José Tyler

Species:	Human
Affiliation:	Starfleet
Occupation:	Starfleet officer
Status:	Alive (2254)
Played by:	Peter Duryea

José Tyler was a male Human Starfleet officer in the 23rd century. He served in the command division aboard the USS Enterprise in 2254 under the command of Captain Christopher Pike. Tyler was one of the ship's navigators.

That same year, Tyler was one of a number of Enterprise crewmembers injured during a battle on planet Rigel VII. After the incident, Captain Pike ordered the Enterprise to Vega colony in order to replace any crewmembers who required hospitalization. En route, however, the crew detected a distress signal from the SS Columbia, an Earth vessel which had disappeared in the Talos star group eighteen years previously. Arriving at Talos IV to investigate, Tyler was amongst the Enterprise crewmembers to be included in the landing party. Later, when it became clear that the distress signal was an elaborate trap set up by the Talosians in an effort to capture Captain Pike, Tyler participated in the unsuccessful attempts to rescue him. (TOS: "The Cage", "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II")

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Background information

Tyler's first name was based on background production references; the navigator described in the original Star Trek pitch was named "José Ortegas." The uniform Tyler wore had one braid for the ranks of ensign to commander; therefore, his rank cannot be determined from his uniform. According to StarTrek.com, he held the rank of lieutenant.

The following character biography appeared in The Making of Star Trek, during a time in production when Robert April was still being considered as the name of the Enterprise's captain:

The Navigator. José (Joe) Tyler, Boston astronomer father and Brazilian mother, is boyishly handsome, still very much in the process of maturing. An unusual combination, he has inherited his father's mathematical ability. José Tyler, in fact, is a phenomenally brilliant mathematician and space theorist. But he has also inherited his mother's Latin temperament, fights a perpetual and highly personalized battle with his instruments and calculators, suspecting that space – and probably God, too – are engaged in a giant conspiracy to make his professional and personal life as difficult and uncomfortable as possible. Joe (or José, depending on the other party) is young enough to be painfully aware of the historical repute of Latins as lovers – and is in danger of failing this challenge on a cosmic scale.

The second revised final draft script of "The Cage" described him as; "Mid-twenties, sometimes appearing even younger, very much in the process of maturing, both physically and socially. But beneath this exterior is a computer-like mind and strange mathematical brilliance."

Tyler was played by Peter Duryea. "The Cage" Director Robert Butler was involved in casting Duryea in the role and later commented about the actor, "He did a wonderful job." (Star Trek Monthly issue 6, p. 53) Duryea was overjoyed to be cast as Tyler, expecting the role to become a series regular. When Star Trek was recast, Duryea was devastated by the fact that the role of Tyler was dropped, the actor later remembering, "It knocked me out. When I lost that role, I cried for two weeks." (Star Trek Magazine issue 171, p. 37)

Apocrypha

José Tyler made an appearance in the Pocket TOS novel The Rift.