Leonard "Bones" McCoy: Personnel File

Bones McCoy is the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 as well as several of its successor vessels and lived well into the late 24th century. He is notable for being one of the few main characters who never attended Starfleet Academy but that is only the beginning of his story.
This lore video contains condensed information drawn from both canon and apocryphal sources so may be subject to change in later depictions.
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This Video is for critical purposes with commentary.

[@michaelmacleod6517]

Deforrest was the heart of that cast. He had the sternness of Shatner and the sarcasm and wit of Nichelle, with the stocism of Leonard. He was a great character actor to boot. Kelly is one of the main reasons why The Original Series cast is my absolute favourite.

[@barrybend7189]

The man cured Kidney failure with a pill.

[@claytonberg721]

In real life someone is allegedly close to doing that for kitty cats.

[@rinoz47]

Oh, well, I don't think it is too unusual for Starfleet doctors to carry around universal panaceas at all times.

[@keithtorgersen9664]

Loved when he got into an argument with the 20th century doctor.

[@matthewjay660]

I need 1 of these pills right now. I'm in Stage 4. 😐

[@barrybend7189]

@@matthewjay660 i genuinely hope you get good dialysis care. I've seen what happens when people don't.

[@golgarisoul]

Honestly, Bones is my favorite of the TOS crew. He's always a joy to watch being so sour and has a more down to earth quality to him that is different from Kirk and Spock's legendary personalities.

[@LoneTiger]

Kirk: _"You're suffering from a Vulcan mind meld, Doctor."_ McCoy: _"That green-blooded son of a bitch! It's his revenge for all the arguments he lost."_

[@Zeithri]

Spock, the logical mind. McCoy, the emotional heart. Fantastic characters. " _SHUT UP SPOCK, WE'RE SAVING YOU!_ " " _Why thank you... CAPTAIN McCoy._ " And " _Doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!_ "

[@jehhhGames]

NGL Kinda surprised there wasnt a mention or a poke fun at his "Damn it Jim I'm a doctor not a...." line he used alot.

[@johnlewis8156]

I just drove past Emory and crossed the Chattahoochee river driving home in my commute! I had no idea he was from Georgia. It explains why he is a good Southern gentleman!

[@jabbarthomas5855]

ANNNND DeForest Kelly was born in Atlanta in 1920 and his Dad was pastor at a church in Conyers! As a fellow Atlantan and a Star Trek fan since 2 years old, I always counted Bone’s (and DeForest’s) backstory as a point of pride!!

[@whirledpeaz5758]

I found the events of the episode" The Empath" cemented my respect for his courage.

[@lanternsown3525]

Leonard 'Bones' McCoy is one of my Favorite Star Trek Characters, fun fact his actor Deforest Kelley was offered his pick of any main character he wanted Kelley chose Bones because the character's sense of humor and down to earth nature. Kelley also gave the character some of his background as he and Bones come from Georgia and both their fathers were named David; McCoy was the archetypal Frontier Doctor from the tv and movie westerns of that time period, reimagined in a sci fi setting with a wonderful sense of depth and humanity add by Kelley himself and Star Trek's creative team.

[@KingofKarnies]

McCoy is the role model for Combat Medics.

[@chunkychuck]

By the accounts I've read / heard, "Dee" DeForest Kelley was a nice guy too. That always makes me happy to hear.

[@Watcher1134]

isnt his middle name Horatio?

[@skywise001]

According to rumor one of the movies was launched in part as an idea to raise money for him in his retirement.

[@danielhall5364]

@@skywise001 If I remember correctly they paid him 1million for ST6 so he and his wife wouldn't have to worry about $... That was from George @ fall 92.

[@MadcapMachinations]

I always love characters like Bones simply because of I have trouble communicating to the people I care about myself.

[@Maddie-zv3gv77]

I really love Dr. McCoy.

[@gem.dionisio]

I wasnt born during the TOS run, but seen the films. But my favorite is the TNG ep. Encounter at Farpoint. I was touched by his quote about the Enterprise D "Treat her like a lady, and she’ll always bring you home". I think Geordi mentioned that line (the last line) on pickard.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

I haven't caught many of these personnel files but wanted to watch this one. McCoy was my favourite of the original Characters and there was much more in his timeline than I thought there would be so thank you. Although Kirk and Spock had a lot to do too, Fridays Child was one of my favourite episodes because it was McCoy heavy. DeForest was a very private man, but when it was himself he seemed a really warm and genuine man. Great video.

[@safebox36]

I don't know why I never realised this till SNW, but Bones isn't the ship's doctor technically; he's the ship's chief surgeon. You go to Mbenga for a general medical issues and go to Bones for operations and life-saving treatment. Edit: this isn't a retcon either, it's backed up by a few TOS episodes by McCoy, Mbenga, and Kirk

[@johnmoore8599]

Kirk was the warrior. Spock was the intellect. McCoy was the heart. Scotty was the fixer.

[@liljenborg2517]

I am glad you did not go with the Kelvinverse silly explanation of his nickname being the result of a bitter comment about his divorce. Ship's doctors have been given the nickname "bones" since the days of sailing ships when they were known as "sawbones" because one of their most frequent surgeries was amputating limbs mangled by cannonballs or (more likely) shards of oak hull timbers. It would be like saying the "Skipper" from Gilligans Island was nicknamed "Skipper" because he liked to skip rocks from the beach.

[@Lazarus1095]

It's strange how so many of the people that made the original series memorable were veterans of World War Two.

[@RoyalFusilier]

I've been watching old school anime lately, particularly Mobile Suit Gundam 0079, and Space Battleship Yamato. And yeah, people who lived through that time have a perspective that just can't be replicated.

[@Elnont]

Bones will always be my favourite, he’s an underratedly complex character whom was always played to perfection - not to mention what a widely agreed gem of a man DeForest Kelley was. I think the biggest issue the kelvin timeline has is the underuse of McCoy. They forget that TOS isn’t about just Spock and Kirk - it’s the iconic trio of McCoy, Kirk and Spock that makes up the perfect human.

[@randomhank]

Among the most quotable of any service member across the fleet. "I'm a doctor, not a ..." I used to quote him all the time. I was a pre med for a good part of my bachelor's before I opted for research

[@joseaguilar3323]

Since he was an expert on Space Psychology, I always assumed he was a psychiatrist.

[@jokerz7936]

There is a line in Generations where Kirk tells Scotty "Good thing you became an Engineer because with a tact like that you'd make a lousy psychiatrist." Since the scene was originally intended to be Spock and Bones with Kirk, I always felt that had to be a line for Kirk to say at McCoy originally "Good thing you became a MD because with a tact like that you'd make a lousy psychiatrist.".

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Psychiatrist, bartender, tomayto, tomahto

[@joseaguilar3323]

@@jokerz7936 But psychiatrists are MDs. You're thinking of psychologists who are PhDs

[@brianstiles1701]

In Beta canon one of his many MD's was in Psychiatry. I always assumed Bones got the degree sometime after TOS, but really I think the author was just having fun.

[@thisiszaphod]

Psychology and Psychiatry are separate things. Just saying.

[@lsporter88]

I always liked, "Bones". Great video.

[@TobyDeshane]

I'd loved to have met DeForest Kelley. He seemed like a genuinely wonderful man, and it comes through in his acting. As for McCoy himself, I've been quite dismayed to see him sidelined in a lot of things. Original Trek is often reduced to "Kirk & Spock", as if McCoy wasn't an integral cog in that machine. Blasphemy.

[@LTDLimiTeD1995]

He also gets a few mentions in the Shatnerverse books. Old geezer was quite the party animal.

[@skywise001]

Best McCoy - The Horta (Demon in the Dark). I honestly feel that episode shows the main three at their best but McCoy is a super favorite.

[@Numba003]

The core cast of TOS are still so much fun to watch. While I love and enjoy several of the other shows, the core trio of TOS never gets old. Thank you for this excellent video on McCoy! God be with you out there everybody. ✝️ :)

[@podemosurss8316]

I wish that we get to see young McCoy in Strange New Worlds.

[@BashoftheMonth]

Honestly, Star Trek 5 from the not-Ten-Forward scene until the end is pretty classic Trek .

[@MoonjumperReviews]

“I’m a doctor, not a personnel file! But…that all seems well enough researched, so…well done, I suppose. You been talking to Spock, haven’t you!” -Leonard McCoy.

[@rodneynicholauson4566]

For McCoy driven novels read Dreams of the Raven and Shadows on the Sun

[@theonlymatthew.l]

I've read them both, those are excellent choices.

[@rodneynicholauson4566]

@@theonlymatthew.lAlso add Drs Orders

[@SilverFox-qr1ci]

McCoy had a great performance during the Friday's Child episode. Oochy woochy coochy coo

[@robstein1313]

My headcanon is that his famous quote is quite literal: he only has expertise in the medical field. Had he become a doctor through starfleet, he would have training in multiple skills outside of medicine. It seems like most people in this era are encouraged to learn multiple skills and interests, and Bones is strictly “just a Doctor”

[@docsavage8640]

Best actor in Star Trek history.

[@Otokichi786]

Dr. Leonard MCCoy: "The patient, 'Star Wars' is dead. You can't 'fix' a corpse."

[@apotheases]

It would've been cool to see him meet Scotty again.

[@keithtorgersen9664]

Or Spock.

[@LungCancer420]

Always top quality content coming from Certifiably Ingame Thank you Rick

[@krisgonynor689]

Nice to know that Georgia and Mississippi survived WW3 with little damage. We know that Florida was okay too, as Trip's sister lived there in "Enterprise". I wonder if the southern states were independent at that point, and avoided WW3 completely?

[@bradylewis1037]

Jesus, divorce takes forever in the future

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

And there’s not even alimony in a future without money

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Kids, this is why you moisturise. You do _not_ wanna look like TOS McCoy at the age of 40.

[@handlandj]

Given... many factors I'd sooner blame leaded gas. And lead paint. And lead pipes. And MANY other things.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@handlandj oh from an _actor_ point of view he was in his very late 40s when playing a 40 year old. And yes, also, everything in the 1960s was made of lead. From a character point of view… maybe Kirk’s Enterprise ran on leaded antimatter?

[@handlandj]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated And I guess... not, in the kelvin timeline, if we're trying to explain his appearances in-universe as well as out.

[@Dinidan]

At this rate I'll look like one of those stop motion raisins by the time I hit 40.

[@aaronhollar6548]

Dammit man he’s a doctor not a runway model 😂

[@MaBelleone1]

Nicely done...Thanks...Miss DeForest Kelley as McCoy...

[@mc-zy7ju]

One of the reasons I liked Paulaski so much, felt she was modelled after McCoy.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Pulaski and Voyager’s EMH meeting would either end in a yelling match or a make out session, no inbetween (although possibly both).

[@mc-zy7ju]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated always thought she had a thing for Worf.

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

@@mc-zy7ju oh she _definitely_ had a thing for Worf, agreed.

[@rayvenkman2087]

Should have been moved to DS9 and pair her up with Julian Bashir to act as his McCoy to her Spock. I can picture Pulaski smiling at Kira dressing down Bashir on their first meeting after making an unintentionally insensitive comment that ticked her off and then saying to him afterwards “Should have taken more lessons in good bedside manners to your new patient” before assuring him that everyone makes a blunder once in their professional careers.

[@Aeidotronics]

Long live Bones.

[@AncestorEmpire1]

I can attest that I’m not a Bricklayer

[@SnarkNSass]

I 💖Bones 🩻❤ Ric, I'm sure you understand 💚🖖🏻

[@mckinneyc1000]

He's my all time favourite character in the entire franchise

[@AlohaBlade]

Excellent as usual.

[@dsb227]

Great video Dude!

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

When you are not being "Rick," who are you the rest of the time?

[@apotheases]

Removing McCoy from three main characters in Trek in the Abrams movie was a huge mistake. They tried to replace him using Uhura and it just didn't work. Spock and McCoy represented aspects of Kirks personality. But removing him and putting in another character that was romantically involved with another created a friction and destroyed the characterization of Trek.

[@johnshuman7935]

If you want a great McCoy story even though it’s not cannon Shadows of the Sun is a great read. It tells the story of his marriage imploding and the story of his first mission in Starfleet and how those two things come back to haunt him and the crew of the Enterprise in their last days together.

[@t75044]

Weird as it may sound and not just because he was the only good thing in it but Encounter at Far Point if only for his advise to Data about how he should treat the Enterprise. Its not only the sort of thing both Kirk and Scotty would have said and believed, and honestly I feel it was a missed oppertunity that Scotty didn't say the same thing to Geordi, you can tell that even with all the modern equipment an automation the ship has there's a small part of him that truely believe's it as well

[@grahamturner1290]

🖖

[@themark443]

Chang: I am as constant as the northern star! Bones: I'd give real money if he'd shut up...

[@rohanthomas4134]

A couple of good stories for McCoy in beta Cannon would include the second novel in the Star Trek legacies trilogy “Best Defense” auntie IDW “Year Four” and “Year Five” comic series. The legacies novel deals heavily with his relationship with his daughter, and acts to really flash out that aspect of the character That’s only mentioned in Canon. The IDW TOS continuation comics are really good the whole cast but McCoy gets some real good moments, coincidentally some of them relate to his daughter again.

[@simonwilliams4514]

Of the 3 core TOS actors I always think DeForrest Kelley doesn’t get the credit for his performances he deserves. He was nowhere near as theatrical as Shatner nor given a really narrow and defined character remit as Nimoy had, yet somehow, especially in the movie era, he became the heart and soul of TOS. It annoys me that Bones gets reduced to “dammit Jim…” cliches because it is a really unfair representation of the multifaceted character Kelley managed to build from a lot less material than the other 2 leads. Even when he doesn’t have a huge role in a TOS episode there is some really subtle stuff he does with his dialogue, exposition and expressions that show what a refined screen actor he was.

[@karlsmith2570]

1:07 Interestingly, DeForest Kelly, who played Dr. McCoy in TOS was also from Atlanta, Georgia, just like his character of Dr. McCoy

[@mistv901]

Totally add "Empath" to that episode list. The interaction between the trio is at it's best in that one. I also agree, the Bones and trio moments are the only saving graces of movie 5. I do feel, that one novel about when he went to save Spock on Picard's enterprise shouldn't be included. That book really didn't capture his character right and I can't consider it cannon. Pretty much, if you want more good McCoy stories, read anything by Diane Duane. She gets the trio as a whole.

[@feralprocessor9853]

Right off the bat, that was a slow saying of "favorite".

[@Sasuke81a]

If Doctor McCoy met Doctor Franklin, they'll be sharing interesting stories...

[@majorgeek]

Why did it take 13 YEARS to process McCoy's divorce? Surely, that must be a mistake? I could understand if it took until 2256, since that would have been THREE years (still a long time, but more reasonable), but having it take from 2253 until 2266 is just ridiculous!

[@krisgonynor689]

He ran off and joined StarFleet. At that time, interstellar travel wasn't that easy. The lawyers probably had trouble tracking him down - nor could they just go visit a front line exploration/warship while out in deep space.

[@somestormchaseridjitwithwi2024]

Jadzia Dax deserves a personnel file video. Im just saying. 😊

[@feralprocessor9853]

Kinda reminds me of Dr. Chakwas from the Mass Effect games when I think of onboard space ship docters.

[@stevengalloway8052]

Bones represented reality with sarcasm, while Spock represented reality without said sarcasm... 😏

[@NikolaiManning]

Weird, I also almost died on the Chattahoochee river. Back in the 90's I was on a summer vacation with my family and almost drowned after falling into the river, and getting pulled along by the current. I ended up grabbing a sunken log in the river and pulling my self up enough for my father to grab me and pull me out. I had slivers of that log lodged under my fingernails for a month.

[@kineuhansen8629]

bones is one i very much would love to see in strange new world season 3 but i am not sure if the timeline would fit

[@marcusjustice6165]

LIeutenant Commander Leonard H. McCoy sipping on a Mint Julep told Sandoval who mention an occupation change to Doctor McCoy: "you want to see how fast you will need a hospital."

[@sailingmaster]

Journey to Babel. He finally got the last word.

[@Bob6800a]

Nitpick here, but the asteroid where McCoy was cured was Yonada, not Yondala. (ducks and awaits incoming "Ackchyually" comments.

[@JAGtheTrekkieGEMINI1701]

There is only *ONE* McCoy... Kelley>ALL Else! I just noticed... He was at least *154 YEARS old!???* ...... WHAT THE F*CK!?

[@emperorofscelnar8443]

Damn it it Jim I am a doctor not (whatever is happening at the time and situation involving other careers that have nothing to do with him).

[@Reddotzebra]

They even programmed that into the EMHs. "I'm a Doctor, not a dragonslayer!"

[@francescozenocchini4428]

Dammit Boimler i'm a Doctor not a superhero assasin!!!

[@BennyLlama39]

I'm a doctor... not a doorstop. 😀

[@brianstiles1701]

If you don't love Bones, I can and will gatekeep you

[@swj719]

Brb getting a movement started to get a statue put up at my alma mater.

[@MotherShipMedia]

Friday's Child was kind of a forgettable episode, but McCoy does a good job in it, and it has perhaps his best line in the whole franchise in it ... "I'm a doctor, not an escalator!"

[@Riese79]

In the German Dub , his nickname is Pill 😂💊

[@marvelboy74]

Jesus, how old did he live?! I am not a fan of blue shirts becoming full commanders unless they take the Bridge Officer's Test. Since he didn't attend the academy, I find it hard to believe he would have been given command of a ship. Of course, sometimes the ranks don't always make sense, since Pulaski and M'Benga were both full Commanders. The thing about McCoy is I feel Roddenberry boxed in Beverly as he did not want her to be a redo of Bones (they gave that burden to Pulaski and we know how it went).

[@GillianMStarlight]

I don't hate Abrams but he had McCoy being from Kentucky, it was in an interview from 2009. There are different continuities but I think that was a mistake.

[@maxiemaxwell550]

Seems odd to mention McCoy getting a concussion but not healing the Horta, surely the most non-human patient of his career.

[@ALPHAOMEGA1500]

The space and is and time travel one with McCoy and Spock are stranded

[@SmokeyMcb]

I wish Lieutenant Commander Leonard H. McCoy was my doctor because he would take care of my Asthma which possibly has a cure in the Star Trek Universe.

[@jetfire1153red]

11:41 you do realise out of the three Shatner is the only one still alive.

[@rubaiyat300]

I’d say Bones could be a bit speciest but honestly Spock could be insufferable about being a Vulcan given he was only half one to begin with.

[@christinebutler7630]

Poor Spock was pretty traumatized from the bullying he grew up with about not being Vulcan enough. I mean, geez, his own dad didn't have his back. So no wonder his insecurity made him protest too much . Given Bones' psychology training, I would've thought he should understand that.

[@rubaiyat300]

I'm sympathetic to the character, but the strays caught by the mostly (if not entirely) human crew of the TOS Enterprise is tough to reconcile. @@christinebutler7630

[@keithtorgersen9664]

For general pronunciation, Feynman is usually fine-man.

[@docsavage8640]

Doubtful McCoy could have been held accountable for his actions in Star Trek III as he was clearly not of sound mind.

[@matthewjay660]

Green-blooded hobgoblin! 🖖🏻

[@AC20sAkimbo]

So he didn't start as Lieutenant despite his experience as was the norm in the 24th century. I wonder when they started that.

[@CertifiablyIngame]

A thought I had might be because Julian Bashir was a graduate of specifically Starfleet Medical, while McCoy was a graduate of a Civilian institution?

[@AC20sAkimbo]

Maybe that way was for the best. Troi had no right being in command given her lack of experience, taking a single test to send Geordi to his death isn't the same as attending the academy..@@CertifiablyIngame

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@CertifiablyIngame In some of the Beta cannon stuff, they also explain that, while they don't have to go to the academy, they do have some classes that they're required to take along with a short, first tour before an almost automatic promotion rather than a direct officer position when they'd have to deal with everything else to learn about being in starfleet at the same time. It also worked as an escape valve there to let those who aren't able to adjust to leave without issues there. One of the books or comics during the Dominion war mentions a smaller ship where the only officer that survived a problem was their ships doctor who had just joined Starfleet before the war broke out and his training mission as an ensign was cut short for combat deployments following the disasters of the early war there. Something like a multiple month trip back to Federation space while limping at less than a skeleton crew due to a jury rigged warp system some of the enlisted managed to cobble together from the wreckage in the shuttlebay and through hostile territory. No explanation beyond a mention of the situation and the doc was someone that, I believe, Bashir went to school before the academy and was relieved that he'd survived after thinking he was dead.

[@josiahnunley2910]

Eight years and it took you THIS LONG to talk about Dr Bones!?

[@ccf_1004]

I wonder what MaCoy's thoughts on the borg are lol

[@enisra_bowman]

the Point that he is still around after the TNG Era (is Picard Still TNG? I Would sort the fist Movies as TMP Era), that makes you wonder: HOW Old can Humans get? Even with all the Medical Aid there must be a upper limit

[@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat]

Bones is divorced? Who would’ve guessed? Lol

[@ultramaximusreviews]

Wait his brother is Henry McCoy? Hank... Hank McCoy? His brother is the Beast from X-Men? LOL

[@sardonicspartan9343]

Went started with this.. and now we have STD...

[@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat]

Nah that shit got cancelled due to paramounts app failing to make the money they intended, so we’re good now

[@ALPHAOMEGA1500]

Did anyone notice McCoy wore a pinky ring in season one of tos ??

[@gungasc]

God damnit I want a thumbs up! Not a comment!

[@feralprocessor9853]

Pretty short-lived position as Commander at first.

[@Joeybagofdonuts76]

I wonder how he'd feel about the EMH.

[@rodneynicholauson4566]

He'd inwardly hate it.

[@AzraelThanatos]

@@rodneynicholauson4566 I could see that at first, but I could also see him seeing them growing and developing if left to run and see that particular element as essential there.

[@zintosion]

Does he moonlight as bricklayer?

[@scottyb68]

Star trek 5 is a good movie. I don't know why it gets so much hate. Did it have problems? Yes but not as many as others in the franchise or Spock's brain 🧠

[@enisra_bowman]

because it's a Shatterner Flic and it shows ... a lot. It came also right after for many many people either the most or the second most loved Trek Movie wich shurly doesn't helped Also if the Gatekeeping would be as worse as today, many would mark it down that it's not canonical and the first entry in the Shattnerverse

[@danieltilson4053]

Distrust of all technology is a weird character trait for a man living in a spaceship. Lol. I get not trusting specific tech like the transporter, but everything? That's weird.

[@docsavage8640]

Doubtful he'd have entered Starfleet as an ensign if it's anything like the real military. I was offered the rank of lieutenant if I agreed to join the Army. Also, he would have had to attend OTC after Boot Camp regardless of his prior career.