De-Lightful goings on at the 2009 Vegas Star Trek Convention

The "DeForest Kelley Theatre" Creation Convention Las Vegas 2009

Hello my friends! I've just returned from the latest Star Trek convention and thought I'd update with a little convention report.

Attendance was high (approximately 1500 attended). Supposedly this was 300 less than last year, due to the removal of Star Trek the Experience, but my goodness it still felt crowded.

First of all I was delighted to discover that the two ballrooms that the activities occured in, one was dedicated to Gene and Majel Barrett Roddenberry and the other one to DeForest Kelley. Both entrances to the ballrooms were decorated with banner's with the honoree's name. Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry was on hand and did a lovely tribute to his mother.


One thing that happened that was cute/ funny/ moving. I'd forgotten to turn my cellphone off and it was set on it's loudest setting. The day before I'd set the ringer to Dr. McCoy ranting about: "It's a song you green blooded Vulcan! The words aren't important, what's important is that you have a good time singing it!" to show my friend Melinda. While a guest was up on the stage, someone had called me and of course De's voice, loud and clear, came up out of nowhere! Anyone in the general vicinity heard it (it was pretty loud). It freaked them out to hear his voice and of course there was laughter.


Another thing that was very moving was the appearance of Mr. Lawrence Luckinbill (Sybok on Star Trek V). What a very gracious and humble man! When they'd first introduced him, a man came out on stage that was dressed like Sybok and looked exactly like Sybok in the film. We thought that was Mr. Luckinbill and we all gasped! Actually it was a fan dressed up like Sybok with an uncanny resemblance to him. Mr. Luckinbill came out on stage, laughing and delighted that the fan looked so much like him.

During the question and answer period with Mr. Luckinbill I was able to ask a question. I asked what he could share with us about his memories of working on the very intense patricide/euthanasia scene with De on Star Trek V. He hesitated for a few moments and got very emotional (we both were) and replied: "De was one of the most wonderful gentlemen actors that I had ever had the pleasure of knowing/working with." He went on to say that De was very ill around the time of the shooting of that scene and he looked at Mr. Luckinbill and asked him: "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Mr. Luckinbill replied: "I sure am." De said: "Let's just do this."

I had to really hold it together not to burst into tears while at the mic. There were quite a few tears in the audience when he answered my question about De.
Lisa

DeForest Kelley in the Long Beach Independent. January 1941

(click on image to enlarge)

There is a mention of DeForest Kelley in the January 28th 1941 edition of the Long Beach "Independent". De starred in the Long Beach Depot Playhouse production of "Our Town" as George.

DeForest Kelley January 20, 1920-June 11, 1999

We miss you, DeForest.

Star Polishing Day

Thursday, June 11, 2009 the 10 year aniversary of DeForest Kelley's Death, fellow De fan Alison Winter and I met up to polish his star. It was delightful, as we chatted about De, got to know each other and made the star extra shiny.

Alison Winter with Mr. Kelley's Star



Lisa Hamner and Alison Winter



Lisa Hamner

Kris Smith's Interview on BlogTalkRadio.com

Kristine M. Smith, author of DeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories (2001), celebrates the late actor’s enduring legacy in a new e-book In the first edition of a newly-released 61-page e-book, The Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley: Actor, Healer, Friend, DeForest Kelley’s former personal assistant: Kristine M Smith has compiled the memories and reminiscences of nearly two dozen fans and friends whose lives were blessed and changed forever by the career or kindness of the late actor who portrayed Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in the original Star Trek television series and motion pictures.

In case you missed the interview, you can access it here. It's two hours long, so sit back and relax! (Get a tissue first, though! Some of it is mighty poignant...)http://www.blogtalkradio.com/NoriegaDOTBiz/2009/06/04/Kristin-M-Smith-beams-in-for-a-visit

Star Polishing

Last Sunday, it was my absolute honor to polish Mr. DeForest Kelley's star on Hollywood Boulevard.

De and Carolyn at the ceremony.

Me with the star in May.

Was it ever tarnished! Here is a before picture I took some weeks ago:

and here is the after pic:

As many of you know the original honor of star polishing belonged to Kris Smith who kept it looking shiny for many years. She moved out of the Hollywood area, a few years ago.

DeForest Kelley e-book is #1!!!

Newest DeForest Kelley Title Debuts as #1 Nonfiction E-Book at Payloadz.com as newest Star Trek Adventure Warps Across the Silver Screen.

Kristine M. Smith, author of DeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories (2001), claims top spot for her newest Kelley book, ENDURING LEGACY, at Payloadz.com.

Seattle WA, (PRWEB) May 21, 2009 A newly-released e-book, The Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley: Actor, Healer, Friend, written by Kelley's former personal assistant Kristine M. Smith, skyrocketed immediately to first place in the non-fiction category at Payloadz.com upon its May 1st release, where it has resolutely remained for three weeks.

In the new 61 page electronic book, Smith compiled the memories and reminisces of nearly two-dozen fans and friends whose lives were blessed and changed forever by the career and kindness of the late actor who portrayed Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the original STAR TREK television series and motion pictures.

"I'm delighted the new book is receiving top honors at Payloadz," Smith says. "it was a real labor of love for so many of its contributors and for me. And the unanimous, positive reviews of the book have also been gratifying."

The e-book reveals that many of Kelley's devoted fans have gone on to become doctors, nurses, medical technicians, social workers, and other helping professionals, while still other fans continue to impact the world as writers, actors and teachers.

The success of the new book has also bolstered sales of Smith's earlier memoir about the actor who became her mentor. DeFOREST KELLEY: A HARVEST OF MEMORIES suffered from an untimely release date, coming as it did just weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001, relegating the memoir to easy dismissal by and silence from mainstream media. Now that both books are receiving attention during the recent release of the newest STAR TREK movie, prospects for both books have increased significantly. Smith has been contacted to do radio and podcast interviews from science fiction and golden oldies radio producers.

Smith says, "This June 11th will be the tenth anniversary of De's passing. I can't imagine a greater tribute, at this time-to the man and to the actor-than the timely attention being paid to these two books, along with taking in the wonderful resurrection of the McCoy character as portrayed by Karl Urban. He was able to capture so much of what De's spirit and sensibilities brought to the role. I hope my two books will show that DeForest Kelley, the man, was every bit as worthy of respect and emulation as was his alter ego."

Author Kristine M. Smith's blog is located at http://almostfamousbydesfault.blogspot.com

Her copy-writing service business URL is http://kristinemsmith.elance.com
She can be reached at KRISTINEMSMITH@MSN.COM