D.C. Fontana blazed a trail and laid the foundation for Star Trek

When considering the names that helped make Star Trek the global science-fiction phenomenon it is today, there is a unifying relation between all but one…

There is Gene Roddenberry, the man who first conceived the show as a “western in space, teaching us morals under the guise of popcorn adventure.” There are William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelly, the three men who carried the acting of the show, one offering a stoic, emotionless counsel, one offering temperamental, passionate counsel, and a captain caught in the middle. There is Matt Jefferies, the man who designed the look of the original Starship Enterprise, taking the classic “flying saucer” design and building on it to create something new and unique. There’s Alexander Courage and Jerry Goldsmith, the men who made the music of Star Trek so ubiquitous. Courage is credited with the theme of the original series, especially the ten note motif that simply is Star Trek. Goldsmith built off of Courage’s themes with a soundtrack for the first Motion Picture that makes the movie arguably a film worth more to listen to than actually watch.

Those seven men are, if I had only seven men to name, the men who made Star Trek what it is today. Others came along in years that followed and grew the franchise, but it was the work of those seven men who took a struggling, ratings-challenged sci-fi show on NBC and penetrated the consciousness of dreamers everywhere. There’s one more name that’s worth mentioning, however. There’s an eighth person who is equally as responsible as the previous seven, and it’s the odd duck of the lot.

The woman, D.C. Fontana.

That’s a name all Star Trek fans should know. Fontana is credited with some of the most important teleplays of the Original Series, as well as other critical scripts in the Star Trek shows that followed. A name that Star Trek fans may not know, however, is Dorothy Catherine. That’s the birth-name of D.C. Fontana, a name she was forced to hide in order to have her exceptional voice be heard in a 1960’s writer’s room.

Creativity and vision came naturally to her but NBC had scant few female writers and those ladies who submitted scripts unsolicited often had their works discarded before a word was read. Adopting a gender-neutral nom de plume was critical for her to grow beyond the doldrums of secretary work. D.C. was not the only pseudonym she adopted either. Over the course of her career, she also penned teleplays under the name Michael Richards and J. Michael Bingham, retaining a male persona to ensure maximum readership.

Fontana’s ability to spin a yarn caught the attention of Gene Roddenberry while working on the NBC Saturday evening drama, The Lieutenant. During the show’s lone season, Fontana spent some time as Gene’s secretary and the show-runner encouraged his assistant’s desire and ability to write. Once Star Trek was successfully pitched, Fontana was one of the first people Gene contacted to develop scripts for the show. As a result, she had a hand in the very beginning in shaping the tone of the series, the characters, and the formula that would define, not only the Original Series, but all Star Trek shows and movies that followed for decades to come.

Her work as a writer on the Original Series can be tied to ten episodes, but it was her work as a teleplay consultant that cemented her legacy. Fontana had her fingerprints on nearly every teleplay that came across Gene Roddenberry’s desk. Barely an episode made the air that didn’t have some touch-up, some additional scene, some small moment that she inserted.

If you’re looking for a heart and soul writer of the show, D.C. was it.

As a credited-writer she scripted several important or memorable episodes, including Charlie X (a seventeen-year-old horndog is gifted godlike powers), Tomorrow is Yesterday (the Enterprise goes back in time to 1967), This Side of Paradise (Spock smiles!), Journey to Babel (a murder mystery featuring Spock’s parents), The Ultimate Computer (“computers are taking our jobs!”), and, sadly, The Way to Eden (the one with the space hippies).

To be fair, The Way to Eden was heavily re-written without Fontana’s consultation, which is why it’s credited under her pseudo-pseudonym, Michael Richards. Despite that one forced-blemish on her resume, it’s clear just how big of an impact Fontana had on the Star Trek universe as a writer. Tomorrow is Yesterday and Journey to Babel in particular are milestone episodes. The former introduces time travel (which has become a staple of the show for fifty years and counting), and the latter expands on the character of Spock better than any other, not to mention puts a spotlight on the four principle founding members of the Federation (Terrans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites). Without meaning to, Fontana was laying the foundation on which Star Trek’s legacy would be built.

After the Original Series went off the air, Fontana worked as a freelance writer for several series but returned to Star Trek to replace Gene Roddenberry as franchise show-runner during the two-season animated series. She contributed a single episode to the show (as a writer), the only episode that is still fondly regarded, Yesteryear (in which Spock goes back in time to prevent his death as a child). Her work on the animated series helped nab the show the franchise’s first Emmy award.

When the time came to bring the next generation of Star Trek to television, Gene Roddenberry once again made Fontana one of his first phone calls. Though her work on TNG was not as show-defining as in the Original Series, the writer did contribute the script for the pilot episode and a few of the show’s first outings, helping, as she did with the first show, to define the characters and their relationships with each other as the series found its footing.

Fontana’s last credited work in the Star Trek franchise is the episode “Dax” for Deep Space Nine. Fontana co-wrote the teleplay with Peter Allen Fields, and put a strong emphasis on exploring the complex nature of Jadzia, someone who had lived several lifetimes before her present day, and now exists in the body of a relatively inexperienced young woman. The episode is one of the highlights of the bumpy first season of DS9 and remains one of the best scripts that focus on the woman Jadzia. What a fitting capper to the writing career of the woman who developed several lifetimes of stories of the twenty-third and twenty-fourth centuries, using a disguised name to hide the fact that she was, herself, a relatively inexperienced young woman.

D.C. Fontana died at the age of 80 on December 3, 2019, leaving behind a legacy that no Star Trek fan will ever forget. In the years since her retirement, she occasionally would pop in to a convention and reminisce with fans about days gone by. Her every encounter with the franchise’s most devout followers always showed her to be gracious and kind, generous with her time, and mutually in love as the fans were with the optimism and hope that Star Trek is best known for.

We thank her for the stories she told, for the countless others she helped develop, for the sure-footing she brought to not one, but two different series’ in the Star Trek universe, and for being a tremendous ambassador to the franchise.

Not only for Star Trek, but for her pioneering as one of the first self-made female-writers in Hollywood, we salute her as she boldly went where no woman had gone before.

LLAP

COMMENTS

Please read our Commenting Policy before you join in with the discussion.

Note: If you have email notifications enabled, please check your email spam folders to ensure emails are not missed.

4 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Arabella

1 year ago

How incredible! It sounds like she’s incredibly talented. I wonder if it bothered her to not use her real name? I can see how it would bug someone, but then again, you’d get to keep your privacy for the most part.

Shelbii

I didn’t know that she had written so many other things. I did know she was a woman. Pretty normal but still sad that she had to use D.C. so people wouldn’t know she was a she!

Gavin the Binge-Watcher

What an interesting woman. I knew D.C. Fontana was female from watching documentaries and I figured she’d used an alias, but I wasn’t aware that she was responsible for so much work. I’ll check YouTube to see some of her other stuff. Nice write-up!

Snarky-Guru

Wow, I had no idea, thanks for sharing! How sad for her. I wonder how much different it would be today, if at all. I’ll search for more of her material.

Cookie	Description
_pxvid	This cookie is used for detection of the browser and distinguishing whether it is a real user or malicious bot.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	This cookies is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin. The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	This cookie is used to keep track of which cookies the user have approved for this site.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-preferences	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Preferences".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-uncategorized	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Uncategorized".
CraftSessionId	This cookie name is associated with the Craft web content management system, where is functions as an anonymous session identifier.
csrftoken	This cookie is associated with Django web development platform for python. Used to help protect the website against Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks
DSID	To note specific user identity. Contains hashed/encrypted unique ID.
JSESSIONID	Used by sites written in JSP. General purpose platform session cookies that are used to maintain users' state across page requests.
PHPSESSID	This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Description
b30msc
btc
CMST
cref
d
gpl
i
icts
ig_did
mdata
na_rn
na_sc_e
na_sr
na_srp
session_depth
visitor-id

Cookie	Description
__gads	This cookie is set by Google and stored under the name dounleclick.com. This cookie is used to track how many times users see a particular advert which helps in measuring the success of the campaign and calculate the revenue generated by the campaign. These cookies can only be read from the domain that it is set on so it will not track any data while browsing through another sites.
__stid	The cookie is set by ShareThis. The cookie is used for site analytics to determine the pages visited, the amount of time spent, etc.
_ga	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, camapign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assigns a randoly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_60765351_1	Google uses this cookie to distinguish users.
_gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
ad-id	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content
demdex	This cookie is set under the domain demdex.net and is used by Adobe Audience Manager to help identify a unique visitor across domains.
DigiTrust.v1.identity	Registers data on visitors’ website-behaviour. This is used for internal analysis and website optimization.
dmvk	This cookie is set by DailyMotion who display videos, it registers statistical data of visitors' behaviour on the website.
gid	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
GPS	This cookie is set by Youtube and registers a unique ID for tracking users based on their geographical location
is_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
sc_is_visitor_unique	This cookie is set by StatCounter to determine how people are using the website
v1st	This is set by DailyMotion to display videos.

Cookie	Description
__asc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__auc	This cookie is used to collect information on consumer behavior, which is sent to Alexa Analytics.
__qca	This cookie is associated with Quantcast and is used for collecting anonymized data to analyze log data from different websites to create reports that enables the website owners and advertisers provide ads for the appropriate audience segments.
_cc_aud	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_cc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_dc	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_cc_id	The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net. The purpose of the cookie is to collect statistical information in an anonymous form about the visitors of the website. The data collected include number of visits, average time spent on the website, and the what pages have been loaded. These data are then used to segment audiences based on the geographical location, demographic, and user interest provide relevant content and for advertisers for targeted advertising.
_kuid_	The cookie is set by Krux Digital under the domain krxd.net. The cookie stores a unique ID to identify a returning user for the purpose of targeted advertising.
_px2	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxff_tm	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
_pxhd	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
ab	This cookie is generally provided by agkn.com and is used for advertising purposes.
ad-privacy	Provided by amazon-adsystem.com for tracking user actions on other websites to provide targeted content to the users.
ayl_visitor	This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance.
bafp	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bafp_t	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_pl	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rf_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_rt_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_t_8b2087b102c9e3e5ffed1c1478ed8b78	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bfp_sn_td_2d31c94105a0aa6d1ceaea0c86c6b656	This cookie is from Media.net and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
bito	This cookie is generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bitoIsSecure	This cookies are generally provided by bidr.io and is used for advertising purposes.
bsc	The cookies is set by ownerIQ for the purpose of providing relevant advertisement
CMID	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPRO	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
CMPS	This cookie is linked to advertising and tracking the products users were looking at.
dc_id	This cookie is used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers.
did	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
didts	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
dpm	The cookie is set by demdex.net. This cookie assigns a unique ID to each visiting user that allows third-party advertisers target that users with relevant ads.
eud	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
euds	This cookie is from Rocket Fuel and is used to deliver targeted advertising across their network sites ensuring users see relevant advertising.
everest_g_v2	The cookie is set under eversttech.net domain. The purpose of the cookie is to map clicks to other events on the client's website.
evo5_popin_instance	Prevents an interaction from reoccurring for visitors not accepting 3rd party cookies.
id	This cookie is set by DoubleClick (which is owned by Google) to build a profile of the website visitor's interests and show relevant ads on other sites.
IDE	Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
io.narrative.guid.v2	This cookie is generally provided by io.narrative.io and is used for advertising purposes.
KADUSERCOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
KTPCACOOKIE	This cookie is generally provided by pubmatic.com and is used for advertising purposes.
matchliveramp	This cookie is provided by w55c.net and is used for advertising purposes.
mc	This cookie is associated with Quantserve to track anonymously how a user interact with the website.
mxpim	This cookie is generally provided by mxptint.net for advertising purposes.
na_tc	This is a Social Media sharing tracking cookie.
NID	This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
nnls	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxrc	The purpose of the cookie is to identify a visitor to serve relevant advertisement.
pxvid	This cookie is set by PerimeterX who provide security analyst oversight.
rlas3	The cookie is set by rlcdn.com. The cookie is used to serve relevant ads to the visitor as well as limit the time the visitor sees an and also measure the effectiveness of the campaign.

Cookie	Description
__jid	Cookies set on the website by the third-party commenting platform Disqus.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
disqus_unique	These cookies are set by Disqus so that users can comment on website/platform.
G_ENABLED_IDPS	The cookie is used by Google and is used for Google Single Sign On.
mid	The cookie is set by Instagram. The cookie is used to distinguish users and to show relevant content, for better user experience and security.
na_id	This cookie is set by Addthis.com to enable sharing of links on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter
ouid	The cookie is set by Addthis which enables the content of the website to be shared across different networking and social sharing websites.
ov	This is a generic functional cookie that provides enhanced functionality and personalisation.
ts	This cookie is generally provided by PayPal and supports payment services in the website.
vuid	These cookies are used by the Vimeo video player on websites.

D.C. Fontana blazed a trail and laid the foundation for Star Trek

You might also like

FIND THE TOPICS YOU WANT...

Recommended for you