The story comes from “The Fifty-Yr Mission,” the invaluable two-volume oral historical past of “Star Trek” by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, and franchise producer Rick Berman. Campbell, a rising star with roles on exhibits like “Crime Story” and “Dynasty,” was the primary selection for the Enterprise’s new first officer. However Paramount Tv honcho John Pike wasn’t a fan. As Berman recollects:
“For the function of Riker, we solid an actor named Billy Campbell, who later did a bunch of different good issues, and [John] Pike did not like him. He did not really feel he had a way of command. He would not observe this man into battle. I feel it was actually extra that he did not audition that nicely for the half, and that is once we went to our second selection, who was Jonathan Frakes, who turned out to be a terrific selection.”
On paper, it is simple to think about Campbell because the hotshot Riker, a rising Starfleet officer with large ambitions and a twinkle in his eye for nearly each alien girl he comes throughout. However it’s robust to think about him capturing the healthful qualities that make Frakes’ tackle Riker so endearing. Campbell’s Riker would’ve been Maverick from “High Gun” fairly than “awesomely dorky House Uncle who performs the trombone.” We are able to see this firsthand when Campbell really visitor starred on “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology,” taking part in the title character in “The Outrageous Okona.” In that not-great episode, Campbell basically performs Trek’s try and have its personal Han Solo: a cocksure, too-cool-for-rules rogue who cruises the galaxy being The Raddest Dude Alive. After all, Okona is not cool in any respect. He is an enormous dolt, a middle-aged TV author’s concept of what the children would discover cool in 1987. It feels out of contact at greatest, and embarrassing at worst. He is Poochie.
Okona solely returns yet one more time, as a background gag in an episode of the animated comedy collection “Star Trek: Decrease Decks.” Campbell would discover success elsewhere.