Born DeForest Jackson Kelley in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 20th, 1920, he wanted to be a doctor like his uncle. However, his family didn't have the funds to send him to Medical school and he drifted into singing and the theatre. A scout from Paramount saw him in a training film for the Navy and signed him to a contract as a bit player for the studio.
Kelley's first film for Paramount was called "Fear of the Night," which led him to more parts and then eventually to Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek with Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. He appeared in around 75 features and 75 television shows, which included some Westerns in which he very often played a bad guy. In addition he appeared in the first six Star Trek feature films and at countless Star Trek conventions.
Kelley's Star Trek: TOS character "Bones" was best known for his friendly rivalry with Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and his advice to Captain Kirk (William Shatner) on humanitarian aspects of various missions. It's been said that "Bones was a reflection of DeForest Kelley in that they were both kind and gentle people, true humanitarians. "Bones" was also known for his two famous catch phrases which he addressed Kirk with, "He's Dead Jim!" and "Damn it Jim, I'm a Doctor not a bricklayer."
Here are some other memorable quotes From Doctor McCoy:
McCoy: "I know why you're not afraid to die, Spock. You're more afraid of living. Each day you stay alive is just one more day you might slip, and let your human half peek out. That's it, isn't it. Insecurity. Why you wouldn't know what to do with a genuine warm decent feeling."
Spock: "Really, Doctor."
McCoy: "I know. I'm worried about Jim too."
- Bread and Circuses
McCoy: "This guy never changes. I insult him and he takes it as a compliment."
- Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier (He's talking about Spock)
Spock: "He reminds me of someone I ....... knew in my youth."
McCoy: "Why Spock, I didn't know you had one."
- Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier (Part of the conversation in the Forward observation deck after they see the hostage information)
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