Star Trek: The Original Series

Summary

After the destruction ofStar Trek : The Original Series , some manufacturer felt Walter Koenig was too quondam to continue playing Pavel Chekov . Ensign Chekov get together the gang of the USS Enterprise as the ship ’s sailing master at the hotshot ofTOSseason 2 . According to Gene L. Coon inThe Making of Star Trek , Gene Roddenberry need to add a younger crew member to the show to appeal more to untried audience , and Chekov fit the bill . Chekov was mean to be 22 when he first came aboard the endeavour , but role player Walter Koenig was already 30 when he was cast .

ThroughoutStar Trek : The Original Seriesand the following films , Chekov held several unlike jobson the USS Enterprise and other starships . Although he began as the ship ’s sailing master , he also filled in at the science station on the bridge when Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) was otherwise occupied . Chekov also briefly served as a security and tactical military officer inStar Trek : The Motion Picture , before beingpromoted to First Officer of the USS Reliant forStar Trek II : The Wrath of Khan . After the events ofStar Trek IV : The Voyage Home , Chekov yield to the position of sailing master on the newly commission USS Enterprise - A.

Here are the best moments of Walter Koenig as Star Trek : The Original Series ' iconic Russian Starfleet Officer , Pavel Chekov .

Star Trek The Original Series TV Poster

Walter Koenig Feared Star Trek Thought He Was Too Old To Play Chekov

As Koenig went on to appear in 7 Star Trek films, it turns out he had no reason to worry.

Now 87 years old , Walter Koenig was one of the guests onStar Trek : The Cruise VII , andIGNhad the chance to question the beloved thespian . When it came toreturning forStar Trek : Phase II , Koenig was told he was too old to play Chekov . Read his quote below :

We were coming back about six or seven year after we had been canceled . I was already 11 years erstwhile than the character was supposed to be . And the sentience was that I could n’t pull it off . That ’s what they read . So I was not approached because I ’d have to have been 17 or 18 years vernal than I actually was . The truth is it was dissatisfactory . It was very disappointing . On the other hand , I ’ve always lived with the sense that if it can go wrong , it will . There ’s always been that very skeptical , cynical sense that I ’ve live on with , so that when things go right , I ’m always surprised . It ’s always overbold .

After it was canceled , Star Trek : The Original Seriesfound renew achiever in syndication , which got producers verbalize about resurrect the serial . While there were talks about anotherStar Trekseries , Walter Koenig was not draw close to be a part of one of them because producers matt-up he had aged out of the theatrical role of Chekov . However , what would have been roll in the hay asStar Trek : Phase IInever made it to screen , andStar Trekturned to films instead . Koenig would go on to seem asChekov in all six of theTOSfilms , as well asStar Trek Generations , proving that he was never , in fact , too old for the role .

Walter Koenig old and young as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek

Other Star Trek Actors Are Older Than Their Characters

Walter Koenig was certainly not the only Star Trek actor to play a younger character.

Despite being 30 at the time he was cast , Walter Koenig looked younger than he was and made a convincing 22 - class - old . And he ’s not the onlyTrekactor who was former than the character they played . DeForest Kelley was about six years elderly than Dr. Leonard McCoy , for model . As far as thecharacters ' ages inStar Trek : The Next propagation , Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis were both a few years old than Will Riker and Deanna Troi . Michael Dorn was also aged than Worf , though the Klingon makeup made his eld hard to place .

While the natal day of manyStar Trekcharacters have been document within canyon , some have not and their exact ages remain a mystery .

Aliens with varying lifespans and improvements in medical care in the 23rd century and beyond make it difficult to learn the age of characters just by looking at them . But some modernStar Trekactors follow the drift of being a act sr. than the character they act . For lesson , Paul Wesley , who is 41 , play Lt . James Kirk inStar Trek : unusual New Worldswhen Kirk is meant to be 27.Regardless of the geezerhood of the actors or the characters they encounter , Star Trekhas a strong track track record when it comes to casting that go all the path back to the excellent cast ofStar Trek : The Original Series .

Star Trek: The Original Series. Movies. Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov.

Source : IGN.com

Your Rating

Your comment has not been saved

Cast

Headshot Of William Shatner

Headshot of Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek: The Original Series