Lowerdecks.com - The Full Story

October 8, 2002

Hey Pallie! The story behind Vic Fontaine.

In a dimly lit Las Vegas nightclub in 1962, it would not seem out of place to see a mature-aged lounge crooner relaxing a crowd with soft, sentimental tunes. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, and other members of the so-called Rat Pack thrilled audiences in the early 1960's with their own blend of music. The people loved them for it, irrespective of the alleged boozing and womanizing that was going on 'backstage'. These performers created the Lounge culture synonymous with Vegas. It is therefore with much regard that these performers were indirectly responsible for Deep Space Nine's own holographic crooner, Vic Fontaine. However, the person more directly responsible for Vic Fontaine's creation was one of DS9's executive producers, Ira Steven Behr.

During season 4, Behr wanted a guest character to be brought in for the regular characters to come to for advice. The early 60's Las Vegas nightclub scene was chosen, not only because of the relaxing nature of it, but also because Behr initially wanted Frank Sinatra Jr. to play the part. Sinatra Jr.'s apparent fondness for Trek also helped in Behr's decision to approach him. Things fell through though when Sinatra Jr. declined to play a lounge singer. So while an exposition had been drawn up for a scene and character that would later become the Vic Fontaine holosuite program, it would take another two years before it came to fruition.

Sometime during the midst of season 6, Behr had come to realize that his idea of Vic Fontaine (the character itself was created during the writing session of season 5's 'A Simple Investigation') and the Vegas nightclub had been floundering for too long. Deep Space Nine was nearing its end and Behr desperately wanted to put this Fontaine character into the mix. So, in order to get the proverbial ball rolling, Behr pitched the idea that an entire episode dealing with Fontaine and the nightclub be created. To keep it within the greater story of Deep Space Nine though, the decision to finally create a romantic relationship between Odo and Kira was made, with this new character and setting providing the anchor that would help carry the episode.

With the episode ready to go, Behr still faced a small problem. He had yet to procure an actor/singer to play the part. With Frank Sinatra Jr. out of the running and Robert Goulet, Steve Lawrence, Tom Jones, and Jerry Vale unavailable, Behr was in real need of a talented actor/singer. It was almost by chance that the person finally chosen to play Vic Fontaine, James Darren, just happened to be in the right place at the right time. James Darren had apparently been at a memorabilia show signing autographs at the same time Behr was visiting. A friend of Behr's had started a conversation with James Darren about Darren's spaghetti sauce, and it was here, despite the strangeness of the topic of conversation, that Behr realized he may indeed have found his Vic Fontaine.

A few days later, Darren was sent a script. A short time afterward, Darren came into the studio to meet with Behr and the other producers. In conversation, Darren started talking about his past; hanging out with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, gambling, and the like. Without even trying, and to the astonishment of Behr and co., James Darren slipped into the character envisioned as Vic Fontaine. Seen as the perfect choice, James Darren was cast as Vic Fontaine soon after.

The one thing that stands out for James Darren when we see Vic Fontaine is that he is no pretender. He really did experience the Las Vegas nightclub scene of the early 60's before. As a junior member of the Rat Pack, Darren frequently went to Vegas every weekend to mix it up with the rest of the Pack. Many of the mannerisms used by Vic Fontaine came from Darren's own experience. Even the word Fontaine uses to address people, 'Pallie', came from Dean Martin.

Not only was Darren's first hand experience of the Rat Pack a major determining factor in the decision to cast him, but his successful acting and singing career assisted as well. As a young man, Darren made 19 films in a seven year period with Columbia Pictures. The most notable of these was 'Gidget' in which Darren played a rich kid surfer named Moondoggie. During this time, James Darren also pursued his singing career. In the late 50's and early 60's, Darren managed to make 5 top ten singles, one of which, 'Goodbye Cruel World', reached number one and was nominated for a Grammy award. By 1966, he began work on the short lived science fiction series 'Time Tunnel' gaining more fans as the green turtleneck wearing young scientist Tony Newman. When Time Tunnel came to an end, Darren returned to his singing career, spending the greater part of the 70's doing nightclubs in Vegas, Reno and Tahoe, amongst many other venues. In 1983, Darren returned to the world of T.V. with a role in T.J. Hooker alongside Trek alumni William Shatner. Following his stint in T.J. Hooker, Darren concentrated on directing. He directed episodes in such shows as 'The A-Team', 'Police Story', and 'Nowhere Man'.

It wasn't until that fateful day in a Paramount studio however, that James Darren was given the opportunity to do what he did best. As Vic Fontaine, Darren's inspiration for singing returned. If you look closely when watching Vic on any of the Deep Space Nine episodes he appeared in, I'm sure you can see James Darren having a ball. He even states in his recent CD, 'This One's From the Heart', that playing Vic Fontaine inspired his return to singing. So in the end, the creation and search for Vic Fontaine not only benefited the final season of Deep Space Nine, but also helped James Darren re-ignite his successful singing career.

If there is one thing I appreciate about the character of Vic Fontaine the holographic crooner, it is that he introduced me to James Darren, the real life crooner. Thanks to Vic, Jimmy Darren has another fan he can call Pallie!

Daniel Jackson

Sources used:-
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, Pocket Books, 2000.
www.jamesdarren.com