Walter Koenig, the actor who brought Ensign Pavel Chekov to life on the original Star Trek and in seven feature films, has died at his home in North Hollywood at the age of 90. His representative said he died of old age, with his daughter, Danielle, and his niece by his side.
Joining the Enterprise
Born in Chicago on September 14, 1936, to Russian Jewish immigrants, Koenig studied psychology at UCLA before taking an acting class on a whim. His first TV credit came in 1963, with a small part in the first two episodes of General Hospital. A few years later, Gene Roddenberry decided to add a Russian crew member to the Starship Enterprise. Koenig landed the role of Chekov and joined Star Trek in its second season, appearing in 36 episodes. Chekov became known for swapping “v” sounds for “w” sounds, a habit Koenig said came from his father.
Koenig went on to play Chekov in seven films from 1979 to 1994, including The Wrath of Khan. Budget cuts kept Chekov out of Star Trek: The Animated Series, but Koenig still wrote its episode “The Infinite Vulcan.” That made him the first Star Trek cast member to write for the franchise. He later played the villain Alfred Bester on Babylon 5. He also lent his voice to Futurama, which now belongs to Disney’s 20th Television. Koenig gave his final Star Trek performance in 2023, voicing President Anton Chekov on Star Trek: Picard. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. Just this year, he won an Independent Shorts Award for the short film Mr. Fleischmann.
“More Than Chekov”
George Takei, who played Sulu, shared the news on social media, writing, “My heart is heavy.” Takei said the two met on the bridge of the Enterprise in the 1960s and stayed friends for nearly six decades. Koenig even served as best man at Takei’s 2008 wedding to Brad Altman, which took place on Koenig’s birthday. His representative also praised the kindness and wit he shared with fans at conventions. The rep added that Koenig understood what Star Trek meant to people. With his passing, William Shatner and George Takei remain the last two living main cast members of the original series.
Remembering His Family
Koenig’s wife of nearly 60 years, Judy Levitt, died in 2022. The couple’s son, actor Andrew Koenig, died in 2010. He leaves behind his daughter, Danielle, who was by his side at the end.
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