Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) did not join the cast ofStar Trek: The Original Seriesuntil season 2, but the USS Enterprise had another navigator first.Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) became the most popular characters to come out ofTOS.Kirk and Spock’s popularity, in particular, transcendedStar Trekand made its way into general popular culture. But it took many crew members to keep the Enterprise up and running, some of whom stuck around longer than others.
After his introduction inStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 2, Ensign Chekov served as the Starship Enterprise’s navigator, but he wasn’t the first dedicated crew member to hold that position. Although he only appeared in two episodes ofTOSseason 1,navigator Lt. Kevin Riley (Bruce Hyde) became a surprisingly popular character.Bruce Hyde retired from acting soon after appearing as Riley, although he sometimes attendedStar Trekconventions. Hyde’s film and television career was quite brief, and he taught communications at St. Cloud State University until his death on July 26, 2025, at the age of 74 from throat cancer.
Chekov’s Star Trek Predecessor Lt. Kevin Riley Explained
Lt. Riley Served As Navigator In Star Trek: TOS' “The Naked Time”
Lt. Kevin Riley’s firstStar Trekappearance comes inStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 1, episode 4, “The Naked Time,” and this is likely the role for which he’s most remembered. When the Enterprise crew members are affected by a strange disease that makes them act intoxicated,Riley commandeers the ship’s engineering section and declares himself captain.The Irish-born Riley then performs the song “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” repeatedly over the Enterprise communications system. Like Chekov after him, Riley brought a certain liveliness to the Enterprise crew, with his youthful energy and proud Irish heritage.
The character in “The Conscience of the King” was not originally written to be Lt. Riley, but the character was changed when Bruce Hyde was cast. This is why Riley is a communications officer in “The Conscience of the King” rather than a navigator.
Lt. Riley’s second appearance comes inStar Trekseason 1, episode 13, “The Conscience of the King,” which reveals Riley’s history with the infamous governor, Kodos the Executioner (Arnold Moss). The episode follows Captain Kirk as he investigates a Shakespearean acting troupe, believing the leader to be Kodos.Kodos had murdered Riley’s family twenty years before,andKodos' daughter Lenore (Barbara Anderson)tries to murder Riley to protect her father’s identity. Riley later tries to avenge his family by killing Kodos, but Kirk talks him out of it. It’s not hard to imagine Chekov in this role, as he too was prone to passionate outbursts.
Why Riley Was A Popular Star Trek Recurring Character
As Lt. Riley was particularly memorable in both of hisStar Trekappearances, he quickly became a popular character among fans. Riley’s Irish roots and his hilarious musical performance in “The Naked Time” made him immediately likable. With the charm and boyish good looks of Chekov and the everyman quality later exemplified by Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meany) inStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Riley was easy to like.He fit in well with the rest of the Enterprise crew and would have been a wonderful addition to the regular cast.
10 Best Episodes Of Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1, Ranked
Following Captain Kirk and the Enterprise, Star Trek: The Original Series delivers some of the franchise’s most beloved episodes in its first season.
Although he only appeared in twoearlyStar Trekepisodes, Lt. Riley has popped up in numerous tie-in novels. One of these,The Sorrows of Empireby David Mack, even depicts Riley’s Mirror Universe counterpart, who succeeds Spock as captain of the ISS Enterprise. In a2014 interview withStarTrek.com,Bruce Hyde spoke about the sometimes bizarre experience of attending conventions, where he was regularly asked to sing “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen.” Despite his brief tenure onStar Trek: The Original Series,Lt. Kevin Riley remains a beloved and fondly remembered member of theStar Trekfamily.
