Walter Koenig, the man who brought Chekov to life on Star Trek, is dead at 90
The performer known for playing Pavel Chekov died in Los Angeles, leaving two original series leads surviving.
By Elena Menon ·
Walter Koenig, the actor who portrayed Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek television series, died on Monday. He was 90.
Koenig died at his home in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to his talent agent, Zachery McGinnis. Koenig served as the Enterprise navigator for the show, which aired on NBC from 1966 to 1969.
His death reduces the number of surviving main cast members from the original series to two. William Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk, is 95. George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu, is 89. Other original leads include Leonard Nimoy, who died in 2015, DeForest Kelley, who died in 1999, James Doohan, who died in 2005, and Nichelle Nichols, who died in 2022.
Takei shared a tribute on Instagram on Monday. He described Koenig as a thoughtful man and a loyal friend. The two men met on the set of the 1960s series and maintained a friendship for nearly 60 years. Takei noted that Koenig was his best man at his 2008 wedding. The ceremony took place on September 14, a date that matched Koenig’s birthday.
Koenig began his television career in the early 1960s with roles on shows such as General Hospital and I Spy. He joined the Star Trek cast in 1967. The character of Chekov was introduced in the second season. The series depicted a diverse crew in the 23rd century, created by Gene Roddenberry.
Koenig reprised his role in seven Star Trek films. These included Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979 and Star Trek Generations in 1994. He also appeared in the 2023 series Star Trek: Picard. The actor worked in other projects, including a recurring role on the science fiction series Babylon 5 in the 1990s.
McGinnis stated that Koenig engaged with fans through convention appearances and video game voice-over work. The agent said Koenig understood the importance of the franchise to its audience. Koenig continued working until late in his life. He won a best actor award at this year’s Independent Shorts Awards for the film Mr. Fleischmann.
Source: NBC News
