DeForest Kelley
Acting • Born 1920-01-20 – Died 1999-06-11
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.
Filmography
143 credits
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Movie • 1979
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Movie • 1982
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Movie • 1984
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Movie • 1986
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Movie • 1989
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Movie • 1991
Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
House of Bamboo
Movie • 1955
Charlie (uncredited)
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Movie • 1957
Morgan Earp
Fear in the Night
Movie • 1947
Vince Grayson
Warlock
Movie • 1959
Curley Burne
Canon City
Movie • 1948
Smalley
Malaya
Movie • 1949
Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
The Law and Jake Wade
Movie • 1958
Wexler
Trekkies
Movie • 1997
Self
Night of the Lepus
Movie • 1972
Elgin Clark
Raintree County
Movie • 1957
Southern Officer
Illegal
Movie • 1955
Edward Clary
Where Love Has Gone
Movie • 1964
Sam Corwin
Tension at Table Rock
Movie • 1956
Jim Breck
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
Movie • 1963
Amos Troop
The Bull of the West
Movie • 1972
Ben Tully
Variety Girl
Movie • 1947
Bob Kirby
Duke of Chicago
Movie • 1949
'Ace' Martin
The Pixar Story
Movie • 2007
Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
Town Tamer
Movie • 1965
Guy Tavenner
The View from Pompey's Head
Movie • 1955
Jim - Hotel Clerk
Taxi
Movie • 1953
Fred (uncredited)
Black Spurs
Movie • 1965
Sheriff Dal Nemo
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
Movie • 1996
Self
Apache Uprising
Movie • 1965
Toby Jack Saunders
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
Movie • 1996
Self
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
Movie • 1993
Self
The Star Trek Dream
Movie • 1975
Self
William Shatner: Captain's Log
Movie • 1994
Self
Speak No Evil
Movie • 1950
Ted
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Movie • 1991
Self
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
Movie • 1994
Himself
Waco
Movie • 1966
Bill Rile
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
Movie • 1966
Tully
The Edge of Innocence
Movie • 1957
Lambert
Duffy of San Quentin
Movie • 1954
Eddie Lee
40 Years of Star Trek
Movie • 2006
Self
Time to Kill
Movie • 1945
Peter
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
Movie • 1998
Viking 1 (voice)
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
Movie • 2016
(archive footage)
Beyond Our Own
Movie • 1947
Bob Rogers
The Men
Movie • 1950
Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Ambassador for Christ
Movie • 1949
Aram
Marriage on the Rocks
Movie • 1965
Mr. Turner
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
Movie • 1956
Medic (uncredited)
Star Trek: The Menagerie
Movie • 1966
Dr. McCoy
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Movie • 1996
Self
Virtuosity
Movie • 1995
Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
Movie • 2022
Self - (archive footage)
The Gallant Men
TV • 1962
Star Trek
TV • 1966
Dr. McCoy
Cain's Hundred
TV • 1961
Bob Tully
Star Trek: The Next Generation
TV • 1987
Admiral Leonard McCoy
Route 66
TV • 1960
Star Trek
TV • 1973
Leonard McCoy (voice)
Tales of Wells Fargo
TV • 1957
Captain Cole Scofield
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Bob Kittredge
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Will Bailey
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Peter Thorpe
Studio One
TV • 1948
Bob Philo
Laredo
TV • 1965
Dr. David Ingram
Black Saddle
TV • 1959
Sam King
Rawhide
TV • 1959
Slate Prell
The Fugitive
TV • 1963
Charlie
The Millionaire
TV • 1955
Dr. Michael Wells
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Ben Tully
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
TV • 1957
Sheriff
M Squad
TV • 1957
Police Sgt. Miller
The Donna Reed Show
TV • 1958
Mr. Williams
Matinee Theater
TV • 1955
You Are There
TV • 1953
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
TV • 1956
Navy Log
TV • 1955
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV • 1958
Sheriff Steve Pax
The Dakotas
TV • 1963
Martin Volet
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
Brock Martin
Riverboat
TV • 1959
Alex Jeffords
Cavalcade of America
TV • 1952
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Les Porter
City Detective
TV • 1953
Coronado 9
TV • 1960
26 Men
TV • 1957
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
TV • 1958
Philip Conroy
Johnny Midnight
TV • 1960
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Silas Morgan (uncredited)
Stagecoach West
TV • 1960
Lt. Clarke
Trackdown
TV • 1957
Perry Grimes
M Squad
TV • 1957
Detective
Lawman
TV • 1958
Sam White
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
TV • 1957
Kenneth Porter
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Lt. Beldon
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Sherm Pickard
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Logan Wheeler
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
TV • 1956
Swain
Wanted: Dead or Alive
TV • 1958
Ollie Tate
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Captain Moss Johnson
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Dr. Michael Jons
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Tully
Public Defender
TV • 1954
Ralph Sanders
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Deakin
The Silent Service
TV • 1957
Lt. Comm. Enright
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Phil Wingate
Studio 57
TV • 1954
Ted Lance
Death Valley Days
TV • 1952
Elliott Webster
Death Valley Days
TV • 1952
Shad Cullen
Death Valley Days
TV • 1952
Clint Rogers
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
TV • 1971
Frank Slater
The Lone Wolf
TV • 1954
Ted Hopkins
The Lone Wolf
TV • 1954
Nick Kohler
Alcoa Theatre
TV • 1957
Marshal
Ironside
TV • 1967
Mr. Fowler
Trackdown
TV • 1957
Brock Childers
Trackdown
TV • 1957
Ed Crow
Trackdown
TV • 1957
Tom Dooley
State Trooper
TV • 1956
Graham Jones
Coronado 9
TV • 1960
Shep Harlow
Public Prosecutor
TV • 1947
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Doctor Barnes
The Lone Ranger
TV • 1949
Sheriff
Revlon Mirror Theatre
TV • 1953
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
TV • 1953
Waterfront
TV • 1954
Bob Vogelin
Waterfront
TV • 1954
Bob Richards
Room 222
TV • 1969
Matt Silverton
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
TV • 1969
Death Valley Days
TV • 1952
Martin
A Man Called Shenandoah
TV • 1965
Egan
Laramie
TV • 1959
Bart Collins
Laramie
TV • 1959
Jack
The Deputy
TV • 1959
Styles
Lawman
TV • 1958
Bent Carr
Alcoa Theatre
TV • 1957
Jake Britin
The Man from Blackhawk
TV • 1959
Johnson
Navy Log
TV • 1955
Smithwick
Science Fiction Theatre
TV • 1955
Assignment: Underwater
TV • 1960
Barney
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
TV • 1993
Dr. McCoy