Star Trek Actor Walter Koenig Dies at 90

Actor Walter Koenig, famous for playing the character Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek television series, has died at the age of 90. He passed away from natural causes at his home in North Hollywood. A statement from Galactic Productions noted that he died of old age while surrounded by his daughter and niece.

Career Highlights

Koenig first appeared as Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov during the second season of the NBC science-fiction show. The production team gave the Russian USS Enterprise officer a Beatles-inspired hairstyle and a youthful look to draw in younger viewers. He stayed with the role for the remaining two seasons of the original run and later appeared in all six feature films with the original cast. Beyond Star Trek, he also played the villainous Alfred Bester in the Warner Bros. Television series Babylon 5.

Context

Following Koenig's death, William Shatner and George Takei are now the only surviving actors from the main original cast of Star Trek. The original series, which aired in the 1960s, built a massive global fanbase and spawned multiple spin-off shows and films over several decades.