DeForest Kelley’s Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

The inscription on this photo reads “Thanks for being there….” (penned and signed by DeForest) “…on our big day!”  (penned and signed by Carolyn)

 

The following excerpts mentioning De’s Walk of Fame ceremony are from my book DeForest Kelley Up Close and Personal: A Harvest of Memories from the Fan Who Knew Him Best:

<<<<< >>>>>

I drove to William Shatner’s Charity Horse Show horse show with a friend. We wandered around, star-gazing, until the event began. It seemed that every star from the original series was in attendance, as were several of the stars from The Next Generation including Brent Spiner and Marina Sirtis. My friend and I walked over to the area where the Trek stars were all sequestered in celebrity boxes. I had purchased a stuffed bunny and had written a little note on it for Carolyn. The note read, “Some bunny loves you and missed you tonight at the horse show—ME!” I was planning to give it to De when I saw him so he could transport it home to Carolyn.

Problem was, I was unaware that where Shatner and Nimoy are, there is something known as heavy security. I was wearing my Walk of Fame DeForest Kelley jacket, so I was immediately a suspect. Not knowing this, I approached the celebrity box, and four or five security guards, men and women, blocked my way. I said hello and asked them if I could say a word to Mr. Kelley. “No.” I then asked if they would give him a note from me, or if they’d relieve me of the bunny and deliver it to Mr. Kelley for me. “No.” I was getting nowhere, fast. Worst of all, it was freezing in the arena that year. My feet were frozen, my nose was cold, and I wasn’t looking forward to staying around for very much longer. Still, Carolyn had said to go say hello to De, and I had the bunny, so I stuck around a bit longer.

At various times, I could see De twisting around in his seat, looking for someone. I figured it might be me, so I’d lean in his direction, but always there would be a maximum security guard watching my every move, and whenever I’d lean to catch De’s eye, he or she would lean to cut me off! I contemplated pitching the bunny rabbit in a high-flying arch, hoping the trajectory would put it somewhere near De in the celebrity box. But then I thought, If I do something that outrageous, the security guards will take me out of here, for sure. So I waited some more. My feet felt like ice cubes. I began to think that perhaps it wasn’t worth it; I could mail the bunny to Carolyn…

That’s when De decided it was time to leave the celebrity box for a break. As he stood up, my security guards crowded together in a tight configuration, right in front of me. They had my number, and I was not getting anywhere near Mr. Kelley. Knowing I was defeated, I signaled my surrender and stepped back. At that moment, De spotted me as he climbed the steps toward me. His face lit up in a big grin and he called out, “Kris! There you are! I’ve been looking for you!”

You should have seen the looks on the faces of those security guards. Like the parting of the Red Sea, they stepped aside so I could approach De. He gave me a big hug and quick kiss and I handed him the rabbit. We walked to a safe area and visited for a short time before he excused himself to use the bathroom. I went home and saved my feet from frostbite!

<<<<< >>>>>

WALK OF FAME GAMES

 

Back in 1989, the Chamber of Commerce had voted to give De a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Paramount Pictures had nominated De for the honor. We were thrilled. Then we waited for what seemed an eternity, and still no announcement as to when the star would be presented.

During this interminable waiting period, De became concerned that perhaps Paramount or the Chamber had dropped the ball. Over the phone he asked me, “Do you think they have forgotten about me?” He sounded serious, so I assured him that couldn’t be the case, and called Paramount to find out what the hold-up was. That’s when I learned that Paramount was planning to present De’s star when the next Star Trek motion picture came out – to help publicize the movie’s release! So I called De back and let him know the scoop. He said, with gallows humor, “I hope I live that long!”

I assured him that his longevity shouldn’t be a problem, here!

Sue, Kat and I were in Hollywood one day and found a store that would put anyone’s name on a Walk of Fame star in their shop and then take a photo of it. We shelled out the money for a DeForest Kelley star and then bought several prints of it. We mailed one in an envelope to De, c/o Carolyn (with a note to Carolyn that read, “You’d better stand behind De when he opens the envelope, in case he faints!”).

De opened the envelope, saw the star, and then the attached note: “WE WERE THERE. WHERE WERE YOU?!”

De called us and asked us how we managed the illusion. We explained what we had done, but then Kat took the phone and said, “Actually, De, what we did is we jack-hammered Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name out of his star and replaced it with yours! I hope he doesn’t get pissed when he finds out, or you could be in big trouble!”

De guffawed at that!

The Christmas following the announcement as to when and where De would receive his star (December 18, 1991, 7021 Hollywood Blvd, in front of the new Galaxy Theatre), Kat’s son made both of us jackets to wear to the event. The jackets had marvelous painted portraits of De on the backs, along with the date of De’s star ceremony. Kat wrapped mine in a box as a Christmas present and then told De and Carolyn all about it.

That Christmas, I opened the box and flipped when I saw the jacket. I put it on and wore it all day and into the evening. That evening, the Kelleys called to ask how our Christmas had gone; they also, of course, wanted to know what I thought of the De jacket. Carolyn said to me, “I understand you got a rather special gift from Kat this year.”

I said, “Oh, yeah! You know about that?”

She said, “We know about it, but you can tell us again.”

I said, “It is the most fantastic, beautiful DeForest Kelley Walk of Fame jacket in the universe! I haven’t had it off all day! I wear it all the time! Oh….I suppose Sue will make me take it off when I go to bed tonight, though.”

Out of the blue, Carolyn chimed in, joking, “Oh – so you want to sleep with my old man, eh?” I could hear both of them (De was on another extension line at their house) guffaw! De’s laugh sounded very surprised and a little embarrassed, and I became speechless with embarrassment. But only for a moment, thank God!

Inspiration struck, and as they came down from their laughs, I retorted: “Well, safe sex IS best, you know!”

From that moment on, my Walk of Fame jacket became The Safe Sex Jacket to everyone who knew about the conversation!

<<<<< >>>>>

When we arrived at Shambala, we got out of the car and De noticed the back of my DeForest Kelley Hollywood Walk of Fame jacket, which I planned to wear at his upcoming star ceremony. This was his first opportunity to see it since I had received it from a fellow Kelley fan. He queried humorously, “Who’s that handsome fellow on your back?” 

I said, “Oh, some guy…I forget his name.”

<<<<< >>>>>

 

I sent De and Carolyn star paperweights. One had “Carolyn” on it; the other had “DeForest.” Carolyn opened hers early and then wouldn’t allow De to open his until Thanksgiving. When he saw it, he called to thank me and then said, “Good! Now that I have this star, I don’t have to worry about that f——n’ star in Hollywood!” It was the first time he had ever “talked dirty” within earshot of me and I laughed!

 

<<<<< >>>>>

STAR TREK CEREMONIES — 1991

 

Sue had asked her club members to send De cards and notes of congratulations for his upcoming star ceremony on the Walk of Fame scheduled for December 18 that year, so she could send them to him and Carolyn as part of their anniversary package. Carolyn called to tell me how choked up De was by the sentiments expressed therein, from all the fans who had responded to Sue’s request.

The card that I had sent De read: “Great men may be among us…but none compare to you.” I had taped a few small photos of De, De and me, and De and Carolyn inside the card and then written, “Congratulations on your STAR and for remaining the wonderful person you are! Love, Kris.” On the empty, inside facing page, I had quoted the trailer from Trek VI: “They have been our guides, our protectors, and our friends.” Beneath that, I had written, “How very fortunate I feel! Most fans have had only the reel McCoy as their guide, protector and friend—and are grateful. I have had DeForest Kelley as ‘all of the above.’ Your caring has transformed me into someone worthy of being cared about. Thank you. God Bless you. I love you.” For the accompanying letter, I created a special letterhead on my PC. The heading was respectfully engraved, “YOU DESERVE ALL OF LIFE’S GOOD THINGS. YOU ARE ONE OF LIFE’S GOOD THINGS.”

The letter read:

 

Dear, Dear De,

 

Where do I begin?

Your star ceremony affords me the opportunity to get really serious (for once) and to pour out to you all the love, pride and respect you’re engendered – seemingly FOREVER.

So where are the proper words to adequately express any of it?! sigh I’ll try…

Your skill as an actor is exceeded only by your skill as a wonderful human being. In a way, I wish I had met you first in the way that I met Tippi – without knowing much, or caring much, about “who” you were as an artist. Why? Because it took me so long to get OVER seeing you primarily/chiefly as “my FAVORITE actor” with all the accompanying jitters and shyness and paranoia that that “awesome” perspective entails. It took a long time before I could genuinely relax in your presence and appreciate you as a real, flesh and blood human being who is special despite what you do for a living (instead of because of it).

That’s what I first responded to in Wenatchee in ’68 upon scrutinizing you from the sidewalk (before introducing myself): your genuine niceness. I stood fidgeting on the sidewalk, gauging whether or not you were going to disappoint me if I approached you for an autograph and a smile. (My initial fear was, “Do I really want to risk being turned off by an actor I’d really love to keep on liking?” It had happened before!)

Well! After studying the situation for several long minutes, it became abundantly apparent that you and Carolyn were very nice people. So that’s when I gathered the courage to step forward and open my mouth—and hope my heart wouldn’t leap out of it and land on the floorboard of your convertible!

You deserve the star—and I mean this in the “old-fashioned” way: You deserve the honor to the degree for which stars were originally bestowed, not in the way they are too-often awarded nowadays (as a publicity gimmick). Your career has spanned (don’t say “Ouch!”) nearly five decades. You’re genuinely one of Hollywood’s decent, honorable guys (there might be four or five others, but their names escape me at the moment ☺). You do good deeds (quietly, which makes them even “gooder,” ‘cause they’re not done for the sake of publicity). You’re a gentlemen star (who’s an accomplished and convincing “bad-ass” only in the movies). You meet, exceed and annihilate the criteria for being awarded an “old- fashioned” star. In fact, I can easily envision you being named MAN OF THE YEAR, no problem…no exaggeration…no stretch of the imagination. I think the Creator (the real “Big Bird of the Galaxy”) delights in you and sees you in the same way He sees Yosemite or a healthy new bud on a rose bush: as a damn’ fine piece of workmanship, if He does say so Himself…

I don’t know what else to say…how else to express how proud I am of you… how lucky I feel to have “fallen” for you…how blessed I am to know you well enough to know I’m right about all of the above!

You are an inspiration to me. “When I grow up” — I want to be just like you.

I love you, De.

Kris

 

There was one other important ceremony that year, thirteen days before De’s star ceremony. On December fifth Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood honored the entire original Star Trek cast by having them place their signatures and handprints in the forecourt of that world-renowned place. Hundreds of fans gathered hours ahead of time to get good spots from which to observe the proceedings. We arrived at around seven a.m., and we were among the first, so we were positioned against the restraining rope. It wasn’t long before the entire boulevard was crowded with fans. Bleachers had been erected across the street to accommodate as many as possible; crowds of fans also extended down the boulevard for a block or more in each direction. Fortunately, microphones were set up so that those in attendance farthest away could still hear the event, if they couldn’t actually see it. At about 11 o’clock, a local band approached Mann’s from the east, playing the Star Trek theme. Behind them, in three separate cars, was the cast. The crowd went wild.

Before the ceremony took place, there was a photo op for the media.

The cast gathered on the sidewalk and milled around as the cement was prepared for their signatures and prints. While there, they engaged in some private banter that no one else was privy to. There were lots of smiles; there were also some somber faces.

De looked ready to cry a time or two as he apparently considered the honor that would soon be bestowed on the cast. When the time came to write their names in cement, Shatner and Nimoy went first. Their names appear side by side at the top of the large cement slab. Then it was De’s turn.

The space provided to him was immense, as he was writing alone, so he took advantage of it and signed his name twice as large as the other two had. During the signing, a photographer called out to him, “DeForest, look up here! Look up and wave!” so De obliged him, then went back to his signature – but left the ‘s” out of DeForest! The emcee for the event, Johnny Grant, who had previously mentioned that sometimes people were so nervous that they misspelled their names, jumped right on the situation, and announced, “I told you! It has happened again! DeForest Kelley has misspelled his name!”

De, still on his knees, assumed his gruff McCoy persona, then threw his hands outward in mock exasperation, and groused, “Damn it, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!” Everyone cracked up; De quickly added “s” to his name, and then stood up, laughing and shaking his head. Following the cement-signing, someone on the stage asked Shatner if the rumor was true that Star Trek VI would be the last feature film for the cast. Boos emanated from the crowd the moment the question was posed. Shatner responded, “Star Trek VI, without question, is the last of the Star Trek movies.” Boos and catcalls met his comment. He continued, “The heads of Paramount, who are wise men, told us this was so, and we never go against the heads of studios.”

Shatner handed the microphone to Leonard who confessed, to many laughs, that he was emotional. He mentioned that Gene Roddenberry had been the first writer honored with a star on the Walk of Fame. Then he thanked the many craftspeople responsible for the show. He said the cast was receiving an honor which could not have happened were it not for the thousands of writers, directors, producers and other behind-the-scenes folks who had made it all possible. He handed the microphone off to De, who at first joked, “Damn it, Jim, you didn’t say it was gonna be big!” Then he thanked the late Gene Roddenberry for his creation and vision, and then he thanked Mann’s Chinese Theater for the honor; and then the audience. “If it wasn’t for you, the fans, none of us would be standing here today.” The crowd cheered wildly. De handed the mike to Jimmy Doohan, who disagreed vehemently that this would be the last Star Trek.

Walter Koenig respectfully and sincerely thanked the behind-the-scenes folks (especially the writers) who made Star Trek possible. Then regaling the crowd with a humorous account of the last time he had played in wet cement: “I was a 9 year old boy in New York and what I wrote in wet cement at that time is unprintable in a family newspaper.” He then handed off to the ebullient Nichelle Nichols, who looked heavenward and said, “Mom, daddy said I’d be here someday, and here I am!” George Takei said, “On the future of Star Trek: I agree with Bill Shatner. We do go by what our bosses tell us, and I think our bosses don’t reside in the executive corridors of Paramount. My bosses are all out there!”—indicating the fans—“and frankly, I think we will keep on Trekking!”

On December 18th, hundreds of fans gathered again to honor De when he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, only a block and a half west of Mann’s Chinese Theater. Once again, Kat, Sue and I were there, along with Sandy Zier (later Zier-Teitler) from Maryland, Ann Johnson from Texas, the Gerald White’s and their new-born daughter Amber from Washington State, and many others. Kat and I wore our DeForest Kelley jackets. It was a glorious morning, perfect for a star ceremony. Some of us silently thanked God or Gene Roddenberry, up in heaven, for the weather, as a terrible storm had been forecast, and here it was, sunny and warm!

Sue, Kat, Sandy and I were honored guests of De’s, and were afforded the opportunity to stand with the celebrities during the ceremony. After consideration, we elected to stay with the crowd for two strategic reasons. The celebrities and honored guests were positioned behind De and the podium, which would have prevented us from seeing De’s reactions to what was being said. Also, Kat and I planned to document the event on still cameras, so we could give the Kelleys an album of photos afterward with which to remember the day.

The event began in a spectacular manner. De’s star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard, directly in front of the Galaxy Theater, a two-story complex with two escalators leading up to the theater. The powers that be had decided De should make his entrance down the west end escalator, so Johnny Grant announced, after a few preliminaries, “Today we have the pleasure of honoring the man who brings to mind the qualities of a self- confident, mature actor who has honed his skills with deliberate care and success. Today in front of the Hollywood Galaxy, we honor DeForest Kelley…And now—I know that you all know the characters, I know that you all know the stories better than I do—but I must tell you a little more about this gentleman. I want to remind you this morning and the historians who will be looking at these tapes years and years from now. As you know, DeForest is known worldwide for his popular role as Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise in the highly successful Star Trek television and motion picture series. DeForest was born and raised in Atlanta, where he first used his talents in the church choir. Later, a radio performance on stage at WSB earned him an engagement with Lew Forbes and his orchestra at the Atlanta Paramount Theater. After moving to California, he joined the Long Beach Theater Group. During WW II, a Paramount talent scout noticed him in a Navy training film. This resulted in a screen test and a contract. DeForest remained with Paramount for 2 ½ years, making his motion picture debut in Fear in the Night. Let me tell you just a few of the other films he has appeared in: Gunfight at the OK Corral, Raintree County, Warlock, Where Love Has Gone, The Law and Jake Wade, and a myriad of television appearances include Schlitz Theatre, Playhouse 90, Zane Grey Theater, Rawhide, Bonanza. DeForest made his debut in the Star Trek television series in 1966, and needless to say, the rest is history. DeForest has given freely of his time and talents to many humanitarian efforts, including his many hospital visits to children and veterans. DeForest is currently reprising his role as Dr. McCoy in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which I have a feeling all of you have seen at least six times.” Cheers. “Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming DeForest Kelley as he receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! And here he is, beaming down from the Enterprise: DeForest Kelley!”

De suddenly appeared at the top of the Galaxy escalator, as the Star Trek theme played. He stepped onto the escalator and rode it down to the thunderous cheers and applause of the crowd gathered there. De told me later that it was the longest escalator ride he had ever taken. “I felt like a Ziegfeld Girl! After I threw the Vulcan salute, I didn’t know what else to do!” To the crowd assembled there, he looked calm, collected and radiant.

Upon reaching the elevated staging area, at least two feet above the level of the sidewalk, De vaulted right up next to Grant, who marveled, “My God, you’re nimble!” De shook Grant’s hand, then stepped back while Grant introduced the many celebrities and other guests who had come to say a few words about De. Grant first welcomed and introduced legendary Paramount producer A.C. Lyles, a long- time friend of De’s, who spoke of his affection for De and of their long association. A.C. bounded up on the stage and joked, indicating De’s entrance on the escalator,

“We at Paramount love DeForest Kelley so much that we spared no expense; we built him this escalator just for this occasion!” The crowd and De laughed, and AC added, “If that isn’t an entrance, I don’t know what is! As Johnny Grant mentioned, I have been with Paramount 54 years, and De has been with us 45 years, but the best thing is that Carolyn, here, has been with De for 46 years.” There were cheers and applause. “And I tell you, I look over there and I see some of De’s fans, like Kris Smith and Sue Keenan, and I know that when they say Star Trek, the word STAR means DeForest Kelley.” More applause, as other fans agreed with the statement. “And now De has his name and his prints at Mann’s Chinese Theater, and he’s going to have his name here on Hollywood Boulevard, but the main thing is that DeForest Kelley has his name in all of our hearts.”

De was overcome by A.C.’s statement, and lifted his glasses to wipe away some tears. The fans whistled and cheered and applauded. “Our arms are around him, our hearts are with him, and we at Paramount love De as much as he loves us. Thank you.”

Then A.C. said, “You will see all the stars of Star Trek here today to honor De, but Bill Shatner couldn’t be here, so he sent me a letter to read for him. It says: ‘DeForest Kelley has long deserved a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I’m just a little apprehensive that all this excitement might be too much for him, so everybody put your arms around him and make sure he knows he’s loved. I’m very sorry I can’t be there with you, but I’m in the tropics trying to get you a coconut! Love, Bill.” A.C stepped down and Grant introduced Leonard Nimoy.

Nimoy jumped onto the stage, shook hands with and hugged De, and then grinned into the microphone, “I wouldn’t miss this for anything. This is really great. I hope that one time, during this ceremony, we will hear him say one more time, ‘He’s dead, Jim.’”

Then he got serious. “In the great tradition of people like Gary Cooper, this is the man who stands there beside you and says the lines, and plays the drama when it’s drama and gets the laughs when it’s funny – and don’t turn your back on him, because he really knows what he’s doing. He is great. He’s a friend, he’s a colleague; he is a rock on which much of Star Trek stands. De, may you live very, very long and prosper. God bless you.”

Next Johnny Grant introduced George Takei. George was eloquent. “This is a very, very happy day for all of us. It’s great sharing this wonderful day with De. Two weeks ago, we shared another happy day, just a block down, at Mann’s Chinese Theater, and De announced that he was a doctor, not a bricklayer. After he finished, he didn’t have to tell us that; we knew. But one thing that doesn’t need to be said, he is most definitely an actor, and he certainly most appropriately belongs right here in the Galaxy – Dr. McCoy right here in front of the Galaxy…It’s appropriate that he be here, because he has friends all over the galaxy. He’s beloved by everyone, and De…it’s wonderful to be able to say: Friend – we’re really happy to be here to share this happy day with you.”

Walter Koenig stepped up next. After hugging De, Walter recounted a tale. “Several years ago, DeForest was at Madison Square Garden as part of a celebration honoring Dr. J, and they asked various doctors—fictional and factual—to come down during half time and to be saluted by the crowd. When DeForest was introduced as Dr. McCoy, there resulted an unprecedented eight-minute standing ovation, which no one else was accorded. Dr. Ruth was there, and she asked DeForest, “What is it? What do you do?” Dr. Ruth was not only the only person in Madison Square Garden, but in the entire world, who doesn’t know that DeForest Kelley is Dr. McCoy.”

Producer Harve Bennett bounded to the podium with great enthusiasm, after hugging De, and said, “Well, I didn’t expect to say anything, but since I’m here…I’ll tell you a short story about the only time I’ve ever seen De Kelley thrown for a loop…It’s my first picture, it’s my first—and almost last—Star Trek convention, in Houston. It’s come to be known, in Star Trek annals, as The Con of Wrath. And the story simply is, I’m fresh off the airplane, I walk into the hotel, and Dr. Bones McCoy – ACTION! – greets me and says, ‘A thousand people are in the streets! Nobody has rooms! You’ve got to do something!’ We did something, and in the bargain, became friends for what I know is life. This is a really great guy.”

Nichelle Nichols was last. She said, “I am so thrilled and excited to be here. It is also an honor. It’s an honor because DeForest Kelley is such a special, special kind of guy. He is always exactly who he is. He is so down to earth.” Then she recited a poem she had written especially for the occasion. “I love you, De, and you deserve every moment of people walking all over you!”

Johnny Grant then brought his part of the ceremony to a close by reading a proclamation from the LA Board of Supervisors, which congratulated De on his honor. The document also proclaimed December 18, 1991 as DeForest Kelley Day in Hollywood!

At that point, De stepped up to the podium to accept the document and to speak a few words. “I want to thank all of you wonderful people for coming out here and helping me celebrate this very special, special day. I am particularly proud that Paramount Pictures happens to be sponsoring my star, because in 1946, as AC Lyles pointed out, as a young man, I started my career at Paramount. There are so many people to thank: from Bill Meikeljohn all the way through to Gene Roddenberry. My career has also encompassed a great number of people who perhaps you never heard about, but there are the directors Don McDougall, Bill Witney, the guys that make fast and hot television shows; and there’s AC Lyles, who kept bringing me back to Paramount, and eventually John Sturgis brought me back for Gunfight at OK Corral; and then Eddie Dmytryk, who finally got me out of those bad guy roles by bringing me back to Paramount again to do a picture called Where Love Has Gone. So, all of those people and too many more to name here, the people who have worked so hard on this event, Allison Jackson and Hank Ehrlich, all of these people that have worked to bring me to this position that I’m finally going to be in. I’m particularly proud that all of my roommates” indicating the Star Trek cast, “are still here, and I’m proud that I can look at Leonard, and that I don’t have to say, ‘He’s dead, Jim.’ This has been a very exciting year for us, as you know. Everyone has mentioned dates: December 5th at Mann’s Chinese Theater; December the 18th for this event; September the 8th, which was the celebration of our 25th year of Star Trek. A very important date just preceded that: September 7th, when I celebrated my 46th wedding anniversary with this lady sitting here. And speaking of support, I can assure you I would never be here without her. I have often said, and I say it again, I make the living, but she makes the living worthwhile.”

<<<<< >>>>>

 

STAR CEREMONY RECEPTION AT PARAMOUNT

 

After the media-driven “grip-and-grin” photo opportunity pictures were finished at the site, four ecstatic women—Sue, Sandy, Kat and I—headed for our cars in the Galaxy garage for the trip to Paramount, where a reception for De was scheduled in the studio commissary. In the garage, we crossed paths with De, Carolyn and AC Lyles, who were traveling to the reception together in a studio limousine. We hugged them. De was all grins, and said, “It’s times like these when I need to remind myself that I still have to go home and take out the trash!” We laughed, knowing that the humble De was still alive and well.

Kat and I got into my humble, “Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown” car – the “accordion” – and drove to the main gate at Paramount. As we pulled up at the guard station, I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed and out-of-place. Here we were at a fancy function, and our chariot looked like something that belonged in a wrecking yard—well, to me, it did.

Just then, the white limo carrying the Kelleys and AC pulled up beside us on its way through the employee gate. The driver honked—which is what alerted me to their presence. I looked over my right shoulder and melted when I saw that the rear limo window had been lowered a little—just enough for De’s fingers to reach out and give us a wave! I thought, What a guy! Most actors in this situation would drive by and not even acknowledge they knew the people in a car like this!

We walked to the commissary, reconnected with Sue and Sandy, and chose a table near the door, just inside the commissary. The Kelleys, AC and a few others were seated across the room from us.

Sandy, Sue and Kat chose seats that were more-or-less facing the action. I took the seat that was facing our wall, being more hearing-oriented than sight-oriented. I was just happy to be there; it didn’t matter that I couldn’t scan the crowd of well-wishers or the Kelleys during the luncheon. I knew I’d be able to turn around and view any toasts that were given, or anything else, when something noteworthy began to happen.

Lunch was delivered and we ate while chatting happily. Afterward, a few people stood and offered toasts, and then AC stood and said some very kind and true words about the honoree. “On the logo here at Paramount, as you know, there are a series of stars spanning across above the mountain. DeForest Kelley is definitely one of the stars represented in that logo. He means so much to us here, as he does to fans around the world. Not long before Michael Landon died, I called him in the hospital. I think most of you know that Michael doubled for De in a fight scene here on the lot when Bonanza was being filmed and De was doing a movie here for me. Well, when I called Michael shortly before he died, I told him, ‘Michael! You don’t sound sick at all!’ and he said, ‘AC, it isn’t my voice that’s sick.’ Anyway, we chatted for a short time and then he told me, “You know, AC, I just have one concern left.’ I asked him, ‘What’s that, Michael?’ and he joked, “I don’t know who’s going to double for DeForest Kelley now!’” The audience chuckled. I just about fell out of my chair! The remembrance of my note to Landon at De’s reception felt like a miracle.

AC continued: “But I want to tell you something. Michael Landon may have been able to double for De in a western, but nobody—nobody—can double for De in real life. De, you are unrepeatable. Our arms are around you and we are so proud to be able to claim you as our own. Congratulations, you rascal!”

After people finished eating and the plates were cleared, De stood and made his way slowly around the room. As he got very near, breathing at our table became shallow and hearts beat faster. I could tell by the gaze of my friends that De was practically behind me, but I didn’t know his exact location until two warm, friendly hands caught both of my shoulders, and rubbed them, then patted them. They felt like the hands a dad would put on the shoulders of a daughter sitting at home in familiar surroundings—so comfortable and unabashed. I grinned and looked up into his eyes. He grinned back and patted me on one shoulder one more time. Then he proceeded to kiss one of the hands of each of my tablemates. We felt blessed.

Not long after De finished making the rounds of the tables, people began to leave. We waited until De and Carolyn were heading out the door, then approached them, thanking them for inviting us. He turned to me last. I smiled and whispered very discreetly into his ear, “Thank you so much for inviting me to your f——n’ star ceremony!” His head came up and he grinned like a Cheshire cat.

A few days later De and Carolyn called to thank Kat and me for the photo album and the video of the star ceremony. De told us that he finally spotted us in the star ceremony crowd. “I was looking for you girls, but I mistakenly thought you were newswomen for the longest time, because you were all dressed up, for once.”

I joked, “We clean up real nice, don’t we?”

He said, “You sure do!”

De said he had been going over in his mind about the ceremony… what was said, stuff he should have said that he didn’t. Carolyn interjected, “There are two dizzy people here right now!” I assured De it was a wonderful ceremony and couldn’t have been better. “It was just perfect.”

I told them about Sue’s Rowdy Cowboy Celebration at the Holiday Inn in Hollywood the night De got his star. I mentioned that Kat and I had created what looked like a horse dung centerpiece for Sue’s table, with fake flies buzzing around it, while everyone else got nicer ones. I added, “Before the centerpieces were put out, Richard Arnold showed up and announced that he wanted to sit at Sue’s table. I tried to discourage him, but he insisted, so he got to sit at the horse dung table, too!” They both laughed and De commiserated, “Poor Sue.”

I reported, “Then we had some games. We played Pin the Star On De – blindfolded everyone, spun them around, and then had them pin a star on a full-length photo of De. I can’t tell you where some of those stars ended up!” They laughed.

“Then we had a game where we tried to guess the title of De’s movies by pictorial clues. They were pretty decadent. The only two I’ll tell you about are these: I took a map of the US and over the top I pinned a pair of under shorts. Know which motion picture that represented, De?” Total silence greeted my question, so I solved the puzzle: “The movie was ‘The Undies-Covered Country’! No one else got it, either, De, so don’t worry.

“They got APACHE UPRISING, though! That drawing showed an Indian with his loincloth sticking out at about a 45 degree angle!” Carolyn howled and De guffawed!

 

Want more? To read about the unique Encino Walk of Fame visit (created in front of my home) with De, Carolyn, Martha and AC Lyles and his secretary, Mary Ann Dunlap and her husband and lots of other precious memories, get the book!