DeForest Kelley Movies

In this western, a world-weary bounty hunter begins working for an avaricious crook who wants to destroy the good name of a little town so that the railroad will be built across his land. To enact his plan he brings a notorious gambler to town. He also establishes a brothel in the saloon. The sheriff and the good townspeople protest, but the villain takes care of him. This angers the bounty hunter, who has come to like the lawman and he turns against his boss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In Part Two of "Ride the Wind", Curtis Wade (Rod Cameron takes over from the late Charles Ludlow as head of the new Pony Express service. Determined to keep the service running and to finish the route despite attacks by the Paiutes, Wade is driven not so much by duty as by his ego, which has been fuelded by exploitive Eastern journalist Tully (DeForrest Kelley. Wade's delusions of grandeur may prove fatal for Joe Cartwright, who has signed on as a Pony Express rider despite the protests of his father Ben. Tom Lowell appears as Charles Ludlow's son Jabez, who ends up as the story's eleventh-hour problem solver. Written by Paul Schneider, the second half of the two-part "Ride the Wind" was originally broadcast on January 23, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jeff Morrow guest-stars as legendary Apache chief Cochise, who despite his avowed peaceful stance has sworn vengeance against Cavalry captain Moss Johnson (DeForrest Kelley). While Johnson takes refuge at the Ponderosa, Ben Cartwright, surrounded by a batallion of Cochise's deadliest warriors, is determined to learn the true story behind the Apache leader's vendetta. Fueling the crisis is a seriously injured Adam, and Johnson's ever-increasing hysteria. Written by Elliot Arnold, "The Honor of Cochise" first aired October 8, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of several low-budget mellers directed by scriptwriter Maxwell Shane, Fear in the Night was based on the short story Nightmare by William Irish (pseudonym for Cornell Woolrich). In his first starring role, DeForest Kelley plays Vince Grayson, a young man who has a terrible nightmare wherein he sees himself killing someone. When he awakens, Vince finds a couple of pieces of evidence indicating that his dream was no dream. Detective Cliff Herlihy (Paul Kelly) doesn't believe that Vince has killed anyone, but agrees to investigate. While taking shelter from a storm in a remote mansion, the detective and the young man stumble upon a mirrored room -- just like the one in Vince's dream. The frenzied Vince is nearly driven to suicide, but Detective Herlihy deduces that his friend's nightmare was the handiwork of Lewis Belnap (Robert Emmett Keane), the mansion's owner, who is a dabbler in hypnosis. Fear in the Night was remade in 1956 as Nightmare, with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Of the many filmed versions of the October 26, 1881, O.K. Corral shootout in Tombstone, Arizona, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was one of the most elaborate and star-studded. Burt Lancaster plays Wyatt Earp, the renowned lawman, while Kirk Douglas is consumptive gambler (and gunfighter) Doc Holliday -- the two meet in difficult circumstances, as Earp discovers that Holiday, for whom he initially feels little but loathing, is being held on a trumped up murder charge and being set up for a lynching, and intercedes on his behalf. The action shifts to Dodge City, Kansas, where Earp is marshal and Holiday, hardly grateful for the good turn, shows up right in the middle of all kinds of trouble, this time mostly on Earp's side of the ledger. And, finally, the two turn up in Tombstone, Arizona, where Wyatt's brother Virgil is city marshal, and where Wyatt finally gets to confront the Clanton/McLowery outlaw gang (led by Lyle Bettger as Ike Clanton). Since the time-span of the actual gunfight was at most 90 seconds, the bulk of the film concerns the tensions across many months leading up to the famous battle. As scripted by Leon Uris (from a magazine story by George Scullin), the story involves two unrelated but parallel plot-lines -- a long-standing vendetta against Holliday and the efforts of Earp to bring the Clanton/McLowery gang to justice -- that are eventually drawn together on the streets of Tombstone. Woven into these proceedings are Earp's and Holliday's romantic dalliances with lady gambler Laura Denbow (Rhonda Fleming) and Kate Fisher (Jo Van Fleet), whose switch in affections from Holiday to outlaw fast-gun Johnny Ringo (John Ireland) only rachets up gambler's rage and the reasons behind the bloody climax. There are plenty of bribery attempts, terse dialogue exchanges and "Mexican standoffs" before the inevitable gunfight takes place. Director John Sturges takes some dramatic license with this confrontation, as well, stretching things out to nearly six minutes, but this is after all an "A" production, and a minute-and-a-half of gunfire just wouldn't cut it. The huge cast of western veterans includes Earl Holliman as Charles Bassett, Dennis Hopper as Billy Clanton, Kenneth Tobey as Bat Masterson, Lee Van Cleef as Ed Bailey, Jack Elam as Tom McLowery, and John Hudson, DeForest Kelley and Martin Milner as Virgil, Morgan, and James Earp, respectively. And there's that Dimitri Tiomkin score, pushing the movie's momentum as relentlessly as the two driven heroes, complete with a song (sung by Frankie Laine) underscoring the major transitions of scenes that's impossible to forget, once heard. Sturges himself would produce and direct a more fact-based and realistic version of the story -- focusing mostly on its aftermath -- a decade later, entitled Hour of the Gun, starring James Garner, Jason Robards, Jr., and Robert Ryan, which wasn't nearly as attractive or successful. But after Gunfight At The OK Corral, there would not be so impressive a lineup of talent at the OK Corral again until the twin Earp biopics of 1994, Wyatt Earp and Tombstone.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired as escort for Edna Harden (Jeanne Cooper), who is bound for a reunion with her husband, a bank robber recently released from prison. Arriving in a ghost town with Paladin, Edna doesn't find her husband right away, but this doesn't seem to matter in light of the fact that the man has hidden $80,000 in gold somewhere on the premises. Now Paladin must defend Edna and himself against the predatory fortune-hunters who have also descended upon the deserted town. The menace in this episode is in the formidable hands of spaghetti-western icon Lee Van Cleef)and future Star Trek stalwart DeForest Kelley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Once again Edward G. Robinson takes a script from the trash bin and makes it into a palatable movie. A remake of The Mouthpiece, this is the story of a district attorney with a conscience. When he discovers that a man he's sent to the electric chair was innocent, he takes to the bottle. His assistants encourage him to get off the booze, stop prosecuting and, instead, become a defense attorney. He agrees but his first client is a notorious gangster who has been in business for so long because of leaks from Robinson's own office when he was the district attorney. Push comes to shove and soon, through multiple machinations and mishaps, Robinson becomes the defender of his former assistant on charges of murder. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

Johnny Reno (Dana Andrews) is a US Marshall who is bushwhacked by outlaws on his way to Stone Junction, Kansas. Joe Connors (Tom Drake) and his brother Ab (Dale Van Sickle) mistakenly believe the lawman is after them and fire on Reno, and Reno captures Joe after Ab is killed in the gun battle. The two face an angry mob in a town where local Sheriff Hodges (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is in cahoots with the corrupt Mayor Jess Yates (Lyle Bettger). Although Reno believes Joe may have killed an innocent Indian, he must protect the prisoner from the growing mob that threatens to lynch the man before his trial. Jane Russell plays Johnny's sweetheart Nona, owner of the local saloon. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

A couple's marriage is nearly destroyed by their attempts to save it in this farcical comedy. Dan and Valerie Edwards (Frank Sinatra and Deborah Kerr) are a couple who have been married for close to 20 years. Dan, a busy but successful advertising executive, believes they have a happy relationship, but Valerie feels stifled and thinks her once fun-loving husband has become a bore. Valerie consults a lawyer, Shad Nathan (John McGiver), about a divorce, but Nathan suggests she give things one more try, and recommends a romantic second honeymoon to put the spark back in their relationship. Following his advice, Valerie books a vacation in Mexico; Dan agrees to join her, but once they arrive south of the border, they encounter Miguel Santos (Cesar Romero), an overzealous shyster lawyer who grants them a divorce before they're entirely aware of what's happening. Dan and Valerie take the matter in stride and decide to use it as an opportunity to renew their vows, but just prior to their ceremony, Dan is called away on business. Dan asks his best friend, Ernie Brewer (Dean Martin), a devil-may-care ladies' man, to keep Valerie company until he gets back; however, as Ernie tries to explain to Valerie and Miguel that the wedding is off, he finds he's just become Valerie's new husband. Valerie, angry at Dan's sudden disappearance, decides not to divorce Ernie right away, while Ernie, who has long been infatuated with Valerie, is torn between his feelings for her and his loyalty to Dan. Marriage on the Rocks also features guest appearances by Nancy Sinatra and Trini Lopez; keep an eye peeled for DeForest Kelley in a bit part. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Wealthy Walter Frazer (Torin Thatcher) has always held his daughter-in-law Sue Ellen (Diana Millay), a former nightclub singer, responsible for the failures of his son Gregson (Bryan Grant), now working as a parking attendant. Hoping to get rid of Sue Ellen, Frazer offers her a huge sum to divorce Gregson, but she angrily turns him down. Not long afterward, Gregson is murdered--whereupon Frazer does an about-face, insisting that Sue Ellen is a wonderful girl and his son was a no-good wastrel. In his efforts to defend Sue Ellen on a murder charge, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) tries to uncover the real reason behind Frazer's highly unconvincing change of heart. Watch for future TV icons Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island) and DeForest Kelley (Star Trek) in supporting roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This western is the movie-length pilot for the long-running television series Bonanza. The story follows the Cartwright clan as they help keep the nearly bankrupt Pony Express from going under. They also work to keep the angry Paiute Indians at bay. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide