Acting · Atlanta, Georgia, USA · Born January 20, 1920
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.
MovieWay of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
2022
as Self - (archive footage)
MovieStar Trek: Inside the Roddenberry Vault
2016
as (archive footage)
MovieThe Pixar Story
2007
as Leonard McCoy (archive footage)
Movie40 Years of Star Trek
2006
as Self
MovieThe Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
1998
as Viking 1 (voice)
MovieTrekkies
1997
as Self
The Making of Star Trek Deep Space Nine Trials And Tribble-ations
1996
as Self
MovieStar Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
as Self
MovieWilliam Shatner's Star Trek Memories
1996
as Self
MovieVirtuosity
1995
as Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited)
William Shatner: Captain's Log
1994
as Self
MovieStar Trek: A Captain's Log
1994
as Self
A Conversation with DeForest Kelley
1993
as Self
TVStar Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Dr. McCoy
MovieStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
MovieStar Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
1991
as Self
MovieStar Trek V: The Final Frontier
1989
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
TVStar Trek: The Next Generation
1987
as Admiral Leonard McCoy
MovieStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
MovieStar Trek III: The Search for Spock
1984
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
MovieStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
1982
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
MovieStar Trek: The Motion Picture
1979
as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
MovieThe Star Trek Dream
1975
as Self
TVStar Trek
1973
as Leonard McCoy (voice)
MovieNight of the Lepus
1972
as Elgin Clark
MovieThe Bull of the West
1972
as Ben Tully
TVOwen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971
as Frank Slater
TVThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
as Parrish
TVRoom 222
1969
as Matt Silverton
TVIronside
1967
as Mr. Fowler
TVStar Trek
1966
as Dr. McCoy
MovieWaco
1966
as Bill Rile
MovieBonanza: Ride the Wind
1966
as Tully
MovieApache Uprising
1965
as Toby Jack Saunders
MovieMarriage on the Rocks
1965
as Mr. Turner
TVLaredo
1965
as Dr. David Ingram
TVA Man Called Shenandoah
1965
as Egan
MovieTown Tamer
1965
as Guy Tavenner
MovieBlack Spurs
1965
as Sheriff Dal Nemo
MovieWhere Love Has Gone
1964
as Sam Corwin
MovieGunfight at Comanche Creek
1963
as Amos Troop
TVThe Fugitive
1963
as Charlie
TVThe Dakotas
1963
as Martin Volet
TVThe Gallant Men
1962
TVThe Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TVThe Virginian
1962
as Ben Tully
TVCain's Hundred
1961
as Bob Tully
TVRoute 66
1960
as Willis
TVStagecoach West
1960
as Lt. Clarke
Assignment: Underwater
1960
as Barney
TVCoronado 9
1960
TVJohnny Midnight
1960
The Man from Blackhawk
1959
as Johnson
TVLaramie
1959
as Bart Collins
TVRiverboat
1959
as Alex Jeffords
TVBonanza
1959
as Captain Moss Johnson
TVThe Deputy
1959
as Styles
MovieWarlock
1959
as Curley Burne
TVBlack Saddle
1959
as Sam King
TVRawhide
1959
as Slate Prell
TV77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Phil Wingate
TVBat Masterson
1958
as Brock Martin
TVLawman
1958
as Sam White
TVThe Donna Reed Show
1958
as Mr. Williams
TVWanted: Dead or Alive
1958
as Sheriff Steve Pax
MovieThe Law and Jake Wade
1958
as Wexler
TVMickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
1958
as Philip Conroy
MovieRaintree County
1957
as Southern Officer
MovieThe Edge of Innocence
1957
as Lambert
TV26 Men
1957
TVTrackdown
1957
as Perry Grimes
TVAlcoa Theatre
1957
as Marshal
TVPerry Mason
1957
as Peter Thorpe
TVM Squad
1957
as Police Sgt. Miller
TVHave Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Deakin
TVRichard Diamond, Private Detective
1957
as Sheriff
MovieGunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957
as Morgan Earp
TVThe Silent Service
1957
as Lt. Comm. Enright
TVTales of Wells Fargo
1957
as Captain Cole Scofield
TVDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Les Porter
MovieTension at Table Rock
1956
as Jim Breck
State Trooper
1956
as Graham Jones
TVThe Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
MovieThe Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
1956
as Medic (uncredited)
MovieThe View from Pompey's Head
1955
as Jim - Hotel Clerk
TVMatinee Theater
1955
MovieIllegal
1955
as Edward Clary
TVNavy Log
1955
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Will Bailey
MovieHouse of Bamboo
1955
as Charlie (uncredited)
TVScience Fiction Theatre
1955
TVThe Millionaire
1955
as Dr. Michael Wells
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Silas Morgan (uncredited)
TVStudio 57
1954
as Ted Lance
TVWaterfront
1954
as Bob Vogelin
TVThe Lone Wolf
1954
as Ted Hopkins
MovieDuffy of San Quentin
1954
as Eddie Lee
TVPublic Defender
1954
as Ralph Sanders
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
1953
TVCity Detective
1953
as Benjamin
TVRevlon Mirror Theatre
1953
TVYou Are There
1953
MovieTaxi
1953
as Fred (uncredited)
TVCavalcade of America
1952
TVDeath Valley Days
1952
as Elliott Webster
MovieThe Men
1950
as Dr. Sherman (uncredited)
Speak No Evil
1950
as Ted
MovieMalaya
1949
as Lt. Glenson (uncredited)
TVThe Lone Ranger
1949
as Bob Kittredge
MovieDuke of Chicago
1949
as 'Ace' Martin
MovieAmbassador for Christ
1949
as Aram
TVStudio One
1948
as Bob Philo
MovieCanon City
1948
as Smalley
MovieBeyond Our Own
1947
as Bob Rogers
MovieVariety Girl
1947
as Bob Kirby
MovieFear in the Night
1947
as Vince Grayson
TVPublic Prosecutor
1947
as Danny Watson
Time to Kill
1945
as Peter
