In Memory of DeForest Kelley (1920 Jan 20 - 1999 Jun 11) Part 4 of 10
Leonard Maltin: This spring, the Golden Boot Committee decided to award a Golden Boot to DeForest Kelley. And- I'm happy to be able to tell you that he knew of this, and was delighted. DeForest was at the Motion Picture Home and was tickled to know that he was going to receive this honor. Now, of course, most people, the whole world knows him as the good Dr. Bones on Star Trek, but if you take time later on to look at your program book and read his bio, you'll see not only what an extensive career he had, overall, but how many Western credentials he had. They are formidable is an incredible number and range of parts he played. And the only disappointment is that he's not here tonight to accept this honor in person. So, we now reluctantly have to call it a memorial award. But I want you to know that it was voted while he was alive and that he knew that he was to receive it.
And without further ado, a film tribute to DeForest Kelley.
[The Lone Ranger: Gold Train]
Sheriff (De): Why you little-
Horseface: Putting that honest fella in the jail there when he came here for help. Now I don't understand these things at all.
Sheriff (De): Okay, if you like him so well, I’ll put you in there with him for a while to cool you. I'll let you out just as soon as you quiet down.
The Lone Ranger: All right, sheriff. Reach. Horseface, get his keys. Unlock the cell. Inside.
[Have Gun Will Travel: The Treasure]
Deakin (De): You, all of you, whoever you are. Now we got squatters rights on Jess Harden. You hear me? So clear out of here.
Rennie: You ain't going to hit nobody that way.
[Gunfight at the O.K. Corral]
Wyatt: Man, that's good. I just about forgot what a home-cooked meal tastes like. Betty, I'm going to steal you away from Virgil.
Morgan (De): By golly, Wyatt, you're going to be the only single one left. I got a family going in Deadwood. Even little Jimmy here's tying the knot when he gets back to California. Hey, when are you going to get hitched, Wyatt?
Toby Jack (De): No, I had enough. You beat me fair and square. What do you say we just forget about it and have a drink, huh?
I never let a fight stand in the way of a drink.
[The Virginian: Man of Violence]
Beldon (De): They’ve pulled back to the rocks!
Trampas: Doc! He's hit in the leg. Patch him up.
Major Herbert: How many men went in with you?
Wismer (Leonard Nimoy): I told you I wandered in by mistake.
Trampas: I'm not waiting any longer.
Major Herbert: Lieutenant, do you think you could find out what that trouble is out there?
Beldon (De): Certainly, sir.
Major Herbert: How many Indians did you see?
Wismer (Leonard Nimoy): Now look, the one that put the bullet in me hit me from behind.
[Star Trek: Spectre of the Gun]
McCoy My name is McCoy. I'm a doctor.
Doc Holiday: Well, my name is still Holiday. Doc Holiday.
[Star Trek: The Final Frontier]
Spock: Mmh, surprisingly good.
McCoy: That's a secret ingredient.
Kirk: Can you get any more of that secret ingredient, Bones?
Spock: Am I to understand that your secret ingredient is alcohol?
McCoy: Whiskey. Tennessee whiskey, Spock. You care for a little snort?
Accepting the award for the late DeForest Kelley is one of Hollywood's most prolific producers celebrating his 80th birthday and his 70th year at Paramount Studios. Hollywood's best friend, Mr. A.C. Lyles
AC Lyles: 80 and 70. It's quite a combination. Shortest resume in Hollywood history. 1928 to 1999, 71 years you know those 70 years I've been at Paramount I've seen so many people come to our studio and in one picture become so important in our industry. William Holden, Alan Ladd a lot of other people Jerry Pikman in our place and in the 55 years that I knew DeForest Kelley, I have never known anybody that I love more than De. He came from Atlanta, went to Long Beach for a vacation. Someone suggested he do a play. Two things happened. He met his wife in the play and Milton Lewis from Paramount sawing and brought him in for an audition for a picture we were doing. We were auditioning some young unknowns to play a real killer and De went back for his last meeting with Bill Meiklejohn, head of the studio and he saw two people on a list. DeForest Kelley was first and another fellow was second. And through De's name was a line and under that was a name Alan Ladd. and Alan got the part in a picture called This Gun For Hire and made him a big star. But De went on the contract and for the next 55 years had one of the greatest careers in this business. He did 79 episodes of Star Trek. I think he put the word star in Star Trek.
He did over 130 other television shows and he did 36 features. Half of those were westerns. Gunfight at OK Corall with Kirk Douglas you just saw and Burt Lancaster. And when I was backstage, I reminded Kirk of a story. Charlton Heston started at our studio and did so many pictures for us. He did Moses and Ten Commandments. But the biggest thing he did, I guess, was when he went out to Metro Goldwyn Mayer and did Ben Hur got Academy Award. Chuck and I were having dinner one day in the Paramount Commissary. We walked across the lot and we ran into Kirk Douglas and after talking to us a while, Kirk said, "Chuck, I have to tell you a story. I was coming out of a restaurant the other night and a man came home said, "Oh my god, I didn't think I'd ever see you. Can I shake hands? He said, 'You are my very, very favorite actor. He said, I've seen all of your pictures once, twice, three times. He said, but I have to tell you, the greatest thing you ever did is when you did Ben Hur.
And Kirk said, I said to him, you know, thank you for the accolades, but he said, uh, I didn't do Ben Hur. The man said, are are you sure you didn't do Ben Hur? He said, "No, I didn't do Ben Hur. Another actor did Ben Hur." He said, "My God," the man said, "Am I embarrassed because I've been telling people for years that the greatest thing that Burt Lancaster ever did was Ben Hur.”
Besides all the other westerns, De survived doing eight westerns of mine over at Paramount and always meeting the heavy. You saw he hit a fellow over the head with a with a chair. I was doing a picture called Town Tamer with Dana Andrews starring and Michael Landon stopped me in the commissary one day and said, "A C, you can do me a big, big favor." I said, "What is it?" He said, "Well, Bob Miles is on our set of Bonanza and he's doing a fight scene. He's doubling me. But now you have a scene next Friday with Dana Andrews and DeForest Kelley in a fight scene. Now Bob Miles and I worked out a hell of a fight because I want a double DeForest Kelley. I said, "They won't even let you do your fights on Bonanza. David Door will kill you." He said, "Suppose I get an okay." Now I'm off the hook. I said, "Fine." Next thing I know, David called me and said, 'Hey, this crazy guy, we want him to do something. He'll only do it if you'll let him come over and double DeForest Kelley. So, he came over and doubled DeForest Kelley. It ruined David said because everybody Lorne Green, everybody came over to our set to watch Michael Landon double DeForest Kelley, a thing that they wouldn't let him do on his own set. So, a little while after that, De went to Universal to do a picture. And they said, "De, you know, you have a big fight scene in this." He said, "Who dubbing you these days?" He said, "Michael Landon." And when Michael was deathly when Michael was deathly ill, he called me and said, "You see, they want me to do my biography." He said, "I know I don't have time to do it, but he said, I got a hell of a title." I said, "What if?" He said, "I’m going to title it I'm dying to tell you this."
And he said, he said, "Also, you better get another double for De." He said, "I don't think I can do it." But DeForest Kelley could do lazy better than anybody I've ever known in my life. He could do it so easy. And he was doing another western with me. were on location and they had him tied to the wheel of a wagon and the young Indian bucks were shooting bow and arrows at him to see how close they could come and not and not nick him and the reins were going and Bud Springsteen the director yelled lunch and everybody ran to the lunch wagon and we were going through the food line and someone said “Jesus Where is De? Oh, Christ.” They went back. He was tied to the wagon. And that's how easygoing it was. He didn't even complain. But De loved everybody. And everybody loved De. As an example, there's a lady here, Kris Smith, and she loved De so much that when they put his star on the Walk of Fame in front of the Galaxy Theater, she went she goes down every Sunday and polishes his star. Now, because I'm a friend of De's, when she finishes that, she goes over to El Capitan Theater and polishes my star. Now, that's all because I know De, DeForest Kelley. De when he was ill at the hospital for 4 months, we talked almost every night. And one time I called and I said, "De h-how do you how do you feel tonight?" He said, "How the hell do I know? I'm only a country doctor."
The last phone call I had from De, he called me and he said, "A C I don't feel well at all. I-I feel I feel very weak.” And he said, "I- I just want to tell you that I- I love you like a brother. Take care of Carolyn for me, and you better call Scotty tonight and tell him to beam me up."
And he died the next morning. He was 79. He, as Leonard said, he knew about this award. I know if he was here, he would want to tell you appreciate your supporting the fund. And one of the last things he did in his will was to make a remembrance to the fund. And Carolyn is still there. She's been there 16 months now with a broken leg. She had the room next to De. And, I know that he would thank you for his support. I thank you for your support and I tell you all of our arms will always be around De. And I think in the theater when the performance is over, the actors come on stage and bow to the audience and the audience in turn applauds. And if there's been an outstanding performance, the audience gives the performer a standing ovation. And I don't know of anybody that has performed more beautifully in private life than De. I don't know if anybody has performed more beautifully on the screen and in his profession. And I think we should sort of visualize De after his performance coming on the stage and bowing to you. And I hope that you will. I'm standing and I hope you would join me in standing for an ovation applause to DeForest Kelley.
Thank you. And tomorrow when Kris takes this out and I'm going out, I'll have to tell Carolyn and she'd be so happy that you gave her fellow a standing ovation. Thank you very much.
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