RIP Walter Koenig

[Santaman]

Very sad to hear R.I.P. Mr Koenig.

 

[daedalus5]

I’ve met him twice and seen him at cons doing Q and As…. Came across well! This is the only TOS death to not be on the main BBC news which is weird. All the other cast members got a really nice obituary.

 

[NigellaDeanna20]

Rest in peace, Walter. Thank you for Chekov and Bester.

Here's George Takei's tribute (shared with a recent photo of the two of them):

My heart is heavy. Walter Koenig, our Ensign Pavel Chekov, passed away early today.​

​

Walter and I met on the bridge of the Enterprise in the 1960s, and we stayed friends for nearly six decades. When Brad and I married in 2008, Walter stood beside us as our best man.​

Just last month, on Sept. 14, he turned 90, on the same day Brad and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. I will always treasure that he and I shared that date.​

Walter was more than Chekov. He was a writer, a teacher, a thoughtful man, and a loyal friend. To the fans who loved him for so many years, thank you. He loved you too.Rest well, my dear friend. Keep navigating a steady course.​

– George​

Asolutely beautifully said George.

 

[Harper3.0]

Godspeed, Walter. His work will be long remembered as a member of the TOS cast, but it's so nice to see the impact that Bester had on Babylon 5. I hope that was very satisfying for him personally and professionally, to have a totally different role, and to be able to knock it out of the park.

 

[T'Boo]

I'd forgotten how handsome he was. I found pictures to go with my story; one of me with him, and one of the skit I mentioned. 1984 I believe, at a Miami (northern part) convention. A few months after having my first child, so I was wrong about child-free. Heh.

 

[Reanok]

Rest in peace Walter Koneig I was so sad to hear he passed away yesterday.

 

[Grant]

Weird, I too, saw him at our first con in N Miami, but I'm certain it was 1985. We missed everything but his signing and my girlfriend/wife asked him if he knew if Saavik would be pregnant in the next movie. He said she did indeed already have a baby but the pointed ears made for a rough delivery! LOL .
Saw him again in Orlando a few years later after Trek 4 and he did the interrogation scene and he was impressed that he remembered his serial number all those months later.
Really nice guy on stage and I never saw him take shots at Shatner. He always answered respectfully about Shatner -- saying he was the star and was just looking out for his character.
Maybe he had his problems with Shatner but he never turned them into a regular schitck, bashing him like the others did. Honorable man.

 

[CerritosExplorer84]

It's always sad, whenever a famous character you grew up watching, pass away.

Mr. Koenig's death took me by surprise. My sympathies to his friends and family.

He will be missed by all us fans who watched him in years past.

As long as we remember him, he's not really dead.

 

[Tosk]

I met Walter just once, way back in the '90s. My friends and I were window shopping before the convention and accidentally ran into Walter doing the same. After a few moments of "Holy shit, wow!" we sort of tried to give him the chance to withdraw but instead he hung around for several minutes chatting with us about just any old thing. And then later when we were at the convention and getting his autograph he (playfully) acted like we were old friends.

Such a tiiiiny moment, but I've always remembered how friendly he was.