Walter Koenig, Iconic ‘Star Trek’ Actor, Dies at 90

Walter Koenig, the beloved actor best known for playing Russian Starfleet officer Pavel Chekov in the original “Star Trek” television series and movies, died Sunday of natural causes in his North Hollywood home. He was 90.The son of two Russian Jewish immigrants who emigrated from the Soviet Union to Lithuania before relocating to the United States, Koenig was born in Chicago, Illinois on Sept. 14, 1936. When he was still a child, his family moved to Manhattan, where he was raised and went to school. His father was a communist who was investigated by the FBI. Koenig initially attended Grinnell College in Iowa as a pre-med but transferred to UCLA to receive his Bachelor’s degree in psychology. At the recommendation of a professor, Koenig enrolled in the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, which also counted fellow actors Dabney Coleman, James Caan and Christopher Lloyd among its alumni. Koenig joined the “Star Trek” cast as Chekov at the start of the sci-fi series’ second season. He went on to appear in 36 episodes of the show throughout the late 1960s and later reprised the role in the first seven “Star Trek” movies that were released from 1979 through 1991. Chekov was later played in Paramount’s rebooted “Star Trek” films by the late Anton Yelchin. After “Star Trek” was canceled, Koenig turned to screenwriting. He penned episodes of “The Powers of Matthew Star,” “Family,” “Land of the Lost” and “The Incredible Hulk.” In the mid-1990s, he secured another iconic sci-fi role when he was cast as Alfred Bester on “Babylon 5.” He appeared in one episode of the series’ first season and went on to have a recurring guest role, appearing as Bester in 12 episodes. In July 1965, Koenig married actress Judy Levitt. They stayed together until her death in December 2022 at the age of 83. Their son, Andrew, died by suicide at 41 in 2010. In 2008, Koenig served as best man at the wedding between his “Star Trek” co-star George Takei and the latter’s partner, Brad Altman. Koenig is survived by his daughter, actress and screenwriter Danielle Koenig.