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.
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When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns t...
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The starship Enterprise and its crew is pulled back into action when old nemesis, Khan, steals a top...
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A surprise visit from Spock's father provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harboring Spock's liv...
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When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew m...
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A renegade Vulcan with a startling secret hijacks the U.S.S. Enterprise in order to find a mythical ...
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After years of war, the Federation and the Klingon empire find themselves on the brink of a peace su...
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This documentary is hosted by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy and they take us through the history...
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The Law Enforcement Technology Advancement Centre (LETAC) has developed SID version 6.7: a Sadistic,...
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A star-studded tribute to Star Trek on its 30th anniversary, hosted by many of the stars and guest s...
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Based on the book by Thomas M. Disch and intended as the third film in the series, this sequel was f...
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A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's p...
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| # | Name | Character | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Pixar Story (2007) | Leonard McCoy (archive footage) | 7.7 | |
| 2 | The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) | Viking 1 (voice) | 6 | |
| 3 | Trekkies (1997) | Self | 6 | |
| 4 | Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond (1996) | Self | 6 | |
| 5 | Virtuosity (1995) | Dr. Leonard McCoy (archive footage) (uncredited) | 6.2 | |
| 6 | Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 7.6 | |
| 7 | Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special (1991) | Self | - | - |
| 8 | Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 6.3 | |
| 9 | Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 7.7 | |
| 10 | Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 7.5 | |
| 11 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 8.1 | |
| 12 | Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 6.8 | |
| 13 | Night of the Lepus (1972) | Elgin Clark | 6.7 | |
| 14 | Waco (1966) | Bill Rile | - | - |
| 15 | Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963) | Amos Troop | 6 | |
| 16 | Warlock (1959) | Curley Burne | 6.5 | |
| 17 | The Law and Jake Wade (1958) | Wexler | 6 | |
| 18 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) | Morgan Earp | 7.3 | |
| 19 | House of Bamboo (1955) | Charlie (uncredited) | 5 | |
| 20 | Illegal (1955) | Edward Clary | 2 | |
| 21 | The Men (1950) | Dr. Sherman (uncredited) | 5 | |
| 22 | Canon City (1948) | Smalley | 6 | |
| 23 | Fear in the Night (1947) | Vince Grayson | 7 |

