Walter Koenig, who played exuberant Russian navigator Pavel Chekov on the original “Star Trek” series and many of the franchise’s ensuing films, has died at the age of 90. The actor died “of old age at home in North Hollywood” on Sunday, his agent Zachery McGinnis said in an email.
Although Koenig’s Chekov – with his modified mop-top haircut and thick accent – is remembered as a critical crew member aboard the USS Enterprise, he was actually added to the program in its second season as creator Gene Roddenberry was looking to add a youthful sex symbol to the show. “They were looking for somebody who would create the same kind of following that Davy Jones and The Monkees had,” Koenig said in a Star Trek DVD special feature interview. Chekov debuted on the show in 1967, at the height of the series.
Nonetheless, he went on to voice Chekov for an episode of “Star Trek: Picard.” The statement on Monday said that Koenig was with his daughter and niece at the time of his death. It added that the late actor’s “legacy extends far beyond the screen.”
“Through countless convention appearances and interactions with fans, he shared his kindness, wit, and appreciation with everyone fortunate enough to meet him. He understood what ‘Star Trek’ meant to people and embraced the community that grew around it,” McGinnis stated.
