R.I.P. D.C. Fontana, influential writer for Star Trek and the mind behind Vulcan culture

[Heretic]

May your katra have peace.

 

R.I.P. D.C. Fontana, influential writer for Star Trek and the mind behind Vulcan culture

The hall of fame screenwriter was 80 years old.

December 3, 2019, 2:53PM By MeTV Staff

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Dorothy Catherine Fontana, known more frequently as D.C. Fontana, passed away on December 2 after a short illness. Fontana is most remembered for her work writing on Star Trek, where she was part of the writing team for the original series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and the fan-made Star Trek: New Voyages.

Perhaps what the Trek fandom owes most to her, aside from award-winning writing, is the expansion of much of Vulcan culture. Fontana wrote the episode "Journey to Babel", which introduces the characters of Sarek and Amanda Greyson, Spock's parents. It also brings us the first appearance of the Andorians and the Tellarites. Leonard Nimoy himself gave Fontana credit for expanding the Vulcan culture, and also praised her for writing fully-developed female characters.

 

Spock's parents on ''Journey to Babel''.

 

That wasn't the only great episode that Fontana gave us. She also wrote for "This Side of Paradise", "Charlie X", "Tomorrow is Yesterday", and more. When "This Side of Paradise" was first pitched, the romantic lead was meant to be Sulu, but Fontana changed it to Spock. Nimoy said that he wasn't sure about playing Spock in a romantic storyline at first, but came to enjoy it. And now the episode is counted among the best of all Star Trek episodes.

Spock becoming a romantic lead in ''This Side of Paradise''

 

The episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series that Fontana wrote, "Yesteryear," was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award, and is considered one of the essential episodes of the series.

Star Trek wasn't Fontana's only work. She wrote for many TV Westerns, including Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and Lancer. Outside of the genre, she wrote for shows like He-Man and The Masters of the Universe and Logan's Run.

For her accomplishments, she was inducted into the American Screenwriter's Association hall of fame twice, in 1997 and 2002.

Fontana was 80 years old.

https://metv.com/stories/rip-dc-fontana-influential-writer-for-star-trek-and-the-mind-behind-vulcan-culture

 

[JM_]

loved the old series growing up, sorry to hear this. 

[Monty]

Literally rewatching TOG every night over the last month.

[sonoman]

4 hours ago, Jimmy McGill said:

loved the old series growing up, sorry to hear this. 

Only watch the original series.  Campy but it’s what I grew up with. 

[HerrDrFunk]

Ah, bummer. Star Trek sure as hell wouldn't have been the same without her; and that's with her having to break through 1960s gender bull$&!# in the process (hence being credited as DC rather than Dorothy) 

 

 

[Ghostsof1915]

2 hours ago, HerrDrFunk said:

Ah, bummer. Star Trek sure as hell wouldn't have been the same without her; and that's with her having to break through 1960s gender bull$&!# in the process (hence being credited as DC rather than Dorothy) 

 

 

Given she started out as Gene Roddenberry's secretary, I think she did quite alright. But yes she was a big part of Star Trek. 

This is why guys like James Garner gets a lot of respect from me. He loved having good writers on his show, and he gave female writers a chance to shine. Meta Rosenberg won an Emmy for writing, in addition to being made a producer for the show. 

 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Ghostsof1915