Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Icon Dead At 88
Beloved actor James Darren, known for his role as Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has passed away at 88 years old. The well-loved actor had a long, rich career that began with his appearance in Rumble on the Docks in 1956. Darren was an ambitious performer from a young age, touring Philadelphia area bars with his dad to get a shot in the limelight and sing a few songs for the crowd.
James Darren Was Famous For Vic Fontaine
The recurring holodeck character that James Darren played on Deep Space Nine, Vic Fontaine, was an empathetic 1960s lounge singer who became a kind of counselor to members of the crew. The role tapped into his talent as a singer as well as his acting abilities, making his character a fan favorite and winning him a permanent, ongoing holodeck program aboard Deep Space 9.
James Darren’s character, Vic Fontaine, was so popular that he appeared in the series finale, where he sang “The Way You Look Tonight,” and he once called the role a “Dream come true” in an interview with StarTrek.com.
A Long Acting Career Before DS9
With his big break coming in the form of a singing, heartthrob surfer, Moondoggie in Gidget in 1959, James Darren went on to appear in several more Gidget movies and had a regular role on the police drama T.J. Hooker alongside Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner.
Fans of his work on Star Trek might also appreciate his science fiction series, The Time Tunnel, in which he starred as Dr. Anthony Newman, one of the directors of the massive government project known as “Tic-Toc,” with a mission to build an experimental time machine. He had many appearances on shows like Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, and Charlie’s Angels as well.
A Famous Singer In Real Life
Even though James Darren is best known for being a movie and television actor, he also had a music career. His most notable single is Good Bye Cruel World by Gloria Shayne Baker (1961), which he recorded with Colpix Records. He recorded more than a dozen albums as well as releasing several compilation albums of his work, even though he claimed not to really be a singer. Despite his humble attitude about his work, a few of his songs even broke into the top ten billboard charts.
Married For Over 60 Years
James Darren was born in Philadelphia in 1936 and was married to Gloria Terlitsky in 1955, who he had one son with. Darren divorced Terlitsky in 1958 and remarried Evy Norlund in 1960, who he had two sons with. James Darren is survived by his three sons, his wife Evy, and five grandchildren.
Before James Darren got his big break, he attended acting classes with Stella Adler for several years. He was discovered by casting director Joyce Selznick, who got him his first set of headshots and his first contract with Columbia Pictures in 1956. Their first meeting was accidentally on an elevator, where the two rode in silence before entering the same office and realizing they were there to meet each other.
Leaves Behind A Long Legacy
On September 2, 2024, James Darren died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. At 88 years old, Darren had been experiencing a problem with his heart valve but was not strong enough to undergo a procedure to repair it. After a few weeks in the cardiac unit, he passed away as a result of his condition.
