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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
January 20, 1920
Died
June 11, 1999
Place of Birth
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Also Known As
- Jackson DeForest Kelley
- دِفارست کلی
DeForest Kelley
1.5 Popularity
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
0.0
Self - (archive footage)
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
2022
6.8
(archive footage)
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
2016
7.6
Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
The Pixar Story
2007
4.3
Self
40 Years of Star Trek
2006
5.7
Viking 1 (voice)
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
1998
6.4
Self
Trekkies
1997
🎬
0.0
Self
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
1996
5.8
Self
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
5.5
Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
Virtuosity
1995
4.3
Self
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
1995
Credits
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
as Self - (archive footage)
2022
0.0
Star Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
as (archive footage)
2016
6.8
The Pixar Story
as Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
2007
7.6
40 Years of Star Trek
as Self
2006
4.3
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
as Viking 1 (voice)
1998
5.7
Trekkies
as Self
1997
6.4
🎬
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
as Self
1996
0.0
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
as Self
1996
5.8
Virtuosity
as Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
1995
5.5
William Shatner's Star Trek Memories
as Self
1995
4.3
Star Trek: A Captain's Log
as Himself
1994
5.5
🎬
William Shatner: Captain's Log
as Self
1994
0.0
🎬
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
as Self
1993
0.0
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
as Dr. McCoy
1993
7.9
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
as McCoy
1991
7.0
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
as Self
1991
5.9
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
1989
5.7
Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Admiral Leonard McCoy
1987
8.4
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
as McCoy
1986
7.2
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
1984
6.6
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
1982
7.4
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
1979
6.5
The Star Trek Dream
as Self
1975
1.0
Star Trek
as Leonard McCoy (voice)
1973
6.8
Night of the Lepus
as Elgin Clark
1972
4.4
The Bull of the West
as Ben Tully
1972
5.4
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
as Frank Slater
1971
6.3
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
4.0
Room 222
as Matt Silverton
1969
6.0
Ironside
as Mr. Fowler
1967
6.8
Star Trek: The Menagerie
as Dr. McCoy
1966
0.0
Star Trek
as Dr. McCoy
1966
8.0
Waco
as Bill Rile
1966
6.4
Bonanza: Ride the Wind
as Tully
1966
6.8
Apache Uprising
as Toby Jack Saunders
1965
6.2
Marriage on the Rocks
as Mr. Turner
1965
5.6
Laredo
as Dr. David Ingram
1965
6.3
A Man Called Shenandoah
as Egan
1965
6.4
Town Tamer
as Guy Tavenner
1965
6.5
Black Spurs
as Sheriff Dal Nemo
1965
6.1
Where Love Has Gone
as Sam Corwin
1964
5.9
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
as Amos Troop
1963
5.8
The Fugitive
as Charlie
1963
7.2
The Dakotas
as Martin Volet
1963
5.7
The Gallant Men
1962
6.0
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
1962
6.2
The Virginian
as Ben Tully
1962
6.4
The Virginian
as Lt. Beldon
1962
6.4
Cain's Hundred
as Bob Tully
1961
4.7
Route 66
1960
6.3
Stagecoach West
as Lt. Clarke
1960
6.0
🎬
Assignment: Underwater
as Barney
1960
0.0
Coronado 9
1960
6.0
Coronado 9
as Shep Harlow
1960
6.0
Johnny Midnight
1960
0.0
🎬
The Man from Blackhawk
as Johnson
1959
5.0
Laramie
as Bart Collins
1959
6.6
Laramie
as Jack
1959
6.6
Riverboat
as Alex Jeffords
1959
6.2
Bonanza
as Tully
1959
7.5
Bonanza
as Dr. Michael Jons
1959
7.5
Bonanza
as Captain Moss Johnson
1959
7.5
The Deputy
as Styles
1959
6.2
Warlock
as Curley Burne
1959
6.7
Black Saddle
as Sam King
1959
6.0
Rawhide
as Slate Prell
1959
7.2
77 Sunset Strip
as Phil Wingate
1958
6.7
Bat Masterson
as Brock Martin
1958
6.1
Lawman
as Sam White
1958
5.6
Lawman
as Bent Carr
1958
5.6
The Donna Reed Show
as Mr. Williams
1958
6.2
Wanted: Dead or Alive
as Sheriff Steve Pax
1958
6.8
Wanted: Dead or Alive
as Ollie Tate
1958
6.8
The Law and Jake Wade
as Wexler
1958
6.6
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
as Philip Conroy
1958
6.6
Raintree County
as Southern Officer
1957
6.4
The Edge of Innocence
as Lambert
1957
0.0
26 Men
1957
4.2
Trackdown
as Perry Grimes
1957
6.4
Trackdown
as Brock Childers
1957
6.4
Trackdown
as Ed Crow
1957
6.4
Trackdown
as Tom Dooley
1957
6.4
Alcoa Theatre
as Marshal
1957
6.5
Alcoa Theatre
as Jake Britin
1957
6.5
Perry Mason
as Peter Thorpe
1957
7.7
M Squad
as Police Sgt. Miller
1957
5.2
M Squad
as Detective
1957
5.2
Have Gun, Will Travel
as Deakin
1957
7.3
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
as Sheriff
1957
6.2
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
as Kenneth Porter
1957
6.2
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
as Morgan Earp
1957
7.0
The Silent Service
as Lt. Comm. Enright
1957
0.0
Tales of Wells Fargo
as Captain Cole Scofield
1957
6.9
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Les Porter
1956
6.0
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Sherm Pickard
1956
6.0
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Logan Wheeler
1956
6.0
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Swain
1956
6.0
Tension at Table Rock
as Jim Breck
1956
5.9
🎬
State Trooper
as Graham Jones
1956
5.0
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
5.0
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
as Medic (uncredited)
1956
6.7
The View from Pompey's Head
as Jim - Hotel Clerk
1955
2.8
Matinee Theater
1955
5.0
Illegal
as Edward Clary
1955
6.4
🎬
Navy Log
1955
4.5
🎬
Navy Log
as Smithwick
1955
4.5
Gunsmoke
as Will Bailey
1955
6.6
House of Bamboo
as Charlie (uncredited)
1955
6.1
Science Fiction Theatre
1955
6.2
The Millionaire
as Dr. Michael Wells
1955
5.0
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Silas Morgan (uncredited)
1954
7.8
Studio 57
as Ted Lance
1954
0.0
Waterfront
as Bob Vogelin
1954
7.0
Waterfront
as Bob Richards
1954
7.0
The Lone Wolf
as Ted Hopkins
1954
7.0
The Lone Wolf
as Nick Kohler
1954
7.0
Duffy of San Quentin
as Eddie Lee
1954
6.0
Public Defender
as Ralph Sanders
1954
5.7
🎬
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
1953
7.0
City Detective
1953
7.0
Revlon Mirror Theatre
1953
0.0
You Are There
1953
5.7
Taxi
as Fred (uncredited)
1953
6.4
Cavalcade of America
1952
3.5
Death Valley Days
as Elliott Webster
1952
6.4
Death Valley Days
as Shad Cullen
1952
6.4
Death Valley Days
as Clint Rogers
1952
6.4
Death Valley Days
as Martin
1952
6.4
The Men
as Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
1950
7.0
🎬
Speak No Evil
as Ted
1950
0.0
Malaya
as Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
1949
6.5
The Lone Ranger
as Bob Kittredge
1949
6.8
The Lone Ranger
as Doctor Barnes
1949
6.8
The Lone Ranger
as Sheriff
1949
6.8
Duke of Chicago
as 'Ace' Martin
1949
0.0
Ambassador for Christ
as Aram
1949
0.0
Studio One
as Bob Philo
1948
5.0
Canon City
as Smalley
1948
6.0
Beyond Our Own
as Bob Rogers
1947
0.0
Variety Girl
as Bob Kirby
1947
6.1
Fear in the Night
as Vince Grayson
1947
5.3
Public Prosecutor
1947
0.0
🎬
Time to Kill
as Peter
1945
0.0