DeForest Kelley

Known for ActingBorn 1920-01-20Died 1999-06-11Atlanta, Georgia, USA

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.Read more

Movies & web series

Beyond Our Own

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek

The Pixar Story

The Gallant Men

The Silent Service

Studio 57

The Lone Wolf

Public Prosecutor

The Wonderful World of Disney

Perry Mason

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Bonanza

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Waterfront

City Detective

Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault

The Fugitive

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Have Gun, Will Travel

Rawhide

77 Sunset Strip

Tales of Wells Fargo

Johnny Midnight

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Alcoa Theatre

Star Trek

Ironside

A Man Called Shenandoah

The Men

Duke of Chicago

Town Tamer

Bonanza: Ride the Wind

Time to Kill

Trackdown

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Malaya

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Trekkies

Warlock

Waco

Star Trek: A Captain's Log

Route 66

Taxi