DeForest Kelley Biography

DeForest Kelley had one of those lightning-struck showbiz careers. After nearly two decades in supporting roles in westerns and B-movies, he joined the original cast of the TV show Star Trek in 1966. (Kelley was part of the show’s lead trio along with William ‘Kirk’ Shatner and Leonard ‘Spock’ Nimoy.) When the show became a cult favorite and then a pop culture phenomenon, Kelley was identified with the role for life. As McCoy he was known for his good-hearted grouchiness and for his dependable DOA pronouncement, "He’s dead, Jim."