Jackson DeForest Kelley was born on 20th January 1920. He was delievered at home in Atlanta, Georgia by his uncle, a prominent local physician. Raised by a preacher family (his father Ernest David Kelley was a Baptist minister, his mother Clora Casey was a housewife) De and his 2-years-older brother Ernest Casey was kept close to church. Their parents made them learn the responsibilities of the elect; the boys knew they were representing something far larger than their own small lives. When the kids were young the family moved from one Georgia mill town to the next. De was almost ten years old when they stayed in Conyers, a little town with many woods and seas.

"It was a perfect average well-adjusted childhood, not a bit unlike that of millions of other individuals. I ran around with the other youngsters, hunting, fishing and raising tadpoles and all the rest."

When he was 16 DeForest graduated from highschool and sang at the church where his father was the minister. Eventually this led to solos and later performing on radio station WSB in Atlanta, where he put together plays with his friends. As a result of his radio appearances, he won an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra at the Paramount Theater.

"My father started me singing in church. He was the most important influence in my childhood."

In his childhood De always wanted to be a doctor but because he grew up within the Great Depression the family never had enough money for the schooling. De also wanted to be a cowboy but instead he went into show business and became both.

At seventeen he made his first trip outside the state to visit an uncle in Long Beach, California. De loved the sun, surf and excitement of Long Beach. After one year he returned and told his parents that he was going to stay and want to become an actor.

"I had fallen in love with California."

His mother encouraged him but his father wasn`t pleased with De`s decision. De`s parents meant a lot for him so he kept his father`s bible and wore his mother`s ring on his pinky finger.

In California he worked mopping floors, as an elevator operator and as a rough neck for Richland Oil. He played in theater and made a silent movie in 1938, which never made it to the screen.

Kelley got his first acting job from Rohn Hawke, who was doing local theater. Hawke worked with De to smooth out his Georgia accent and wanted to appear him in a play he was directing.

In 1942, DeForest appeared as a beach bum in "The Innocent Young Man" with the Long Beach Theater Group. His co-star was a blonde, blue-eyes beauty named Carolyn Dowling, who later became his wife. In the World War II their romance was interrupted by war when Kelley went into the Army Air Corps in New Mexico between March 10, 1943 and January 28, 1946. Carolyn visited him often. Soon after the war was over De and Caroyln bought two Indian rings for 25 cents and married on September 7, 1945.

Kelley was spotted by a Paramount scout while doing a Navy Training film and got his first starring role in the movie "Fear in the Night" in 1947. Shortly after that he made the musical movie "Variety Girl".

DeForest had his first heavy role in 1955 in "You Are There: The Gunfight at OK Corral". For nine years he primarily played heavies and found them interesting and challenging. Later he said he always felt more comfortable in westerns then he did in Science Fiction.

"I have no aspiration whatsover to be the next great leading man."

Before he got the part of Dr. Leonard McCoy De had many guest appearances in movies and television series.

"I am still seeking to become firmly established as actor."

DeForest was first offered the choice to play Mr. Spock. He regret, because he didn`t believe Star Trek would work. But in the end he agreed to play the ship`s doctor.

The part of McCoy changed his life forever and made him well-known all over the world. Together with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy her formed the main cast and was nearly in every episode.

"Star Trek has brought so much of what I want within my grasp. Star Trek is perhaps the best thing that ever happened to me, in a career sense."

De said his favorite episode was "The City on the Edge of Forever". His favorite movie was "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home".

After Star Trek ended production, Kelley took a long, well-deserved vacation.

"I have been exposed to a great amount of temptation throughout the course of my career. Now I have considered myself a mature actor."

He just only made a few more movies and did some television and finally retired from acting in the mid 1990s.

In his freetime De liked painting and wrote the poems "The Big Bird`s Dream" and "The Life Goes On". He also loved swimming and riding.

"What I truly miss the most is having sufficient time to do all the things that need to be done around the house and for our friends."

DeForest lived with his wife and their pets in Sherman Oaks, California. He and Carolyn contributed to numerous charities. De spent his last years in a retirement home for actors.

Shortly before he died he won "The Golden Cowboy Boots", honoring his earlier work in westerns. Kelley also has a star on the Walk of Fame, which he awarded on 18th December 1991.

DeForest passed away on June 11th, 1999.
His wife Carolyn died on October 12th, 2004.
DeForest Kelley was the first member of the original Star Trek cast who died.

"I have deep feelings for the welfare and comfort of others. I refuse to be crude and selfish in any way. My ambition is peace and perfection."

Currently there are three DeForest Kelley books available: "From Sawdust to Stardust - The Biography of DeForest Kelley", "A Harvest of Memories: My Life and Times With a Remarkable Gentleman Actor" and "The Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley: Actor, Healer, Friend".