Actor Walter Koenig ("Star Trek") passes away at 90
Walter Koenig, the Jewish-American actor and screenwriter who played Pavel Chekov on 'Star Trek', died at age 90 in his North Hollywood home from natural causes. A representative on his behalf released the announcement.
Walter Koenig, the Jewish-American actor and screenwriter who played navigation officer Pavel Chekov on the series 'Star Trek', died yesterday (Sunday) at his home in North Hollywood from natural causes at age 90. A representative on his behalf released the announcement. Koenig was born in Chicago in 1936 to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology. In 1967, he joined the cast of the second season of 'Star Trek', appearing in 36 episodes. After the series was canceled, he played Chekov in the first seven feature films of the franchise, including 'The Wrath of Khan' (1982). For his performance, he was nominated for a Saturn Award. Additionally, he had a prominent role in the series 'Babylon 5' in the 1990s. Koenig also developed a career as a screenwriter, writing episodes for various series. He is survived by his daughter, actress and screenwriter Danielle Koenig.