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