Walter Koenig, the first actor to play Pavel Chekov in Star Trek, has died at 90. His representative said he died of old age. Koenig was born in Chicago in 1936.
He joined Star Trek in 1967, during its second season. The show added Chekov to interest younger viewers. Chekov was a Russian hero during the Cold War, a time of deep differences between the United States and the Soviet Union. His place on the team showed the show's hope for people to work together despite their differences.
Koenig later appeared in movies and other shows in the Star Trek family. He also wrote a story for the Star Trek cartoon series. His writing work included other television shows, too.
In Babylon 5, Koenig played Alfred Bester, a dangerous man with the power to read minds. He appeared in 12 episodes, and the character was very different from the friendly Chekov. Koenig said Bester had his own beliefs and problems and did more to move the story forward. He called the role one of the best experiences of his career.
