From Six-Shooters to Stethoscopes: When DeForest Kelley Was *Actually* A Western Star
So, you know Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy from *Star Trek*, right? Grumpy medic, perpetually exasperated with Spock’s logic and Kirk’s recklessness? Turns out, before he was diagnosing aliens, DeForest Kelley was a bona fide cowboy on practically every Western TV show ever made. Seriously, if there was dust, tumbleweeds, and a ten-gallon hat involved in the 50s and 60s, chances are Bones was there too – probably scowling menacingly.
For over 25 years, Kelley built a career as a reliable supporting player in the Wild West universe. He guest-starred on *Gunsmoke*, *Bonanza,* *Rawhide*, heck, he practically lived in a saddle! While he wasn’t a leading man, casting directors knew they could count on him to look ruggedly dependable…or villainously untrustworthy, as he spent much of his early career playing the heavy.
Interestingly, this is where Gene Roddenberry enters the picture – he’d previously cast Kelley in an unaired pilot! Fast forward a bit and *Star Trek* gave Bones a chance to be a hero (and finally play a doctor!), but it seems even eternal fame couldn’t erase that cowboy image. Brent Spiner once joked his obituary would list Data first, imagine how Kelley felt being forever linked to sci-fi after decades of Western glory!
So next time you’re watching *Star Trek*, remember: before he was dispensing medical advice on the Enterprise, DeForest Kelley was probably busy dispensing justice (or causing trouble) in some dusty frontier town. It’s a good reminder that even galactic icons have humble (and surprisingly rootin’-tootin’) beginnings.
