James Darren as Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine {image via Paramount}
Actor, singer, and director James Darren has passed away at the age of 88. His son confirmed that his father died at a Los Angeles hospital on Monday.
James Darren was born James William Ercolani Jun8, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died September 2, 2024 in the cardiac unit of Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
Deep Space 9 and Vic Fontaine
Oddly, one of the most popular holosuites Quark offered on Deep Space Nine was a recreation of a mid-twentieth century Las Vegas lounge where the main performer was self-aware hologram Vic Fontaine. One wouldn’t have expected such a setting to have any relevance to Starfleet personnel in the 24th century, but it was popular with the staff of space station DS9 as a place to relax off-duty. Many station personnel came to regard Vic as a friend and advisor, despite the fact he wasn’t real. Vic knew he was only a hologram. He knew about the war against the Dominion and regarded entertaining the troops as his contribution to the war effort.
{image via ABC}
Time Tunnel and Tony Newman
DS9 was not his first science fiction role. In 1966-67 he co-starred in Time Tunnel as the impetuous Dr. Anthony Newman, one of the two scientists who tested the time tunnel before it was ready, before the chairman of a Senate finance committee can cut the project’s funding. The scientists and engineers back in 19668 Arizona were never able to rescue them. The show was cancelled after only 30 episodes. They could sometimes contact them and communicate, and they could transfer them to another time and place, although they couldn’t plan where and when, so they were likely to be rescued from one dangerous situation just to be deposited in an equally risky time and place. Reruns of Time Tunnel are part of MeTV’s Super Sci-Fi Saturday Night block of programming at 3:00 am Sunday morning Central time, or 2:00 am Eastern time
Cartoons
James Darren provided the singing voice for a parody of himself, James Darrock, on The Flintstones ( Lennie Weinrib provided Darrock’s speaking voice. In Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear! (1964), James Darren provided Yogi Bear’s singing voice. As usual, Daws Butler provided Yogi’s speaking voice.
James Darren directed eight episodes of DS9. He also directed episodes of Melrose Place, Silk Stalkings, and Hawaii Five-Oh.
Of his non-Sci-Fi acting roles,” Darren appeared in The Gene Krupa Story (1969) and All the Young Men (1960). He played Spyros Pappadimos in The Guns of Navarone (1961). He appeared in Diamond Head (1962). He had a recurring role on the police show T. J. Hooker as Officer Jim Corrigan.”
Other Roles
Darren was a busy man, from very early on. He was Moondoggie in the Gidget movies. He appeared in the failed TV pilot City Beneath the Sea (1971) as Dr. Talty. It was his third project working with Irwin Allen. He guest starred on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea once, and was in City Beneath the Sea. Darren worked with Allen a fourth time, starring in The Man from the 25th Century, an intended spin-off from Lost in Space, which was never developed as a series.
Darren was married twice, to Gloria Terlitsky from 1955 to 1958, and to Evy Norland (Miss Denmark, 1968)from 1960 until 2024. He is survived by his second wife, Evy, three sons, and five grandchildren. His sons are journalist and attorney Jim Moret, Christian Darren, and Tony Darren. Our deepest condolences to them.
Thanks for the many great performances over the years, Mr. Darren. Grazie and ciao.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
Holy time tunnel! I’m embarrassed to admit I’m a fan of many things he was in–and I didn’t realize it was the same actor! In my defense, some of them I probably haven’t seen since I was a kid.
I plan to go back and recheck out his work.