is bones from star trek still alive

DeForest Kelley, 'Dr. McCoy,' remembered 20 years after his death

It’s been 20 years since we lost Dr. McCoy.

DeForest Kelley , best remembered as “Star Trek’s” Leonard “Bones” McCoy, died from stomach cancer on June 11, 1999, at the Motion Pictures and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 79.

Before “Star Trek,” Kelley was known for his roles in westerns.

Kelley portrayed the Starship Enterprise’s chief medical officer in the original series, voiced the character in “Star Trek: The Animated Series,” and again played the character in the franchise’s first six motion pictures.

Kelley also appeared in the first episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in 1987, as 137-year-old Admiral McCoy, in a scene with Brent Spiner as Data marking a hand-off of sorts from one generation to another.

While describing himself as just an “old country doctor” with a fear of using the ship’s transporter, Kelley’s McCoy is also remembered for saying the many things he wasn’t.

And his delivery of, “He’s dead, Jim,” has passed into common usage, even among non-Trek fans, almost as much as “Beam me up, Scotty.”

Of the seven members of the main original “Star Trek” cast, four are still with us — William Shatner (Kirk); Nichelle Nicohols (Uhura); George Takei (Sulu); and Walter Koenig (Chekov).

Takei is scheduled to appear at the next Steel City Con , which is being held at the Monroeville Convention Center from Aug. 9 to 11; Takei will be there that Saturday and Sunday only.

James Doohan , who was Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, died July 20, 2005 at the age of 85; Spock actor Leonard Nimoy died on Feb. 27, 2015 at the age of 83.

Kelley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991.

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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DeForest Kelley (1920-1999)

IMDbPro Starmeter See rank

• 3 wins & 1 nomination

• 1966–1969 • 76 eps

• Viking 1 (voice)

• Dr. McCoy (voice)

• Dr. Leonard McCoy (voice)

• Adm. Leonard McCoy

• Prof. Hal Schaffer

• 22 episodes

• Jack Potter

• Dr. Goldstone
• performer: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" (uncredited)

• performer: "Cindy"

Personal details

• De Forest Kelley
• 5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
• January 20 , 1920
• Toccoa, Georgia, USA
• June 11 , 1999
• Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (stomach cancer)
• Carolyn Dowling September 7, 1945 - June 11, 1999 (his death)
• No Children
• Parents Ernest David Kelley
• Relatives Calvert DeForest (Cousin)
• Other works (mid-1970s) Album: Appears on Gene Roddenberry 's LP "Inside Star Trek" on which he is interviewed by Roddenberry.
• 2 Print Biographies
• 9 Interviews
• 1 Pictorial
• 6 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia He was the most well-liked of the Star Trek (1966) cast and the only one that no one had a feud with at any point.
• Quotes [on why he chose to play Dr. McCoy instead of Mr. Spock on Star Trek (1966) ] I wouldn't have been anywhere near Leonard Nimoy . He's marvelous.
• Trademarks Catchphrase: "I'm a Doctor, not a..." said whenever McCoy was forced to do something he was unfamiliar with.
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ( 1991 ) $1,000,000
• When did DeForest Kelley die?
• How did DeForest Kelley die?
• How old was DeForest Kelley when he died?

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DeForest Kelley dies at 79

Original 'Star Trek' doctor was popular character

By Doug Galloway

Doug Galloway

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• Marilyn Miller Gerold 21 years ago

DeForest Kelley, known to millions of TV viewers as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy on the original “Star Trek” TV series, died Friday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 79.

Hospital officials said he died after a long illness, but wouldn’t elaborate. His wife of 55 years, Carolyn, also a patient at the hospital being treated for a broken leg, was at his side when he died.

Kelley played Dr. McCoy from 1966 to 1969 on the original series, but never left American TV screens thanks to an endless number of syndicated repeats. His character was one of the most popular on the series.

In addition to the TV series, Kelley also appeared in the successful line of six “Star Trek” films with other series stars William Shatner, who played Starship Enterprise’s captain, and Leonard Nimoy, the Vulcan first mate Spock.

Popular on Variety

Born DeForest Jackson Kelley in Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 20, 1920, the son of a Baptist minister, his career dream was to become a doctor like the uncle who delivered him. But his family did not have the funds to send him to medical school, and Kelley drifted into singing and theater.

He came to Long Beach at the age of 17 to visit relatives and wound up acting in a play. A Paramount scout, Milton Lewis, liked Kelley and brought him to the studio for an audition. Paramount at the time was testing for an unknown actor to play the lead of a film called “This Gun for Hire.” The finalists were DeForest Kelley and Alan Ladd. Kelley lost the role to Ladd and left Hollywood to serve in the armed forces during World War II.

Kelley subsequently signed with Paramount and his first film was “Fear in the Night” (1947). He appeared in about eight westerns at Paramount produced by A.C. Lyles, who always made Kelley the heavy. Additional film credits include “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” (1956), “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” (1957) and “Raintree County” (1957).

Lyles is arranging a memorial service for Kelley to be held at Paramount Studios later this month.

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Leonard 'Bones' McCoy Was the True Heart of Star Trek

When most people think of Star Trek , they of course think of Kirk and Spock . This isn’t surprising, as they were the star and the break-out character of the series, but it’s easy to forget that they were two members of a triumvirate that made up the essence of the show. Ship’s doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy was the third, and just as integral in making Star Trek a joy to watch.

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While Spock was all cold logic and Kirk was fiery passion, Bones was the heart of the Enterprise crew. He was the one who made the plea to do the right thing, who reminded the others of the potential cost of obeying logic or the Prime Directive. McCoy also was the true audience surrogate of the show, saying the things we yelled at the TV. The crew of the Enterprise did run into some completely ridiculous phenomena, and none of it would have worked if McCoy wasn’t there to say “Of course you save their lives, you idiots!” and “How in the universe is this happening to us?”

What makes Bones so fascinating is that he clearly didn’t want to be there. He wasn’t a full believer in the Starfleet mission. He hated space and ships and Starfleet, but he went out there and did his job every single time, no matter what insanity he encountered. Remember “The Devil in the Dark?” Can you imagine starting out life as a doctor in your home state and then finding yourself being asked to treat this?

McCoy complained, but he did it. Because he was a doctor and that was his job. And Kirk ordered him to. McCoy’s history isn’t epic and tragic like Kirk’s or unique like Spock’s. Which is why he, despite being an actual genius, insisted over and over that he was just a country doctor.

And when I say McCoy complained, I mean he complained all the time. About everything, but mostly Spock. Just think about how much life Star Trek would have lost without Bones for Kirk to talk to or for Spock to spar with:

Spock: I’m happy the affair is over. A most annoying emotional episode. McCoy: Smack right in the old heart. Oh, I’m sorry. [pointing to his side] In your case, it would be about here. Spock: The fact that my internal arrangement differs from yours, Doctor, pleases me no end.

(I would literally watch Spock and McCoy trade barbs over any other duo in all of Star Trek ’s 50 years.)

In between insults, grumpiness, and straight-up bitching, McCoy was also responsible for delivering messages about the human condition more than anyone else on the show. Kirk had the mission, Spock his logic, but what McCoy cared about was his patients—and that made him closer to people than he was to anything else.

One of Star Tre k’s primary messages is about the importance of the balance within ourselves. (It’s why several episodes revolve around characters splitting into two halves.) McCoy was an integral part of that equation for TOS, just like DeForest Kelley was integral is making Bones the perfect mix of grumpy and compassionate, prickly but still so essentially humane.

Kelley may not have received the same level of fame as William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy, and Bones might not have gotten the flashiest scenes. But Dr. McCoy was still the heart of the whole show, and it would have never taken off without him. Bones may not have wanted to be in space at all, but thank goodness he was.

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Remembering “Bones” From Star Trek– Actor DeForest Kelley Passed 22 Years Ago From Stomach Cancer

Remembering DeForest Kelly

• DeForest Kelly, the original Dr. Leonard McCoy of  Star Trek,  passed away 22 years ago due to a terminal stomach cancer diagnosis.
• If diagnosed at an early stage, stomach cancer is quite treatable (with a five-year survival rate of around 68%), usually with surgery and chemotherapy. When diagnosed in later stages, however, it becomes much harder to treat and is usually considered incurable.
• Recognizing symptoms of stomach cancer can be extremely tricky. The most common symptom is mild pain that could be easily mistaken for indigestion. Possible other symptoms include loss of appetite, heartburn, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and bloating.

Related: 5 Life Lessons We Learned From Mister Rogers, Who Died 18 Years Ago From Stomach Cancer

Related: New Hope For Stomach Cancer: Immunotherapy Drug Opdivo Now Approved As a First Treatment

“ He knew they would flood him with cards and letters , and he always answered personally when anyone wrote to him, but knew he wouldn't be able to respond to them all,” Smith told The Spectrum. “He was still receiving a lot of mail so I suggested sending out a form letter, but he said 'absolutely not' and continued to sign photos as long as he could. He never had an assistant because Carolyn always helped him.”

Cancer survivor Lillian Kreppel explains how to talk to loved ones about cancer

Understanding Stomach Cancer

In the beginning stages, stomach cancer (also known as gastric cancer) often does not cause many symptoms, making it difficult to identify early. The most common symptom is mild pain that could be easily mistaken for indigestion. Possible other symptoms include loss of appetite, heartburn, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and bloating. But plenty of other health problems can cause these same symptoms, so testing is needed to determine the cause.

Related: Floss Today to Slash Your Chances of Stomach and Esophageal Cancer Tomorrow

In most parts of the world, stomach cancers originate in the main part of the stomach, known as the stomach body. But in the U.S., it's more likely to affect the area where the esophagus meets the stomach. Diet and lifestyle variances around the world affect the prevalence and type of stomach cancer. Where the cancer occurs is one factor that contributes to treatment decisions. If diagnosed at an early stage, stomach cancer is quite treatable (with a five-year survival rate of around 68%), usually with surgery and chemotherapy. When diagnosed in later stages, however, it becomes much harder to treat and is usually considered incurable.

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Star Trek’s DeForest Kelley: His Life and Legacy

“I have deep feelings for the welfare and comfort of others.” – DeForest Kelley  

Celestis, the world’s iconic global leader in memorial spaceflights, is proud to announce that DeForest Kelley – best known as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in the original Star Trek®  series – will join his fellow series luminaries and fly aboard its Enterprise Flight , which will establish the first outpost of humanity in deep space carrying ashes, DNA, and Celestis MindFiles™ . 

Celestis is honored to share a memoir of Kelley by Kris M. Smith, a close personal friend of “De,” as he was known to friends and family, remembering a titan of film and television – and medicine. Smith is the author of DeForest Kelley Up Close and Personal: A Harvest of Memories from the Fan Who Knew Him Best , a memoir about her 30-year friendship with Kelley and his wife, Carolyn. Smith was Kelley’s assistant and caregiver at the end of his life and secured two locks of his hair for his wife and herself upon Carolyn’s request. Kelley’s DNA will be extracted from one of the hair samples and flown aboard Celestis’ Enterprise Flight . 

Jackson DeForest Kelley, 1920 – 1999, Curated by Kris M. Smith

Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999), known to his friends and colleagues as "De,” was an American actor, poet, and singer. He was best known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and motion picture series Star Trek® (1966–1991). 

Studio portrait of DeForest Kelley. Photo courtesy of Kris M. Smith

Born in Toccoa, Georgia, Kelley was raised in Atlanta and Conyers, where he first used his talents in the church choir. Later, a radio performance on stage at WSB earned him an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra at the Atlanta Paramount Theater. 

After moving to California as a young man, he joined the Long Beach Theater Group. During World War II, a Paramount talent scout noticed him in a Navy training film. This resulted in a screen test and a contract. DeForest remained with Paramount for 2 ½ years, making his motion picture debut in Fear in the Night .

Among his hundreds of performances are Gunfight at the OK Corral , Raintree County , Warlock , Where Love Has Gone , The Law and Jake Wade , and a myriad of television appearances, including Schlitz Theatre , Playhouse 90 , Zane Grey Theater , Rawhide , and Bonanza .

Kelley made his debut in the Star Trek® television series in 1966. He gave freely of his time and talents to humanitarian efforts, including many hospital visits to children and veterans. 

De served during WWII in the Army Air Corps in Roswell, New Mexico, and at Fort Roach in Culver City, CA, where he made training films to educate service members and helped create a huge relief map of targeted areas to help pilots navigate precisely to their destinations.

On September 7th, 1945, he married Carolyn Meagher Dowling. They were married 54 years until De’s passing in 1999. They had no children.

Kelley and his wife, Carolyn. Photo courtesy of Kris M. Smith

Among the awards De received were the Gene Roddenberry Award and the Golden Boot Award.

A confirmed animal lover, Kelley’s favorite animal charities were The North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, NY, and Shambala/The ROAR Foundation in Acton, CA. He also contributed to veterans groups and children’s hospitals. De’s star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard. 

Everyone who knew De loved him without limit. He was as much a personal treasure as he was an international treasure.

DeForest Kelley Tribute (Video credit: Kris M. Smith)

Dr. McCoy’s Legacy

Fun fact: DeForest Kelley was initially considered for the role of Spock, but he refused that role. He then became Gene Roddenberry’s first choice to play USS Enterprise’s brusque chief medical officer, having worked extensively with Roddenberry on other television projects. The rest, as they say, is history: Kelley is now inextricably linked with Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, the sometimes abrasive but caring confidant to Captain James T. Kirk. It was perhaps for the best since Kelley’s compassion toward the welfare of others was reflected in his portrayal of Dr. McCoy.

Spock, of course, would be played by the equally iconic Leonard Nimoy. Kelley later remarked, “When Gene first contacted me for Star Trek , he gave me the part of Spock to read! I'm glad I didn't take it because I don't think anyone could have played Spock better than Leonard Nimoy.”

When Kelley was cast as “Bones” on Star Trek® during the mid-1960s, he couldn’t have predicted his character’s impact on pop culture and space medicine. At least twenty times in the original series, Dr. McCoy stated in his matter-of-fact tone, “He’s dead, Jim!” whenever an auxiliary character died [“Jim” being Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner). “He’s dead, Jim” became a famous catchphrase that entered the lexicon thanks to the cult popularity of the series. In addition, McCoy’s other saying, “I’m a doctor, Jim, not a…” also was (and is) oft-repeated by series fans.

In April 1967, Star Trek®'s cast visited NASA's Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center. In the top photo, DeForest Kelley chats with X-15 pilot Bill Dana. At bottom, Kelley and series creator Gene Roddenberry view the X-15's cockpit layout. Photo credits: NASA

During the 1970s, years after the original series had been canceled and before the debut of feature-length movies based on the series, Kelley began attending Star Trek® fan conventions. He found that many times at these events, fans would walk up to him and tell him how McCoy had inspired them to enter the medical profession, just as many women and minority fans were inspired by the examples set by Lt. Uhura and Mr. Sulu (played by Nichelle Nichols and George Takei, respectively). This greatly touched Kelley; several times a month in the following decades, he received letters stating the same sentiments – that his television (and movie) character had led fans to become doctors or nurses. “I'd wanted to become a doctor and couldn't - yet became the best-known doctor in the galaxy,” Kelley once proudly mused. 

The 1970s also saw American medical doctors enter space. In May 1973, U.S. astronaut-scientist Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin became the first American physician to reach Earth orbit during the Skylab 2 mission, which took place aboard NASA’s first space station. Kerwin was sometimes humorously referred to as “Bones” by NASA colleagues. His presence aboard Skylab proved that a medical doctor could monitor the human condition in a foreign environment, undertake medical experiments, and do “surgery” on broken hardware in space; in June 1973, Kerwin and Skylab 2 mission commander Charles “Pete” Conrad successfully unjammed a stuck solar wing that imperiled the space station. Since 1973, many medical doctors have followed in Kerwin’s – and Bones’ – footsteps to become space travelers, many undoubtedly inspired by the example Kelley’s character set on Star Trek® .

Now you or your loved one can join Star Trek® royalty such as DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols , Gene Roddenberry, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the DNA of their son Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, and James “Mr. Scott” Doohan on a deep space voyage like none other – Celestis Memorial Spaceflights’ Enterprise Flight . For more information about the Enterprise Flight , which will establish humanity's first outpost in the deeper cosmos, please check out the flight website .

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DeForest Kelley, 79, Creator Of Dr. McCoy on 'Star Trek'

By Andrew Jacobs

• June 12, 1999

DeForest Kelley, the crotchety country doctor who healed countless human and nonhuman patients as Dr. Leonard McCoy on the science fiction series ''Star Trek,'' died yesterday at the Motion Pictures and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 79, and had last donned a space uniform in 1991 for yet another ''Star Trek'' film sequel.

Although he appeared in 150 earth-bound films and television shows, including roles in the ''Lone Ranger,'' ''Gunsmoke'' and ''Bonanza,'' Mr. Kelley was best known as the crusty physician on the U.S.S. Enterprise, known by Trekkies as ''Bones,'' who was Captain Kirk's confidante and Mr. Spock's occasional sparring partner.

Most viewers remember him for a single phrase, addressed to Captain Kirk when asked to perform feats beyond his job description: ''Damn it Jim,'' he would say with exasperation, ''I'm a just a country doctor.'' The other line viewers could count on was ''He's dead, Jim.''

Through three decades of reruns and the six film sequels, Dr. McCoy remained one of the most popular characters on the show and fans appreciated his plain-spoken humanity, especially as a foil to Mr. Spock's cool Vulcan logic.

Before Gene Roddenberry cast him in the first Star Trek episode in 1966, Mr. Kelley often played bad guys in police dramas or Westerns with titles like ''Town Tamer'' and ''Apache Uprising.''

Born on Jan. 20, 1920, in Atlanta as the son of a Baptist minister, Mr. Kelley had planned on becoming a doctor just like the uncle who had delivered him. But his family could not afford to send him to medical school and he began singing on local radio shows.

As a teen-ager he moved to Long Beach, Calif., where he lived with an uncle. He worked as an elevator operator and an usher and later performed in theater groups and on the radio.

In 1941, he lost out to Alan Ladd for the part of the baby-faced killer in ''This Gun for Hire.''

A year later, while playing a beach bum in ''The Innocent Young Man'' with the Long Beach Theater Group, he met the woman he would marry, Carolyn Dowling, who co-starred in the play. The couple celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary last year. She is his only survivor.

After serving in the Army Air Forces in New Mexico during World War II, he was transferred to Culver City to act in a Navy training film, ''Time to Kill.''

It turned into one of the biggest breaks of Mr. Kelley's career. A Paramount scout spotted him in the film, which led to a three-year contract with the studio producing low-budget movies.

A decade later, he appeared in a television pilot written by a former police officer, Mr. Roddenberry. It did not sell, but it led to the ''Star Trek'' series.

After the last episode was made in 1969 when the series was canceled by NBC because of poor ratings, Mr. Kelley appeared in the six film sequels and delighted his fans by showing up at innumerable Star Trek conventions.

After the last of the series, ''The Undiscovered Country,'' he retired from acting.

In an interview with The Houston Chronicle last year, Mr. Kelley admitted that he never liked the science fiction genre and that he never watched the sequel to the television series.

Asked what he thought his legacy would be, he said that had inspired a great number of people to enter the medical profession.

''These people are doctors now, all kinds of doctors who save lives,'' he said. ''That's something that very few people can say they've done. I'm proud to say that I have.''

DNA of DeForest Kelley, Dr. 'Bones' McCoy from 'Star Trek,' will fly to space with original cast on memorial spaceflight

Kelley's DNA will join Nichelle Nichols and others on this bold Celestis space mission

Last month we delivered news of an upcoming memorial space flight from the space burial firm Celestis that was going to be carrying the cremated remains and DNA of "Star Trek's" Nichelle Nichols, who died on July 30 at the ripe age of 89.

Now there's been word of another beloved " Star Trek " alumni hitching a ride aboard Celestis' remembrance Enterprise Flight along with other well-known deceased "Trek" luminaries as the reunion will now include the late DeForest Kelley's DNA. 

The Texas-based company provides respectful "memorial spaceflight services" for persons who hope to celebrate and honor the life of loved ones with an extraordinary off-Earth experience. 

On August 25 it was revealed that Nichelle Nichols was selected to fly on the first-ever Celestis deep space mission. Official announcements of Kelley’s addition were made on Thursday in honor of Star Trek Day .

“I donated the lock of hair so 'De' could join his shipmates on their eternal journey into interstellar space," said Kris M. Smith, Kelley's friend who submitted the DNA sample via a lock of his hair. "The mission just didn't feel complete without Dr. McCoy aboard. I think 'De' would have loved to 'go hopping galaxies' again with his cast and crew mates. So, "second star to the right and straight on 'til morning,” De! Loving you was easier than anything we will ever do again!"

Launching later this year inside United Launch Alliance 's appropriately named Vulcan Centaur rocket , Kelley's DNA will be accompanied by remains of Nichelle Nichols, "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry, "Star Trek" engineer James "Scotty" Doohan, and "2001: A Space Odyssey" VFX wizard Douglas Trumbull, among many others.

Kelley passed away on June 11, 1999 and made his debut on "Star Trek" in 1966 where he played  the irascible Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy on NBC's hit sci-fi series for three seasons and co-starred in six "Star Trek" feature films. Beyond his physician's duties aboard the USS Enterprise , Kelley was a distinguished Hollywood veteran of dozens of TV shows and films, especially westerns.

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"It's particularly notable that we announce DeForest Kelley's addition to our Enterprise Flight on Star Trek Day," said Charles M. Chafer Co-founder & CEO of Celestis, Inc. "No mission to deep space would be complete without a ship’s doctor."

Looking at the trajectory of this Enterprise Flight, the spacecraft will journey from 93 million miles to 186 million miles (150 million to 300 million kilometers) into deep space outside the Earth-moon system. The memorial mission will haul more than 150 flight capsules containing cremated ash remains, personal messages and greetings, and DNA samples from global clients on a timeless odyssey into space. 

Besides shuttling this precious cargo out beyond Earth orbit, the primary purpose of the Vulcan flight will be directing the Pittsburgh aerospace company Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander in the direction of the moon . The Vulcan Centaur's upper stage will continue into deep space, entering an orbit around the sun , becoming humanity's most remote outpost, to be renamed Enterprise Station.

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Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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Screen Rant

Star trek: 15 things you didn’t know about dr. ‘bones’ mccoy.

Bones McCoy is the often-overlooked third point in the Trek triangle along with Kirk and Spock. How much do you know about the Enterprise's top doc?

This year marks the 50 th anniversary of Star Trek first hitting our screens, and the franchise has most definitely lived long and prospered. Far from being a nostalgic classic, fifty years on the series is still as relevant as ever – with a new movie hitting theaters this month , and a brand new television series starting next year.

Although the franchise has come a long way over the past five decades, the Original Series is still very much worth watching. Not just as the show that started it all, but because the storylines and characters are still as captivating now as they were in the '60s. While every member of the original cast has their own charm, an oft-overlooked major player is Dr ‘Bones’ McCoy. While most think of Kirk and Spock as a duo, Bones was actually a third point to their triangle: the emotionally-driven human to balance out Spock’s logic, to act as a confidante to Kirk, and to act as a foil to reveal the Captain’s moments of restraint which would otherwise be lost against the coldly logical Vulcan first mate. Originally brought to life by DeForest Kelly, our latest Bones is played by Karl Urban, and both bring something of their own to the incredible doctor of the Star Ship Enterprise.

Here are  15 Things You Didn’t Know About Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy .

15. DeForest Kelley Was Nearly Cast As Spock

It’s hard to imagine any other actor as the iconic half-Vulcan second-in-command, but Leonard Nimoy wasn’t the only one considered to play Spock when the series was just getting started. A few actors were considered – all of whom had been involved with TV Westerns in the past, partially due to Roddenberry’s description of his new series as “ Wagon Train to the stars." Rex Holman and Michael Dunn were both considered, and both did appear in the franchise at some point. Holman played J’onn in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , while Dunn appeared as Alexander in the episode "Plato’s Stepchildren".

DeForest Kelley was the fourth actor considered for the role, and would have made for a very different Spock had he been cast! Of course, the version of Spock that Kelley was considered for was not the same one we now know, but a red-tinged, devilish alien, possibly with some Martian blood in him, and much more emotional and hot-headed. Although Kelley (obviously) didn’t get the part, he brought that same level of emotional connection and energy to the role of Bones when he (eventually) joined the series, a few years after he was initially considered.

14. DeForest Kelley Didn’t Play Bones In The Pilot

Unusually, Star Trek ’s original series actually produced two pilots before being picked up for a season – and the Bones we know and love didn’t appear in either of them. The first pilot for the series, "The Cage", featured a very different cast from the final product (and some very different characters, too). Although Spock was played by Leonard Nimoy from the get-go, he wasn’t the emotionless second in command that we now know. The role of Captain Pike (not Kirk) was also different, played by movie actor Jeffrey Hunter.

In this first outing, the ship’s doctor was named Phillip Boyce, although his nickname remained ‘Bones’. Although DeForest Kelly was considered for the role, the part eventually went to John Hoyt. However, "The Cage" was considered too “cerebral” for television at the time, and when Roddenberry was given a second chance, he made several changes to the cast. Nimoy stayed on as Spock, and William Shatner was brought in to play the Captain, but Kelley still didn’t make an appearance. In fact, the doctor’s character was given only a very minor role in the re-written outline, and Bones didn’t make an appearance in the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before". It wasn’t until the show was picked up for a first season that Kelley was brought on to complete the trio of Kirk, Spock and Bones.

13. DeForest Kelley Had Some Publicity Issues With His Name

If you’ve ever wondered about Kelley’s unusual name, you aren’t the only one. The actor was actually born Jackson DeForest Kelley in 1920, but used his middle name for his film career. The decision to work as "DeForest" makes a lot of sense, considering that his name was a tribute to Lee de Forest, the ‘father of radio’ and a pioneer in the field of sound-on-film recording for motion pictures. Clearly, DeForest was meant to be an actor!

However, his unusual name did cause some difficulties when it came to billing. In several of his earlier roles, Kelley had his name misspelled in the credits; in episodes of Public Prosecutor and The Lone Ranger he was listed as ‘De Forest Kelley’, in Gypsy Holiday it was DeForrest Kelley, and in The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse it was Deforest Kelley. Even after he hit the big time as Bones in Star Trek , he was routinely billed under the wrong name, often having his names inverted, so that he appeared in promotional materials and publications as Kelly DeForest.

12. Bones Is Descended From The Famous McCoy Family

The McCoy name is common one, and you may have heard of the Hatfield/McCoy rivalry – one of the most famous family feuds in American history. In the late 1800s, these two families lived in the Tug River valley, separating West Virginia and Kentucky. Over the span of a decade, the two sides became embroiled in a vicious rivalry, with several members of the families ending up dead before all was said and done.

It’s a story that has captured the imagination of Hollywood and television, even acting as the inspiration for the popular game show Family Feud . Bones is said to be related to this famous branch of the McCoy family, connecting the fictional character to American history, even though they are separated by dozens of generations. Although this is a tiny detail in the vast scope of the Star Trek universe, it speaks to the level of detail that went into creating these characters and developing them over the years.

11. He Has Tragedy In His Past

Like most of the characters in Star Trek , the fictional biography of Dr Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy has been thoroughly fleshed out over the years, right down to his date and place of birth. He was born in Georgia, in the year 2227, over two hundred and sixty years in the future at the time that Star Trek first aired. His father was David McCoy, and his mother is not known. His relationship with his father, however, is well-documented, and adds an element of tragedy to Bones’s life. Late in life, David McCoy was diagnosed with a painful and supposedly incurable disease, and begged his son to help him die, rather than continuing to suffer. Bones chose to help his father out of love, but was left regretting his decision when a cure for the disease was found soon after.

His father may also have been instrumental in Bones’s decision to go to medical school, as it is inferred that David McCoy was also a doctor (this is also outright stated in the Star Trek: Ongoing comics series).

10. He Has Two Different Middle Names

The most famous middle name in the Star Trek franchise has to be Captain James Tiberius Kirk’s, but it’s not the only one that has been mentioned. Dr. Leonard McCoy, although usually referred to only as Bones, was revealed to have a middle initial in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock , when he is called Leonard H. McCoy. It was later revealed that the "H" in his name stands for Horatio in the novel "Provenance of Shadows", published in 2006.

However, there is often confusion over his middle name, thanks to a different novel series published in the ‘80s. Although The Search for Spock came out in 1984, in 1987 a spin-off novel ("The Romulan Way") included Bones… with the middle name Edward. This name also appeared in the 1988 novel "Spock’s World". As all three novels (and the movie, obviously) are considered canon, this has created an unusual situation where Bones has two different middle names – although Horatio is more often considered “correct” because the letter "H" was confirmed as a middle initial in one of the films.

9. He Didn’t Originally Attend StarFleet

Starfleet Academy is the famous military academy where recruits train to become Starfleet officers, and which involves several years of intense study. Only the best become Starfleet recruits; passing a series of rigorous entrance exams followed by a prep program is required before a cadet can even fully enroll. It’s often assumed that every crew member has to be a Starfleet graduate, but there is evidence to suggest that Bones did not attend that specific academy in the Prime Universe.

His history is as a doctor who was granted a commission in order to work with Starfleet. When he signed up for Starfleet he was already qualified, having received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi. Although he took courses after joining Starfleet to allow him to function within the organization, he did not attend the academy as a standard cadet. This was confirmed in the episode "The Ultimate Computer", where McCoy didn’t understand a reference to ‘Captain Dunsel’ – a term known by everyone who attended the Academy. However, in the new alternate reality ( dubbed the Kelvin Timeline ), McCoy’s past has been altered to make him a StarFleet Academy graduate.

8. He’s Been Married

Bones’s love life isn’t a major plot point in the way that Captain Kirk’s is, but he did have his fair share of romance. Before he entered Starfleet, Leonard McCoy met and married a woman named Jocelyn, and the two had a daughter named Joanna. However, Jocelyn ended up reuniting with an old flame, Clay Treadway, and she and McCoy separated. It was a difficult time for Leonard McCoy, and their divorce wasn’t easy on the young doctor. However, it was during this time that he saw an advert from Starfleet looking to recruit medical officers, and he decided to take to the skies to escape his unhappiness at home.

Later, while on a mission with Starfleet, he met the beautiful Natira, a high priestess aboard a world that turned out to be an enormous spacecraft. He decided to stay with Natira and her people at first, wanting to stay with her until his death (which he believed to be imminent, due to a fatal illness). However, when a cure was found, he left Natira to continue his mission with his pals aboard the Enterprise.

7. He Used His Catchphrase Twenty Times

Bones is well-known for the catchphrase “He’s dead, Jim”, something that he said twenty times in the original series. Star Trek wasn’t actually the first time Kelley delivered this line, though. In The Man In The Grey Flannel Suit , Kelley had a bit part as a medic, where he said “this man’s dead, Captain.” It’s not too unusual for two medical characters to declare a death, of course, but it’s interesting given how iconic this line would eventually become.

It ended up being so popular that Kelley joked in an interview that one of his biggest fears was that it would end up on his tombstone! The second line from Star Trek that became a catchphrase for the Enterprise medic was “ I’m a doctor, not a…  (insert any other profession)" – something that Bones usually said with some frustration. Although this became arguably more iconic than “He’s dead, Jim”, it was actually used less in the original series, where it was said only eleven times.

6. His Daughter Was Nearly A Main Character

The original series only lasted for three seasons, but there were plans for a fourth before the show was cancelled. In the 1968 book "The Making of Star Trek", creator Gene Roddenberry talks about a potential future plot line that would have brought Bones’s estranged daughter from his first marriage on board the Enterprise. The idea behind this inclusion was to expand on both the character of Bones and his relationship with Kirk, as the Captain would find himself attracted to Joanna McCoy, even potentially becoming romantically involved with her. This would obviously be something that McCoy would be less than thrilled about, and he would have to suddenly start seeing his friend from a very different perspective – and truly come to terms with being a father himself.

Although this storyline was never explored, it would have made for a very dramatic episode, and it’s a shame that we didn’t get to see more of Joanna McCoy on screen.

5. He Was A Back Up For Spock’s Consciousness

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan ends with one of the most iconic scenes in the franchise; Spock sacrificing himself to save the ship’s crew. Coupled with his famous line about the needs of the many, Spock’s death scene is enough to reduce any Trekkie to tears… even though he didn’t actually die. Instead, when he incapacitates McCoy on his way to the engine room, he also performs a mind meld on the doctor, transferring his “living spirit” or “katra” to McCoy’s mind.

This becomes the starting point for the next film in the franchise , Star Trek: The Search For Spock . In this third installment, McCoy starts acting strangely, as a result of having Spock’s katra in his mind (something that he doesn’t realize has happened). When Kirk discovers what has happened, he disobeys orders in perfect Kirk style in order to save both of his friends. The film brings Spock back to the franchise, alive and well – something that could not have happened without McCoy acting as a backup for Spock’s mind.

4. McCoy’s Tricorder Inspired a Scam Artist

One of the most useful gadgets in the Star Trek world was the medical tricorder – a little box carried by Dr McCoy that allowed him to diagnose any medical issue on the spot, simply by holding it over the body of the patient. This is so useful that multiple companies have since tried to develop a similar machine, in the hopes that it could become as much a part of our day-to-day technology as many of the other items seen on the show .

However, the tricorder also inspired a criminal, who was able to scam over $25 million from investors by selling a fictitious device. Calling it the “McCoy Home Health Tablet”, Howard Leventhal claimed that he had a contract with the Canadian Health Department to create a tricorder-style device to persuade companies to invest in his non-existent product. He was brought to trial in 2014, facing up to 22 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

3. Gary Sinese Was Considered For The Reboot

When the Star Trek universe was rebooted for the big screen in 2009, re-casting was one of the most important elements of the new universe. JJ Abrams and his creative team were looking to find actors who could pay homage to the original characters, but still put their own twist on the classic crew, and multiple stars were considered for the new Bones McCoy.

In 2007, it was reported that Gary Sinese was in talks to play the Enterprise's doctor. The Oscar-nominated actor is probably best known for his long-running lead role in the crime drama CSI: New York , and many fans were thrilled at the idea of Sinese as McCoy. However, he was considered by many to be too old for a Star Trek origin story, with the rest of the cast in their mid-twenties. The role eventually went to Karl Urban, a man nearly twenty years Sinese’s junior.

2. Karl Urban Was Nearly James Bond Instead of Dr. McCoy

Although Karl Urban is now established as the new, rebooted Dr Leonard McCoy, he nearly took on a very different franchise role: 007 himself, James Bond. When Pierce Brosnan left the role of the iconic British spy after the 2002 film Die Another Day , Urban was one of the actors considered to take over the role. However, he was filming another movie at the time, and scheduling conflicts meant that he couldn’t make the final screen tests. The role eventually went to Daniel Craig, which left Urban free to become Bones in the new alternate Star Trek Universe.

Now that it appears Craig's days as Bond may be behind him, however, many fans have been enthusiastic about the idea of Urban picking up the (shaken, not stirred) martini. It looks unlikely, however, as the actor has said that he is grateful that he didn’t get the role ten years ago, and that he would like to see Tom Hiddleston as the face of Her Majesty’s secret service.

1. Urban Nearly Passed On Star Trek Beyond

The third film in the rebooted alternate universe, Star Trek Beyond , comes out this summer, but Urban nearly didn’t return with the rest of the cast. His contract was up after Into Darkness , and with another film offer on the table, the star was debating which way to jump. Speaking to  IGN , Urban said that he was “on the fence” about doing the third movie at all, but it was the passion of director Justin Lin that made his decision to return.

“It was a breath of fresh air, and I really appreciated Justin's intimate knowledge and understanding of the character dynamics.” In the same interview, Urban jokes about seeing McCoy’s hippy phase in a fourth movie, so it looks like he is back on board the Star Trek wagon with this film, and we're glad to hear it. He’s doing an incredible job of bringing the Enterprise medical officer to life for a whole new generation of fans, and we can’t wait to see where Bones McCoy goes from here.

Know of any other fun factoids about Bones McCoy that Trek fans should know? Let us know in the comments!

Star Trek Beyond   arrives in theaters July 22, 2016.

The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Star Trek: The Original Series

Gene Roddenberry's celebrated sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" debuted on September 8, 1966, and it recently celebrated its 57th anniversary. Initially, "Trek" wasn't terribly popular, and it only managed to make a third season thanks to a coordinated letter-writing campaign (a campaign that Roddenberry was accused of orchestrating and encouraging himself). It wouldn't be until after "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 that its popularity would significantly begin to grow. 

Thanks to a sweet infinite syndication deal, "Star Trek" reruns were common, and a cult began to form. By the early 1970s, the first "Trek" conventions began to appear. Naturally, conventions were a great place for the show's stars and creators to congregate and share production stories with a rising tide of obsessives. Fans were able to talk to and get autographs from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, and Grace Lee Whitney, as well as many of the show's more supporting players. 

Many decades have passed, but the surviving "Star Trek" cast members, now in their 80s and 90s, still appear at conventions to share details of their now-long and storied careers. Over 57 years ago, they were at the start of a phenomenon; none of them could have likely predicted just what a massive impact "Star Trek" would have on the pop culture landscape. Three members of the original "Star Trek" cast appeared at Creation Entertainment's 57-Year Mission convention in Las Vegas, and one of them is already confirmed for the 2024 con  next August. 

If you're eager to get an autograph or merely to hear an amusing anecdote from across many decades of interaction with the "Trek" franchise at large, the following surviving actors will still happily oblige.

William Shatner

In March of 2023, Shatner, who played the resolute Captain Kirk on "Star Trek," turned 92, yet he still makes convention appearances. Stories have been told throughout Trekkie-dom that Shatner can occasionally be spiky at cons, but has clearly embraced them, even going so far as to say that fans are the future  of anything so deeply beloved as "Star Trek." Indeed, in many cases, fans care more about carrying on the legacy of a show than the studios; in many ways, Trekkies take the show more seriously than the people who make it.

Shatner has, of course, had a textured career. Some of his earlier films include adaptations of "The Brothers Karamozov" (in which he played Alexey) and "Oedipus the King" (in which he played a masked member of the chorus), as well as genre films like "The Intruder" and "Incubus." Although Shatner is best known for "Trek" — a common side-effect for most any actor who appeared on any "Star Trek" show — he forged an interesting acting career beyond ii. He appeared in the hit cop show "T.J. Hooker," and appeared in spoof films like "Airplane II: The Sequel" and "National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1." He released several notorious albums of speak-singing, and directed several documentaries about "Star Trek," including "The Captains" and "Chaos on the Bridge." 

Shatner also authored several "Star Trek" novels and even launched his own modestly successful sci-fi book series with "TekWar" (ghost-written by Ron Goulart) in 1989. He won two Emmys in 2004 and 2005 for his role as Denny Crane in "The Practice" and "Boston Legal." He's also an equestrian enthusiast and has won a few horseback riding awards. Shatner is spry for 92.

George Takei

In 2019, George Takei , who played the practical and intelligent Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek," authored a graphic novel all about his childhood experiences of being rounded up and imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Takei was born in Los Angeles in 1937 (he's the only main cast member from the original show who is an L.A. native), and recalls being held against his will by the U.S. government as a child. It may have been that experience that made Takei as political as he is. In the early 1970s, after "Star Trek," Takei ran for a set on the Los Angeles City Council, and served as an alternate delegate at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. At conventions, Takei has spoken at length about his beliefs in civic infrastructure, encouraging L.A. to improve its long-beleaguered public transportation.

Takei came out as gay in 2005, revealing that he had been with his long-term partner, Brad Altman, for the last 18 years. He and Altman married in 2008, one of the first same-sex couples to be granted a marriage license in West Hollywood, California. Takei has been an outspoken queer rights activist ever since, raising money for charities and speaking at charity events regularly. He makes appearances at fan conventions on the regular. 

As an actor, Takei began reading English-language dubs for imported Toho monster movies prior to "Star Trek." He also starred in movies like "The Green Berets" and "Mulan." On TV, Takei guest-starred on many, many programs, including a notable regular role on the hit show "Heroes." His deep voice also afforded him an opportunity to regularly contribute to dozens of animated programs, most recently in Max's "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai."

Walter Koenig

There were rumors circulating through the Trekkie community for years that Walter Koenig was hired to appear on the second season of "Star Trek" because the then-30-year-old actor looked an awful lot like Davy Jones from "The Monkees." This wasn't the case, but Koenig provided a youthful, heartthrob quality with his character, Pavel Chekov. His character was Russian, a notable character decision to make in the mid-1960s as the U.S. was still embroiled deeply in the Cold War. Chekov was a symbol that peace would eventually come. Koenig was never anything less than 100% committed, and reacted to extreme sci-fi scenarios with fire and aplomb. 

In the early '60s, the actor worked his way through smaller roles in multiple well-known TV series like "Mr. Novak," "Gidget," and "I Spy" before joining "Star Trek" in its second season. After, he continued apace, working on TV regularly, eventually landing a recurring role on a second beloved sci-fi series  "Babylon 5." He has also stayed a part of "Star Trek" up until the present, having provided a voice cameo in the most recent season of "Star Trek: Picard," as well as reprising his role as Chekov in the semi-professional and well-respected fan series "Star Trek: New Voyages." He's also dabbled in many amusing B-movies like "Mad Cowgirl" and "Scream of the Bikini," as well as animated shows like "Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters."

Additionally, Koenig has served as an advocate for civil rights in Burma, having visited refugee camps there. Koenig still appears at conventions, happy to talk about his various projects and acting endeavors. Just please, whatever you do, don't ask him to say "nuclear wessels." The man just turned 87. He deserves a break from that. 

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Published May 11, 2013

Check Out "Bones Character Profile" Featurette

Paramount Pictures has just released a new Bones Character Profile featurette that runs about a minute long. It includes clips of Dr. McCoy from Star Trek Into Darkness , snippets of conversation with Karl Urban and some behind-the-scenes footage as well. We're particularly fond of this featurette, though, because it includes one of our favorite lines of Bones dialogue from the film: "Jim, you don't rob a bank when the getaway car has a flat tire."

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Leonard McCoy

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Leonard Horatio "Bones" McCoy , MD was the tritagonist in the sci-fi television program Star Trek . He was portrayed in the original series, the first six Star Trek motion pictures, and the pilot of Star Trek: The Next Generation by the late DeForest Kelley. His alternate reality counterpart was portrayed by Karl Urban in the 2009 film Star Trek .

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"Bones" was a hot-blooded and humanistic person that has been noted as a physician and scientist of the 23rd and 24th centuries. He was an accomplished surgeon, physician, psychologist, and exobiology, and was also considered an expert in space psychology. As ship's surgeon and chief medical officer, he served aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A for a combined twenty-seven years.

McCoy was the son of David and Eleanora McCoy. He attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and happened to meet the joined Trill Emony Dax. She suspected that he would eventually become a surgeon.

As a young man McCoy had married and fathered a daughter, but later divorced. To escape the pain he felt at his marriage falling apart he entered Starfleet. He later met a young Starfleet officer named James T. Kirk and became close friends with the man. McCoy served on a medical mission to Capella IV before joining his friend Kirk as chief medical officer on the Enterprise . Over the course of the five year mission McCoy came to consider first officer Spock a close friend as well, even though they frequently argued with each other. McCoy also became good friends with the others on the Enterprise senior staff - including Nyota Uhura , Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu, and Montgomery Scott . He became friends with Enterprise head nurse Christine Chapel and remained friends as she became a medical doctor herself and continued to work alongside him on the refit Enterprise .

After the Enterprise was refit following the end of its first five year mission under Kirk's command, succeeding Captain Willard Decker recruited a very diverse crew with assistance from Lt. Commander Uhura. When the Enterprise left spacedock to deal with V'Ger, she had the most diverse crew in the fleet. At first Dr. McCoy was critical of this, fearing unexpected complications that could result from so many species living and working together. He later changed his mind, and his experiences working with such a diverse crew in the coming years led him to become an expert on alien physiology. McCoy began work on a medical textbook called Comparative Alien Physiology , and spent the next quarter century working on it. McCoy's work came to be regarded as one of the classics of Federation medicine along with Grey's Anatomy , and medical professionals throughout the Federation were familiar with the work. In the mid 24th century McCoy lamented that the work could never be kept truly up to date owing to the continued contact with alien life forms.

It was McCoy that Spock chose to safeguard his katra , or his immortal soul, when Spock entered the warp chamber to save the Enterprise at the cost of his own life. Heading back to the Genesis Planet, Kirk and the Enterprise crew retrieved the Genesis regenerated body of Captain Spock. This came at a terrible price as Kirk's son David Marcus was killed by the Klingon commander Kruge's crew, and Kirk was forced to destroy the Enterprise to keep her from falling into Klingon hands.

After leaving the rapidly disintegrating Genesis Planet, Kirk and his shipmates returned Spock to Vulcan. There a Vulcan priestess transferred Spock's katra back to his regenerated body. Over the next few months McCoy underwent a series of mind melds to ensure that any remaining parts of Spock's consciousness had been completely transferred back to Spock. McCoy semi-jokingly told Spock to never put him through that again, to which Spock assured him that he had no intention of dying again anytime soon nor being raised from the dead again. Even after fal-tor-pan was completed McCoy still retained a few of Spock's memories, including some of Spock's pet sehlat I-Chaya.

When the Whale Probe attacked Earth, McCoy accompanied his shipmates back in time to the late 20th century to retrieve humpback whales that the probe was looking for. McCoy played a key role in helping secure the plexiglass needed to build a tank to hold the whales. When Chekov was seriously injured in a fall and was located at Mercy Hospital, McCoy, Kirk, and Gillian Taylor snuck into the hospital so that McCoy could treat him. Ultimately, the mission to retrieve humpback whales was successful and the whales the Enterprise crew brought to the 23rd century were able to convince the probe to leave.

After the Federation council dropped all the criminal charges against McCoy for his role in the unauthorized mission to save Spock, he and his shipmates were assigned to the Enterprise-A . McCoy served as CMO on that ship until that ship had been decommissioned in 2293.

Prior to standing down from duty on the Enterprise-A , McCoy participated in the peace mission to the Klingon Empire . He began studying Klingon anatomy in depth and even considered opening a practice dedicated to treating Klingon patients.

After the apparent death of Kirk McCoy continued his career in Starfleet and worked his way up the ranks. McCoy attended the wedding of his friend Spock to Saavik in the 2340s. By 2365 the 137 year old Admiral Leonard McCoy boarded the Galaxy class USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) to inspect the medical facilities. Commander Data escorted him to a shuttle that was taking him to the USS Hood . On the way McCoy told Data that the new ship had the right name, and that if they treated the Enterprise like a lady she would always bring them home.

When Montgomery Scott was rescued from the USS Jenolen in the late 2360s, he was delighted that Doctor McCoy was still alive. He chuckled at the thought of McCoy - who had been one of the most opposed to Starfleet's Admiralty during their years of service together - winding up joining them instead.

• In Star Trek: The Original Series and in the first six Star Trek movies, he has brown hair, but in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , he has white hair, due to aging.
• In the novel Provenance of Shadows McCoy died at his home shortly after his visit to the new Galaxy -Class USS Enterprise in 2364, an event contradicted by other stories.

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The Only 3 Actors Still Alive From The Cast Of Star Trek: The Original Series

We're coming up at warp speed to the 60th anniversary of the "Star Trek" premiere, which aired on NBC on September 8, 1966. Though the original series only ran for three years, it spawned a media franchise that's still one of the biggest in the world today and which changed the face of science fiction forever. We might not have fandom in the way we do today if not for "Star Trek," as it's largely responsible for the modern style of fan fiction, shipping, and contemporary fanzines, among other things.

Sadly, since it's been so long since the series premiered, most of the actors who made it so special have passed away in the years since. Leonard Nimoy , the man behind the inimitable Spock, passed away in 2015. DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, died in 1999, Scotty actor James Doohan passed away in 2005, and Nichelle Nichols, who played Nyota Uhura, died in 2022 at the age of 89. Many of the other supporting players from the show's three seasons have sadly also passed, but together, they leave a legacy that will continue to stand the test of time.

Not every original "Star Trek" actor has passed away , though. A few are still making their mark on the world and even acting in their old age. These are the only three actors still alive from the main cast of "Star Trek: The Original Series."

William Shatner: Captain James T. Kirk

Any level of "Star Trek" fan will know that William Shatner — Captain James Tiberius Kirk himself — is still thriving at the age of 92 at the time of writing. Not only that, but he's far from what anyone would call a retirement. His long and illustrious career includes "Star Trek: The Original Series," the later films in which he reprised his role as Kirk, other hit movies like "Miss Congeniality," a substantial stretch as a recording artist, and a number of science-fiction novels he either wrote or co-wrote, including the "TekWar" series.

One would think that after accomplishing so much, Shatner would be happy to live in peace and quiet in his 90s, but that's far from the case. He's continued to take on voice acting work, playing the role of Keldor on Netflix's "Masters of the Universe: Revolution," and his recent work out of character includes a 2022 turn on "The Masked Singer" and a role as host for the 2023 reality TV series "Stars on Mars." The latter was an appropriate job not only because of Shatner's "Star Trek" history but also his own highly publicized journey to space in 2021, which made him the oldest human to enter the cosmos.

Though Shatner is still incredibly active, he's also been pretty candid about his age in recent years. "The sad thing is that the older a person gets the wiser they become and then they die with all that knowledge," Shatner said in a 2023 interview with Variety . "But what does live on are good deeds. If you do a good deed, it reverberates to the end of time."

George Takei: Hikaru Sulu

Like his former co-star William Shatner, George Takei hasn't skipped a beat in his old age. After getting his start doing English-language voiceovers for some Toho kaiju movies in the late 1950s, along with a handful of other smaller roles, Takei climbed to fame playing Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek: The Original Series." In the decades since the show ended, he's remained quite active as an actor and political activist.

Like Shatner and the other main actors of the original "Star Trek," Takei returned for the theatrical follow-up films that began in 1979. Most of his acting work in recent times has been in the realm of animation, however, making Takei's deep voice as iconic as his physical presence. He's played characters in everything from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "Star Wars: Visions" to "The Simpsons" and "BoJack Horseman." He even reprises his role as Sulu on the adult animated comedy "Star Trek: Lower Decks." In between these performances, Takei has made time for extensive political activism, frequently speaking out publicly on social issues like racial equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

At the age of 86, Takei is still balancing a lot of acting work and political spokesmanship. In 2022, he was given an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia, and in 2023, he voiced major roles on both "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" and the critically acclaimed "Blue Eye Samurai."

Walter Koenig: Pavel Chekov

The final actor still alive from the main cast of "Star Trek: The Original Series" is Walter Koenig, now 87 years old, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov on the show and in the ensuing theatrical films. His work prior to being cast on the show mainly consisted of various small parts on other TV series, including "General Hospital," "Mr. Novak," and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour." But after debuting as Chekov, Koenig's most notable work for the rest of his career has generally been in the realm of science fiction.

In addition to his many Trek appearances, Koenig played Alfred Bester on "Babylon 5." he hasn't been as active over the last decade, but he still works from time to time, like in the 2018 sci-fi movie "Diminuendo" or the 2017 animated series "Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters." In 2023, he briefly reprised his role as Chekov for "Star Trek: Picard" Season 3.

It was also announced in 2023 that Koenig was joining the "7th Rule" podcast to review episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series." In an interview with Screen Rant promoting the show, Koenig spoke highly of his time on the series and mourned the death of Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the J. J. Abrams "Star Trek" films. "I met him," Koenig said. "Very bright, delightful young man. Very talented. My God, in the short time he had, he did several folds as many jobs as I ever had. So you've got to applaud his talent. Very, very sad."

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" Bones " was a nickname for Doctor Leonard McCoy in multiple realities.

In the prime reality, "Bones" was short for "Sawbones"; this long version was used by James T. Kirk only rarely, usually using the shortened version "Bones" during their service together. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ", " A Piece of the Action "; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

During a 2267 landing party mission on Pyris VII , Kirk made a special point to avoid calling McCoy "Bones", instead using the nickname "Doc", after finding themselves in shackles hanging alongside a skeleton . ( TOS : " Catspaw ")

After watching a recording by the presumed-dead Kirk in 2268 , Spock used the nickname by telling McCoy " Forget it, Bones ", although he called it something Kirk would have said. ( TOS : " The Tholian Web ")

In the alternate reality , James T. Kirk referred to Leonard McCoy as Bones because, as mentioned by the doctor the first time they met, all his ex-wife left him after their divorce was his bones. ( Star Trek )