Walter Koenig, best known as the original Star Trek‘s Pavel Chekov, is reported to have died at the age of 90. NPR’s Jesse Thorn posted on his BlueSky account to say Koenig’s daughter, Danielle Koenig, had let him know that her father passed away last night.
Chicago-born Koenig rose to fame in 1967 with his portrayal of Russian ensign Chekov, first appearing in the second season of Star Trek, and then becoming a part of the core crew throughout its run, remaining through the seven movies that followed. He was hired at age 30 to increase the show’s youth appeal, but immediately became so popular that he was made a part of the regular cast.
My pal Danielle Koenig shared that her father Walter Koenig passed away last night at age 90. A performer whose kindness and warmth shone through the screen. He will be well remembered.
Koenig had a tense relationship with Star Trek star William Shatner, and rarely held back about their lack of closeness. As recently as 2023 he posted to his X account to say “Bill Shatner is not a friend,” but then went on to praise his work on Boston Legal.
Bill Shatner is not a friend but his work on Boston Legal cannot be disputed. He brought a great deal to his performance.
In 1994, Koenig was cast in J. Michael Straczynski’s Bablyon 5 , which was in many ways a riposte to the idealism of Star Trek , and his character was very much the anti-Chekov.
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