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Historical records matching DeForest Kelley
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About DeForest Kelley
Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999) was an American actor 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.
Actor. He is best remembered for his role of ‘Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy' on the "Star Trek" series of movies and television shows. His often quoted diagnosis, "He's dead, Jim" became an icon of the Star Trek shows. Born Jackson DeForest Kelley in Taccoa, Georgia, he was inspired to try acting during a visit to his uncle in Long Beach, California. The two-week stay became a year long, and upon returning to his parents in Atlanta, he announced that he was returning to California to become an actor. While acting in a training film for the United States Navy during World War II, he was spotted by a talent scout and signed to a contract with Paramount Pictures. His first film was "Fear in the Night" (1947). During the 1950s and 1960s, he was often seen in the role of a bad guy (the heavy), in western films and television shows, including the role of Morgan Earp in "Gunfight at the OK Corral" (1957), "The Law and Jake Wade" (1958), "Warlock" (1959), "Black Spurs" (1965), "Apache Uprising" (1966), and "Waco" (1966). He also appeared in such western television shows as "Bonanza", "The Virginian", "Zane Grey Theater", "Rawhide", and "Death Valley Days". In 1966, he was offered the role of ‘Spock' in the new Star Trek television series, but chose the role of ‘Dr. McCoy' instead. As Dr. McCoy, he was often played in a comic relief role, sometimes ascerbic role in the trio of Captain ‘James T. Kirk', Commander Spock, and himself, counterbalancing the beliefs and efforts of the other two men. Leonard Nimoy (of the role of Spock) once said of him, "He represented humanity [on the show] and it fitted him well." After the television series ended in 1969, he appeared at the numerous Star Trek conventions, and returned to his traditional roles on television. In the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation he played an admiral on an inspection tour of the Enterprise D with Commander Data. He had the line, "She's a good ship and she has the right name. You treat her right and she'll always bring you home." He was in all six of the first six Star Trek movies, which featured the original crew of the television series. He died at the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, after suffering several months from stomach cancer. (bio by: [fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=46483611" target="_blank Kit and Morgan Benson)]
Cause of death: Stomach cancer Maintained by: Find A Grave Record added: Jun 30, 1999
Cremated Ashes scattered at sea.
Find A Grave Memorial# 5788
- Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 11 2018, 21:20:53 UTC
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DeForest Kelley's Timeline
| 1920 |
January 20, 1920
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Toccoa, Stephens County, Georgia, United States
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| 1999 |
June 11, 1999
Age 79
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Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
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1999
Age 78
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