| He's Dead Jim! And so 'Doctor "Bones" McCoy' utters those famous words for the last time, as he makes his way up to that great Starship Enterprise in the sky |
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DeForest Kelley, 79, Creator Of Dr. McCoy on 'Star Trek', the crotchety country doctor who healed countless human and non-human patients as Dr. Leonard McCoy on the science fiction series ''Star Trek,'' died on Friday June 11, 1999 at the Motion Pictures and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles.
DeForest Jackson Kelley was born in Atlanta Georgia, January 20, 1920. Mr. Kelley always wanted to be a doctor, just like his uncle, who delivered him, but when the Depression hit, his family did not have the money for him to go to medical school. His participation in his church choir eventually led to singing engagements on the radio and at the Atlanta Paramount Theatre with the Lew Forbes Orchestra. When Mr.Kelley turned 17, he went to Long Beach, California to stay with his uncle for two weeks. Finding it difficult to leave, two weeks became one year. Mr. Kelley then returned to Georgia, but found it impossible to remain and so he went back to California permanently. Mr. Kelley returned to Long Beach and joined a local theatre group. Another member of the theatre group at the time was Carolyn Dowling, who would become Mrs. Kelley in 1945 (53 years). A Paramount talent scout spotted Kelley in a Navy training film during World War II, which resulted in a screen test and a studio contract. Mr.Kelley stayed with Paramount for two-and-a-half years, and while there he starred in his first feature film "Fear In The Night". After a stint working in stock companies and television in New York, Mr. Kelley returned to the West Coast to continue his acting career. He was often cast as a "bad guy" in westerns such as The Gunfight at OK Corral, Raintree County and Warlock. He also appeared on TV programs such as Playhouse 90, Gunsmoke , Bonanza as well as numerous TV pilots. And��.well, the rest is Star Trek History. |