I never missed an episode of Star Trek when I was growing up. I'd race home every Friday after school and park myself on the floor right in front of the TV so no one could come between me and my Trek. Unlike my friends, my favorite character wasn't Spock or Kirk or Uhura - it was Dr. McCoy, aka "Bones".

I think McCoy reminded me of our family doctor. He was one of those old-school "country doctors" who still made house calls. He was a bit grumpy, a bit funny, and totally serious about doctoring.

DeForest Kelley was originally tapped for the role of Spock, but he chose Bones instead. At first he called the character "High Noon" for his Wild West frontier style, but the nickname didn't stick. Later in life he told a Star Trek fan magazine, "But High Noon worked out just fine for me, wouldn’t you agree?"

Today would have been Kelley's 97th birthday. I can't help but picture him in front of a candle-laden birthday cake saying, "Blow them out? I'm a doctor, not a wind machine!"