Chekov - Starfleet Academy Award?

[Spock's Barber]

I like the addition of the character of Chekov to TOS; it’s just I’ve never been impressed with Koenig’s attempt at acting. What line or scene involving Chekov makes you cringe or chuckle?

Here’s mine : Tholian Web. Chekov watches the Defiant fade out. He knows Kirk is gone with it. He shows no surprise or emotion. He just deadpans his line…

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

His grousing about the medical department sampling him to death in "The Deadly Years" :

CHEKOV: Give us some more blood, Chekov. The needle won't hurt, Chekov. Take off your shirt, Chekov. Roll over, Chekov. Breathe deeply, Chekov. Blood sample, Chekov. Marrow sample, Chekov. Skin sample, Chekov. If I live long enough, I'm going to run out of samples.
SULU: You'll live.
CHEKOV: Oh, yes. I'll live, but I won't enjoy it.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Anytime the script calls for Chekov to scream…

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[scotpens]

I don't think Walter Koening was a particularly bad actor, but what was with his "Russian" accent? "Keptin, the alien wessel just wanished!" No Russian speaks English like that!

 

[Kor]

I don't think Walter Koening was a particularly bad actor, but what was with his "Russian" accent? "Keptin, the alien wessel just wanished!" No Russian speaks English like that!

I believe he said his "Chekov" accent was inspired by his father's accent, especially the V/W thing. While the family background was Russian Jewish, Isadore Koenig was actually from Lithuania. More biographical info here.

Kor

 

[Spock's Barber]

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[Qonundrum]

Anytime the script calls for Chekov to scream…

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That looks more like a weird edit and the worst ADR voiceover of all time Was film that expensive at the time? The shows were costly to make, but still... then again, the number of cutaways to the Nav/Helm console where, despite Chekov and Sulu both being on the bridge, and the cutaway has either Sulu or Chekov plus a stunt double that's even worse than 99% of the Kirk fight scenes. I'd have to do the percentage #s, only "The Omega Glory" looks authentic, in part it's because it's the actors doing it sans stunt doubles. But if he were to yell "new cle'ar wessels"...

 

[Qonundrum]

I don't think Walter Koening was a particularly bad actor, but what was with his "Russian" accent? "Keptin, the alien wessel just wanished!" No Russian speaks English like that!

Now if only Chekov got to say "Where are moose and squirrel" and the circle of Looney Tunes life would be complete.

 

[Spock's Barber]

No if only Chekov got to say "Where are moose and squirrel" and the circle of Looney Tunes life would be complete.

Hmmmm…Walter Koenig as Boris Badanov.

 

[Ssosmcin]

I like the addition of the character of Chekov to TOS; it’s just I’ve never been impressed with Koenig’s attempt at acting. What line or scene involving Chekov makes you cringe or chuckle?

Here’s mine : Tholian Web. Chekov watches the Defiant fade out. He knows Kirk is gone with it. He shows no surprise or emotion. He just deadpans his line…

To give him some credit, there was a director on set possibly guiding the performance ("underplay it here"). Plus Chekov was already feeling the effects of interspace since being on the Defiant, so wasn't himself. I had no problems with this one.

Where he did get me to cringe was mostly in the voiceover department in Let That Be Your Last Battlefield. The oddball rec room scene where we hear Chekov talk about persecution on Earth that he learned about "in history class" and Chekov isn't in the room. But Koenig's v/o is stilted as hell. Same when they get control of the ship for the last time. "Locking onto coordinates" is like lead hitting cement.

 

[Phaser Two]

Koenig was an excellent actor who quite unexpectedly enabled TPTB to accommodate Takei's decision to step away for most of S2. He was particularly good in, among others, "Who Mourns for Adonais."

 

[Michael]

Always found Koenig pretty memorable as the quirky and green ensign. He plays Chekov slightly exaggerated and often for laughs, as is the style of the show. And then again they hardly gave him any material on the show that demanded much in the way of depth or range. I think his later stints as the telepathic Bester on Babylon 5 really solidified him as an outstanding performer that’s remembered as playing one of the most memorable characters on that show. Personally, I also found him really strong back in the role as Chekov in the New Voyages / Phase II fan produced classic “To Serve All My Days”.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Chekov teaches Tamoon how to pronounce his name correctly…

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