Why DeForest Kelley wore a ring on Star Trek: The Original Series

DeForest Kelley was the only male star on Star Trek: The Original Series to wear jewelry. 

Gene Roddenberry had firm rules about what could and would happen during the filming of Star Trek: The Original Series, and as production was ramping up for The Corbomite Manuever, which began filming on May 24, 1966, he came down to the set for a pep talk, to make sure everyone was on the same page.

After the meeting, during which Roddenberry had shared the creation that had gone into the show and how he wished it to continue, he pulled DeForest Kelley aside to tell him in no uncertain terms that no jewelry could be worn. As all of us have seen, Kelley wore a pinkie ring on his left hand for every episode of the series and even into the movies. So we already know that Roddenberry bent this rule for Kelley.

DeForest Kelley stood his ground when it came to wearing the ring on Star Trek: The Original Series

The ring Kelley wore belonged to his deceased mother so when Roddenberry told him “no jewelry,” Kelley countered with “No jewelry, no DeForest.” [via Thesearethevoyagesbooks.com] So had Roddenberry not been willing to relent, Kelley would have left the part of Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy. Everything was set to proceed, and Kelley had thrown down the gauntlet. So Roddenberry relented.

But this does beg the question: why didn’t Roddenberry want jewelry? Did he think men shouldn’t wear jewelry in the 23rd century? Or was it that he simply didn’t want any men to wear it, regardless of the time period? Whatever the reason may be, Kelley was the only star of the series who wore a ring. It was never referenced on the series, and to us fans, it wasn’t that big of a deal.