Walter Koenig, Ensign Chekov on original ‘Star Trek’ series, dies at 90
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr., AP Entertainment Writer Koenig died Monday at his home in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, talent agent Zachery McGinnis said in a statement. In “Star Trek,” Ensign Chekov was the sole Communist-bloc member of the spaceship Enterprise bridge staff. His friendly, supportive presence showed how the rival nations (in the far-off future in which the show was set) were capable of working together. “Star Trek” ran on NBC from 1966 to 1969 and has had an almost unprecedented afterlife as fans, or Trekkies, kept interest in the show alive. Koenig was born Sept. 14, 1936, in Chicago, the son of a businessman. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1958, then studied acting at New York’s The Neighborhood Playhouse for two years. He began getting television roles in the early 1960s, appearing on “Mr. Novak” and “Ben Casey.” “My heart…
