D. C. Fontana
The foundational writer of 'Star Trek' who gave the series its emotional core and created some of its most enduring characters and themes.
1939–2019 (age 80)·American screenwriter·Birthday: March 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Behind the bridge of the USS Enterprise, one of the most influential voices belonged to D.C. Fontana. Hired by Gene Roddenberry for the first pilot, she became the franchise's story editor and most trusted writer, shaping 'Star Trek' from a sci-fi concept into a show about humanity. Fontana crafted the nuanced backstories that made the crew feel real: she gave Mr. Spock his conflicted Vulcan-human heritage in 'This Side of Paradise,' developed the complex relationship between Spock and Captain Pike in 'The Menagerie,' and penned the classic 'Journey to Babel,' which introduced Spock's parents. Writing under her initials to avoid gender bias, she brought a focus on character logic and scientific plausibility that became a series hallmark. Her work extended the franchise's life into animation and later series like 'The Next Generation' and 'Deep Space Nine,' mentoring a generation of writers in the process.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
D. was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When D. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
D.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 70
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 80
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Wrote the seminal episode 'Journey to Babel,' which introduced Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, and deeply explored Vulcan culture.
- As story editor for the original series, she rewrote and polished countless scripts, establishing the show's consistent voice and tone.
- Created the beloved animated series episode 'Yesteryear,' a poignant look at Spock's childhood on Vulcan.
- Served as a writer and producer on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' helping to launch the new era of Trek in the 1980s.
- Wrote for other major sci-fi shows including 'The Six Million Dollar Man,' 'Logan's Run,' and 'Babylon 5.'
Did You Know?
She began her career as a secretary for Gene Roddenberry and submitted her first 'Star Trek' spec script under a male pseudonym.
The 'D.C.' stood for Dorothy Catherine; she used her initials professionally to be taken more seriously in a male-dominated field.
She wrote the novelization of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture,' expanding significantly on the film's story.
She taught screenwriting at the American Film Institute and the University of California, Los Angeles.
The 'Star Trek' fan term 'shuttlecraft' is credited to her, first used in her script for 'The Galileo Seven.'
“"I always tried to write [Spock] as a person, not as an alien. The alien part of him was the logic, but the person part of him was the conflict."”
