie
Charlie (uncredited)
Science Fiction Theatre
1955TV
The Millionaire
1955TV
Dr. Michael Wells
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954TV
Silas Morgan (uncredited)
Studio 57
1954TV
Ted Lance
Waterfront
1954TV
Bob Vogelin, Bob Richards
The Lone Wolf
1954TV
Ted Hopkins, Nick Kohler
Duffy of San Quentin
1954Movie
Eddie Lee
Public Defender
1954TV
Ralph Sanders
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
1953TV
City Detective
1953TV
Benjamin, Hartfield
Revlon Mirror Theatre
1953TV
You Are There
1953TV
Soldier
Taxi
1953Movie
Fred (uncredited)
Cavalcade of America
1952TV
Death Valley Days
1952TV
Elliott Webster, Shad Cullen, Clint Rogers, Martin
The Men
1950Movie
Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Speak No Evil
1950Movie
Ted
Malaya
1949Movie
Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
The Lone Ranger
1949TV
Bob Kittredge, Doctor Barnes, Sheriff
Duke of Chicago
1949Movie
'Ace' Martin
Ambassador for Christ
1949Movie
Aram
Studio One
1948TV
Bob Philo
Canon City
1948Movie
Smalley
Beyond Our Own
1947Movie
Bob Rogers
Variety Girl
1947Movie
Bob Kirby
Fear in the Night
1947Movie
Vince Grayson
Public Prosecutor
1947TV
Danny Watson
Time to Kill
1945Movie
Peter