Walter Koenig, Star Trek’s Original Chekov, Dies at 90: ‘He Loved You Too’
Raise a glass of “wodka” to the Enterprise’s navigator. The actor not only starred in the original series, but in all six original-cast movies.
Walter Koenig, who portrayed the beloved Russian navigator Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek television series, passed away on Sunday at the age of 90, according to The New York Times. Koenig played Chekov during the show's second and third seasons, as well as in six Star Trek films featuring the original cast. He also made a notable appearance in the space-themed series Babylon 5, portraying telepath Alfred Bester.
In addition to his acting career, Koenig worked as a screenwriter on various shows, wrote several books, and lent his voice to numerous video games. However, it was his portrayal of Chekov that endeared him to fans, with his distinctive Russian accent and memorable quotes, such as "nuclear wessels" from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Chekov's Russian heritage was significant to the show, which featured a diverse crew exploring the stars together. Koenig was born in Chicago to Russian Jewish immigrant parents from Lithuania. Creator Gene Roddenberry aimed to attract younger viewers to the show by casting Koenig, who was 30 at the time and only five years younger than Shatner and Nimoy.
Koenig was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012 and served as best man at George Takei's wedding. Takei fondly remembered Koenig, stating, "He loved you too."
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