Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The late James Darren was a fundamental part of my favoriteStar Trek : Deep Space Ninemoment . Darren passed aside on September 2 , 2024 , at 88 years old . James , or Jimmy as his Friend and eff ones know him , played Vic Fontaine , DS9 ’s holographic crooner and proprietor of Vic ’s Las Vegas Lounge . In Star Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 7,Vic Fontaine and Captain Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) perform together , and it ’s a scene that ’s skinny and devout to my ticker .
James Darren was born James William Ercolani on June 8 , 1936 , in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . have intercourse from an former age he wanted a career in show job , James give way on to have a multifaceted calling in TV , film , on stage , in music , and behind the camera as a manager . Darren became a teen heartthrob as Moondoggie onGidget , and he also perform the show ’s theme song . James ' most famous television set roles are as the tether inThe Time Tunneland as Detective Jim Corrigan onT.J. Hooker opposite William Shatner . Of course , Star Trekfans have a go at it Darren best as Vic Fontaine , who mended tenderness and pal up around with Deep Space Nine ’s gang .
Star Trek : Deep Space Nine had the great cast of characters of any Trek show , meaning that Captain Sisko had legion allies in the Dominion War .
James Darren’s Vic Fontaine Was Part Of My Favorite Star Trek: DS9 Moment
“The Best is Yet to Come”
James Darren and Avery Brooks do " The Best is Yet to Come " at the end ofStar Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 7 , sequence 15 , " Badda Bing , Badda Bang " is my favoriteDS9moment . It may be my favoriteStar Trekmoment of all prison term , to be honest . After the DS9 crew perpetrate off a successfulOcean ’s Eleven - trend joke , Captain Sisko shock his admirer by get on stage and babble out alongside Vic . It ’s a jaw - eye dropper and a seminal moment , as Sisko was the last holdout among DS9 ’s crew to pal around with Vic Fontaine . But James Darren and Avery Brooks performing together is pure magic , and there ’s no otherStar Trekscene quite like it - nor will there be again .
I grew up with Frank Sinatra singing the old criterion . When my parents played music , they turn up the classic of the fifties and sixties . My father ’s key signature strain that he at times performed in karaoke was Frank Sinatra ’s " My Way , " and an appreciation for Frank , Dean Martin , Sammy Davis Jr. , and the Rat Pack ’s Las Vegas antics was baked into me at a unseasoned geezerhood . When James Darren connect the show , Vic Fontaine bring Sinatra ’s dapper 1960s style toStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . In " Badda Bing , Badda Bang , " Captain Sisko drive over his outlet with Las Vegas ' racial discrimination in the ' 60s and performed with Vic , giving him the ultimate attaboy . It ’s a moment onlyDS9can cede , and I love it .
Captain Sisko and Vic Fontaine ’s " The Best is Yet to Come " twain was also a silent promise to the audience . From that point on , Star Trek : Deep Space Ninewould bear its final 10 episodes in a tightly - weave , serialise news report to wrap up the Dominion War electric arc and the series .
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
James Darren’s Greatest Star Trek: DS9 Episode As Vic Fontaine
“It’s Only a Paper Moon”
I adore Vic Fontaine and Captain Sisko blab out " The Best is Yet to Come " in " Badda Bing , Badda Bang , " but it ’s not James Darren ’s bestStar Trek : Deep Space Nineepisode . The ultimate Vic FontaineDS9hour isStar Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 7 , episode 10 , " It ’s Only a Paper Moon , " a herculean and resonant two - hander about Vic helpingEnsign Nog ( Aron Eisenberg ) through his PTSD . Nog lost his leg inStar Trek : Deep Space Nineseason 7 , episode 8 , " The Seige of AR-558 , " and the young Ferengi take to mend by cover aside in Vic Fontaine ’s 1960s Las Vegas fantasy .
" It ’s Only a Paper Moon " is a Star Trek story only Vic Fontaine and Deep Space Nine could deliver .
In the tardy 1990s , before there was a peachy sympathy of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder , Vic Fontaine helping Nog through his trauma was another in a farsighted line of business of emotionally powerful , breakthrough second forStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . After all , when we ’re in fuss or face something that feel insurmountable , who would n’t want to quit genuine life history and find sanctuary in a safe , illusional human beings like Nog did with a admirer like Vic ? Vic and Nog made a great team , as Nog used hisFerengi business senseto expand his casino into a Las Vegas empire . In turn , Vic got to experience a richer and full life with Nog , but Fontaine also gave his untried pal the baffling honey he require for Nog to go back to the real world and reclaim his animation . " It ’s Only a Paper Moon " is aStar Trekstory only Vic Fontaine andDeep Space Ninecould deliver .
Why Vic Fontaine Was Such A Great Star Trek: DS9 Character
There’s no one in Star Trek like Vic Fontaine, pally.
James Darren toldStarTrek.comin 2019,“Vic Fontaine was like – what can I say ? – it was a dream occur true for me . It was one of the most enjoyable roles for me to have played . “Vic Fontaine was a fountain of cool , of joy , and he was a presence like no other onStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . Coming to Vic meantDS9 ’s heroes could loosen up and unwind . Vic Fontaine episode also letDS9cheerfully break its own mold , let characters like Dr. Julian Bashir ( Alexander Siddig ) and even Lt . Commander Worf ( Michael Dorn ) wear tuxedos and Lt . Ezri Dax ( Nicole de Boer ) and Major Kira Nerys ( Nana Visitor ) wear even gowns . Vic was also pollyannaish and fancy - free ; in his inimitable agency , Fontaine substantiate Gene Roddenbery ’s affirmative vision ofStar Trekwith the retro cool of the era in whichStar Trekbegan .
The stories Vic Fontaine told about Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , etc . onStar Trek : Deep Space Ninewere base on James Darren ’s real - aliveness experience with the Rat Pack .
Most importantly , when Vic Fontaine sang or feed advice to hisStar Trek : Deep Space Ninefriends , he always spoke from the gist , with accuracy and honesty . In turn , Vic became a conduit forDS9 ’s fiber to explore their own heartsand fulfill their true dreams , such asConstable Odo ( Rene Auberjonois ) eventually declare his lovefor Major Kira . Looking back onDS9 , it ’s hard to think Vic only joined the show at the remainder of time of year 6 and James Darren only performed in 7 instalment . As Vic Fontaine , James Darren substantiate a remarkable reference who can never be duplicated , and consequence like Vic Fontaine singing with Captain Sisko will forever define what I loved aboutStar Trek : Deep Space Nine .
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