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Walter Koenig, Chekov on the original 'Star Trek,' dies at 90

Walter Koenig, who played navigator Pavel Chekov on the original "Star Trek" and in seven films, died at his North Hollywood home at 90, his agent said Monday. His death leaves William Shatner and George Takei as the last two surviving main cast members.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-10-28T04:11:00-07:00

AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below

Walter Koenig smiling, photographed in 2016

What happened

Walter Koenig died at his home in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, his talent agent, Zachery McGinnis of Galactic Productions, said in a statement Monday. He was 90. "He passed of old age at home in North Hollywood last night surrounded by his daughter and niece," McGinnis said, as quoted by ABC News. ABC News and Variety said they independently confirmed the death.

Why it matters

Koenig's death leaves only William Shatner, 95, and Takei, 89, among the original series' main cast. He kept working into his 90s.

More context

His career: Koenig joined "Star Trek" in its second season in 1967 as Ensign Pavel Chekov, the Enterprise's young Russian navigator. The show ran 79 episodes on NBC through 1969. He played Chekov again in seven films, from "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979) to "Star Trek Generations" (1994), had a recurring role on "Babylon 5" in the 1990s and made a cameo on "Star Trek: Picard" in 2023.

Tributes: George Takei, who played Sulu and had Koenig as best man at his 2008 wedding, wrote: "Walter was more than Chekov. He was a writer, a teacher, a thoughtful man, and a loyal friend."

His agent's statement: "Today we mourn the passing of Walter Koenig, whose talent, warmth, and unforgettable performances left a lasting mark on generations of fans around the world," McGinnis said, according to NBC News and AP.

Timeline: 1936, born Sept. 14. 1967, joins "Star Trek" as Chekov. 1979–1994, seven feature films. 1990s, "Babylon 5." 2023, "Star Trek: Picard" cameo. 2026, wins best actor at the Independent Shorts Awards for "Mr. Fleischmann," NBC reported.

6 listed sources

References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.

Editorial sourcing notes

Sourcing: Statement from Koenig's agent, Zachery McGinnis, as reported by AP, NBC News and ABC News; ABC News and Variety confirmed the death independently. Takei quote from his post. Hero is a 2016 file photo.

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