STARFLEET HISTORICAL DATABASE FILE: McCoy, Leonard

Mid-level Biography Brief Mode

Played By: DeForest Kelley

Final Rank: Admiral, retired

Full Name: Leonard Horatio McCoy, M.D.

Year of birth: 2227

Parents: Mr. and Mrs. David McCoy

Education: University of Mississippi, 2245-49; medical school, 2249-53

Marital status: Divorced

Children: A daughter, Joanna

Quarters: Original Enterprise: 3F 127

Starfleet Career Summary

2366 -- As lieutenant commander, named chief medical officer under Capt. James T. Kirk

2370 -- Retires to private medical practice

2371 -- Returns to duty under Starfleet reactivation clause, promoted to commander as chief medical officer on refit U.S.S. Enterprise for V'Ger mission

2285 -- As Academy medical faculty and training instructor, forced into Genesis mission; detained over leaks regarding secret Genesis Project

2286 -- Charged but cleared with shipmates in theft of U.S.S. Enterprise

2287 -- Returns to active Enterprise service under Kirk

2293 -- Participated in Khitomer peace mission after liberation from Klingon Rura Penthe prison

2364 -- As retired admiral, gave inspection tour of Galaxy-class U.S.S. Enterprise upon departure

Nicknamed 'Bones' by his longtime friend and commander, Captain James T. Kirk, McCoy replaced Mark Piper as chief medical officer in 2266 on the original five-year mission but clearly became the most renowned. By that first year he had already won the commendations of Legion of Honor, awards of valor, and was decorated by Starfleet Surgeons.

His temperament was sometimes argumentative, a cynic's outer crustiness masking deep caring beneath the surface. His "old South" roots led to the old-time physician manner of doctoring, with a Southern accent that was most apparent when under stress. He distrusts transporter technology and travels by shuttlecraft whenever possible.

McCoy was married once and later divorced, a relationship never discussed except for his one daughter, Joanna, who later graduated from nursing school. In the era before ship's counselors, McCoy played his role as psychologist expertly to the hilt - especially for the ship's two senior officers. As such an emotional watchdog he was not afraid to take on his captain, but it was his running battle of wits with Spock which became legendary. Spock showed his true feelings, though, as when inviting McCoy down to Vulcan for his "wedding" and in storing his katra with him before a known suicidal saving of their ship before the Genesis detonation.

McCoy contracted the always-fatal xenopolycythemia and retired from Starfleet in 2369 to spend his remaining days on the asteroid ship, Yonada, and that world's high priestess, Natira - whom he soon married. By exploring Yonada's computers, Spock found a cure for xenopolycythemiaand McCoy left Natira to return to the service. Earlier, McCoy had been infected with the strange 'aging' virus that infected the Gamma Hydra IV landing party.

After the U.S.S. Enterprise's triumphant return from its five-year mission, McCoy retired from Starfleet, grew a beard and went into virtual seclusion with a rural practice, only to be forced back to duty by Kirk and Admiral Nogura when V'Ger threatened Earth in 2371. After that he continued through the years of renewed Enterprise service with Kirk until at least the Khitomer peace talks of 2293, having survived imprisonment with him on trumped-up charges at the Rura Penthe mining prison when he could not revive assassinated Klingon Chancellor Gorkon. Spock's deposit of his katra in 2385 had nearly driven him crazy and landed him in Starfleet detention until the refusion took place, whereupon he delighted in the Vulcan's reeducation process.

As a retired admiral he remained active in his later years, serving at the age of 137 and shuttling aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise-D in 2364 in his role of inspecting medical facilities on new starships.

McCoy was an active practitioner well before his Starfleet days, of course. In 2253, some 12 years before he signed aboard with Kirk, he had developed a neural grafting procedure employing the creation of axonal pathways between the graft and a subject basal ganglia that was still the practice over a century later. He had also been stationed on Capella for a few months and knew the intricate customs of the Ten Tribes there.

Jackson DeForest Kelley was delivered at home in Atlanta, Georgia, by his uncle, a prominent local physician. The son of Clara Casey Kelley and Rev. Ernest D. Kelley, a Baptist minister, DeForest lived all over the South.

After singing in the church choir, DeForest discovered that he enjoyed singing and was good at it. Eventually this led to solos and later performing on radio station WSB in Atlanta. As a result of his radio appearances, he won an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra at the Paramount Theater. It was DeForest's first taste of being an entertainer, and he liked it.

DeForest moved to Long Beach, California to live with his Uncle Casey. He saved money working as an usher in a local theater until he had enough for the move. DeForest found that he loved the sun, surf and excitement of Long Beach and told his parents he was going to stay and get a job. Mopping floors soon gave way to operating an elevator in a hotel near the ocean.

One day, DeForest was sitting in a restaurant when Rohn Hawke, who was doing local theater, came over and asked if he had any acting experience. Hawke worked with him to smooth out his Georgia accent, wanting DeForest to appear in a play he was directing. He auditioned and won the part. During the run of the play, a talent scout caught his performance and felt he had a future in acting. In the evenings, he continued to appear with the Long Beach Theater Group to gain experience, while operating an elevator and 'roughnecking' for Richfield Oil during the day. Sometime later, DeForest and some friends from the group started writing and staging plays at a local radio station. This led to other radio work for him.

He was tested for the baby-faced killer in This Gun for Hire and was assured, after 13 takes, that he had the role. Unfortunately, it ultimately went to Alan Ladd and DeForest went back to the Theater Group.

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-eyed beauty named Carolyn Dowling. Toward the end of the play, Carolyn was to hand him a five dollar bill and say, "Here, Bill, take this money and buy yourself a drink." Carolyn used her own five dollars, with DeForest giving it back at the end of each performance. When the play closed, DeForest "forgot" to return the money and called her from the bar where he was having a drink. "I've got your five dollars, so you'd better come down here and help me spend it, or it's all going to be gone."

Their budding romance was interrupted by war and DeForest went into the Army Air Corps in New Mexico, where Carolyn visited often. Finally he was transferred to Culver City to act in a Navy training film. That was when the couple decided to get married. They found a judge that married servicemen free of charge, bought two Indian rings for 25 cents and were married on September 7, 1945.

A Paramount talent scout spotted DeForest in the Navy film and it led to a three year contract. His first film was a starring role in "Fear in the Night." It was a low-budge project, but it caught the attention of the public and became a box-office sleeper -- a real hit -- and DeForest was established as a respected actor. Shortly after that he made "Variety Girl" and he was on his way.

A couple of years later the Kelleys decided to try their luck on the New York stage. While DeForest sought work, Carolyn got a job in the main office of Warner Brothers. While DeForest did find work on stage and live television, after three years they returned to Hollywood. He landed a part in a You Are There episode. That part led to another and another. His exceptional performance as Ike Clanton in the episode, "Last Gunfight at OK Corral" was his first role as a heavy and it brought him three movie offers.

For nine years DeForest primarily played heavies and found them interesting and challenging. He built up an impressive list of credits, alternating between television and motion pictures. Afraid of being type-cast, DeForest broke out of that mold by doing "Where Love Has Gone" and a television pilot called "333 Montgomery." The latter was written by an ex-cop named Gene Roddenberry. A few years later, DeForest would appear in another Roddenberry pilot, "Police Story." That didn't sell either, but it led to Star Trek and the unforgettable role of Dr. Leonard McCoy.

After Star Trek ended production, DeForest took a long, well-deserved vacation. He made a few movies and did some television, but primarily went into retirement. He says that nowadays, "Acting has become my hobby and my home has become my heart." DeForest enjoys his garden, where he tends 50+ rosebushes, reads biographies and works around the house. He also does some painting and writes poetry; his poem, "The Big Bird's Dream" is a favorite with his fans and its sequel, "The Dream Goes One" is destined for the same fame.

DeForest and Carolyn share their home with Myrtle, an octogenarian turtle.

Note: Sadly, on June 11th, 1999, Deforest Kelley passed away at the age of 79 due to a long battle with lung cancer. He was surrounded at bedside by his family and close friends, and passed away peacefully. Known to his friends and fans as a kind warm hearted person, one of his greatest pleasures was to know that he and his character of Dr. McCoy has persuaded so many people to become doctors, he and his character has made this world a better place to live. He will be deeply missed by many, and not only is his passing a great loss to this world, but it is also a great loss to Star Trek, because he was a major piece of the puzzle that made Star Trek special and wonderful. So whoever, and wherever you are, please bow your head in silence and think of the man whose famous saying can now sadly be said of him..."He's dead Jim."

Filmography

"Apache Uprising"

"Beyond our Own" (religious film)

"Black Spurs"

"Canon City"

"Duke of Chicago"

"Fear in the Night"

"Gunfight at Comanche Creek"

"Gunfight at the OK Corral"

"House of Bamboo"

"House of Fear" (English title for "House of Bamboo")

"Illegal"

"Johnny Reno"

"Law and Jake Wade"

"Man in the Grey Flannel Suit"

"Marriage on the Rocks"

"Men"

"Night of the Lepus"

"Raintree County"

"Star Trek The Motion Picture"

"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"

"Star Trek III: The Search for Spock"

"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"

"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier"

"Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country"

"Taxi"

"Tension at Table Rock"

"Time to Kill" (Navy Training Film)

"Town Tamer"

"Two Faces West"

"Variety Girl"

"View from Pompeii's Head"

"Waco"

"Warlock"

"Where Love Has Gone"

Television(Series and episode title, where available)

77 Sunset Strip -- "88 Bars"

ABC Matinee Today -- "I Never Said Goodbye"

Alcoa Theater -- "333 Montgomery" & "Johnny Risk"

Armstrong Circle Theater

Arrest and Trial

Assignment: Underwater -- "Affair in Tokyo"

Bat Masterson -- "No Amnesty for Death"

Black Saddle -- "Apache Trail"

Bob Hope Chrysler -- "Theater"

Bold Ones (Doctors) -- "Giants Never Kneel"

Bonanza -- "Decision," "Honor of Cochise," and "Ride the Wind" (2 hr)

Cavalcade of America --"Medal for Miss Walker"

Code Three -- "Oil Well Incident"

Coronado 9 --"Loser's Circle"

Cowboys -- "Dave Done it"

Crime Syndicated

Dakotas -- "Reformation at Big Nose Butte"

Danger

Death Valley Days -- "Breaking Point," "Devil's Gate," and "Lady of the Plains"

Deputy

Donna Reed --"Uncle Jeff Needs You"

FBI

Frontier Justice -- "Shadow of a Dead Man"

Fugitive -- "Three Cheers for a Little Boy Blue"

Gallant Men -- "Taste of Peace"

Gallery of Mme Liu-Tsong

Gunsmoke -- "Indian Scout"

Have Gun, Will Travel -- "Treasure"

Ironside -- "Warrior's Return"

Johnny Midnight -- "Inner Eye"

Laramie -- "Gun Duel" and "Unvanquished"

Laredo -- "Sound of Terror"

Lawman -- "Squatters" and "Thimbleringger"

Line-Up - "Chloroform Murder Case"

Littlest Hobo

Lone Ranger -- "Death in the Forest" and "Gold Train" & "Legion of Old Timers"

M-Squad - "Diamond Hard," "Hideout," and "Pete Loves Mary"

Man Called Shenandoah -- "Riley Brand"

Markham -- "Counterpoint"

Matinee Theater -- "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer -- "Bride and Doom"

Millionaire -- "Millionaire: Iris Millar"

Navy Log

Northwest Passage -- "Death Rides the Wind"

O, Henry Playhouse -- "Hiding of Black Bill"

Owen Marshall -- "Make No Mistake"

Perry Mason -- "The Case of the Unwelcome Bridge"

Plainclothesman

Playhouse 90

Police Story

Rawhide -- "Incident at Barker Springs"

Richard Diamond -- "Adjuster," "Fine Art of Murder," and one untitled episode

Riverboat -- "Listen to the Nightingale"

Room 222 -- "Suitable for Framing"

Rough Riders -- "Night Binders"

Route 66 -- "1800 Days to Justice" & "Clover Throne"

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Science Fiction Theater -- "Long Day," "Survival in Box Canyon," and "Y.O.R.D."

Silent Force -- "Judge"

Silent Service -- "Archerfish Spits Straight," "Gar Story," and "Spearfish Delivers"

Slattery's People -- "Question: Which One has the Privilege"

Stagecoach West -- "Image of a Man"

Star Trek -- 79 episodes and 6 films

Studio 57 -- "Storm Signal"

Studio One

Tales of Wells Fargo -- "Capt. Scoville"

Trackdown -- "Dooley Boys", "End of an Outlaw," "Hard Lines," and "Jailbreak"

Two Faces West -- "Fallen Gun"

Virginian -- "Duel at Shiloh" and "Man of Violence"

Walt Disney Presents: Elfago Baca -- "Mustang Man, Mustang Maid"

Wanted: Dead or Alive -- "Hostage & Secret Ballot" & two other episodes

Web

You Are There -- 13 episodes

Your Favorite Story -- "Inside Out" and "Man Who Sold His Shadow"

Your Jeweler's Showcase -- "Hand of St. Pierre"

Zane Grey Theater -- "Shadow"