Date of Birth : Jan 20th 1920
A Paramount talent scout spotted Kelley 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-budget project, but it caught the attention of the public and became a box-office sleeper—a real hit—and Kelley was established as a respected actor. Shortly after that he made Variety Girl and he was on his way.
A couple of years later Kelley and Carolyn decided to try their luck on the New York stage. While Kelley sought work, Carolyn got a job in the main office of Warner Brothers. He found work on stage and in live television, and after three years they returned to Hollywood. He landed a part in a You Are There episode. That part led to another and another. Kelley’s 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 Kelley 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 written by an ex-cop named Gene Roddenberry. A few years later, Kelley 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.
CAREER
No films linked yet.