Star Trek actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in the original series, dies at 90
Chekov on the Enterprise
Koenig joined Star Trek in 1967, during the series’ second season. He played Pavel Chekov, the Russian-born navigator aboard the USS Enterprise, and appeared in 36 episodes of the original show.
After the television series, Koenig returned as Chekov in the original-cast films, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He reprised the character in six feature films.
A career beyond Star Trek
Koenig also played Alfred Bester on Babylon 5, a role described as darker and more complicated than Chekov. He sought to demonstrate that his work extended beyond his best-known character.
His contributions to Star Trek included writing “The Infinite Vulcan,” an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series. He continued writing and appearing in franchise projects after the original series ended.
Death and later recognition
TMZ reported that Koenig died Sunday at his home in North Hollywood, with his daughter, Danielle, and niece at his side. His representative said he died of old age.
In 2026, Koenig received the Platinum Award for Best Actor at the Independent Shorts Awards for his performance in Mr. Fleischmann. He is survived by Danielle; his wife, Judy Levitt, died in 2022, and his son, actor Andrew Koenig, died in 2010.
Key points
- Koenig joined Star Trek in its second season in 1967 and appeared in 36 episodes as Pavel Chekov.
- He reprised Chekov in six original-cast films, starting with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979.
- Koenig wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series and played Alfred Bester on Babylon 5.
- He received a 2026 Independent Shorts Awards acting prize for Mr. Fleischmann.