January 20, 1920

[Kansas 0]

While I really like Karl Urban as New McCoy, and the actor has an obvious respect for the legacy of the role, the original McCoy actor can never be replaced or eclipsed.

 

Today is the birthday of DeForest Kelley, and he remains my favorite Star Trek actor out of the whole lot of them.

 

Prior to Star Trek, he worked for almost 20 years as the proverbial bad guy in various TV and movie westerns: Bonanza, Zane Grey, Have Gun Will Travel, Wanted Dead or Alive, Warlock, Gunfight at the OK Corral, Gunfight at Comanche Creek, The Law and Jake Wade, Apache Uprising...the list goes on.

 

DeForest Kelley's very first lead acting role was in a 1947 film called Fear in the Night. If you can track down the DVD and are a 40's Detective Film Noir fan, go for it - you won't be dissappointed with the moodiness of the film. And those fedora hats are kick @zz.

 

He was an animal lover, and contributed to animal charities. He was married to the same woman for 50 + years.

 

I had a rare opportunity to meet him at 1993 Trek convention, and he was indeed "all that"; at the time he was 73 years of age, worked the room like an old pro, and held the audience captivated with his general personality and stories.

 

I do believe the the USS Greenleaf NCC-2020 (Kelley home/street/birthdate) and the Runabout DeForest Kelley will be doing a memorial flight this Thursday for the Academy.

 

Rock on Mr. Kelley.

[TKAR 0]

wow-TO meet the great DEFOREST KELLY....i would have given my sole to the devil to meet -him....<DEFOREST > to remember him as a great actor and person....that he was born today---the world was a better place that we had him for i time....just think if he was alive today he would be 90 years old and -what would he think of the new movie2009 startrek and Karl Urban.....i agree with you -no one can replace him --and i saw that Fear of in the night <WOW Great movie part for de> ^_^

[Jorahl 0]

...the list goes on.

 

Let's not forget "Night of the Lepus".

 

Mr Kelly, my favorite of the old cast.

[eagle 0]

Indeed another great multi talented actor has left us...but oh what a legacy he has bequeathed to us all.

 

Happy belated B-Day, And warp speed "Bones".