I went to about a dozen Star Trek conventions between 1998 and 2004 and sadly I never got to see DeF, the only other one of the original cast I never saw was Nichelle/Uhura, I do have these nifty plaques though.............. 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. 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. Kelleys 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. In 1956, years before being cast as Dr. McCoy, Kelley played a small supporting role as a medic in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit in which he utters the diagnosis This mans dead, Captain and That man is dead to Gregory Peck. Kelley appeared as Lieutenant Commander James Dempsey in two episodes of the syndicated military drama The Silent Service, based on actual stories of the submarine section of the United States Navy. In 1962, he appeared in the Bonanza episode entitled The Decision, as a doctor sentenced to hang for the murder of a journalist. The judge in this episode was portrayed by John Hoyt, who later portrayed Dr. Phillip John Boyce, one of Leonard McCoys predecessors, on the Star Trek pilot The Cage. In 1963, he appeared in The Virginian episode Man of Violence as a drinking cavalry doctor with Leonard Nimoy as his patient. (Nimoys character did not survive.) Perhaps not coincidentally, the episode was written by John D.F. Black, who went on to become a writer-producer on Star Trek. Just before Star Trek began filming, Kelley appeared as a doctor again, in the Laredo episode The Sound of Terror. After refusing Roddenberrys 1964 offer to play Spock, Kelley played Dr. Leonard Bones McCoy from 1966 to 1969 in Star Trek. He reprised the character in a voice-over role in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–74), and the first six Star Trek motion pictures (1979 to 1991). In one of the Star Trek comic books it was stated that Dr. McCoys father had been a Baptist preacher, an idea that apparently came from Kelleys background. In 1987, he also had a cameo in Encounter at Farpoint, the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as by-that-time Admiral Leonard McCoy, Starfleet Surgeon General Emeritus. Several aspects of Kelleys background became part of McCoys characterization, including his pronunciation of nuclear as nucular. Kelley became a good friend of Star Trek cast mates William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, from their first meeting in 1964. During Treks first season, Kelleys name was listed in the end credits along with the rest of the cast. Only Shatner and Nimoy were listed in the opening credits. As Kelleys role grew in importance during the first season he received a pay raise to about $2,500 per episode, and received third billing starting in the second season after Nimoy. Despite the shows recognition of Kelley as one of its stars he was frustrated by the greater attention that Shatner received as its lead actor, and Nimoy received because of Spockamania among fans. Shy by his own admission, Kelley was the only cast member of the original Star Trek series program never to have written or published an autobiography; however, the authorized biography From Sawdust to Stardust (2005) was written posthumously by Terry Lee Rioux of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Kelley regarded The Empath to be his favourite Star Trek television episode. In a TLC interview done in the late 1990s, Kelley jokingly said one of his biggest fears was that the words etched on his gravestone would be Hes dead, Jim. Reflecting this, Kelleys obituary in Newsweek magazine began: Were not even going to try to resist: Hes dead, Jim. On the other hand, he stated that he was very proud to hear from so many Star Trek fans who had been inspired to become doctors as a result of his portrayal of Dr. McCoy. For his final film, Kelley provided the voice of Viking 1 in the 2nd/3rd installment in the childrens series The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars. Later in life, Kelley developed an interest in poetry, eventually publishing the first of two books in a series, The Big Birds Dream and The Dream Goes On – a series he would never finish. Kelley died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1999. His body was cremated and the ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 20:32:44 +0000
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