Walter Koenig, Star Trek’s original Pavel Chekov, dies at 90

Actor Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, the youthful Russian navigator on the Star Trek television series and several films, has died. He was 90.

Koenig died on Monday at his home in the North Hollywood neighbourhood 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.