Star Trek icon who famously feuded with William Shatner seen on sprightly rare outing at 89

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A popular actor from the original Star Trek was seen out and about in Los Angeles on Monday, appearing lively and in good spirits.

The 89-year-old actor appeared remarkably lively during a recent outing, a welcome sight compared to the spaceship hallways where he first gained recognition.

As a lifelong fan of classic television, I always remember Walter Koenig as the incredibly charming Pavel Chekov from the original Star Trek series. He first brought that character to life in 1966 and continued to delight audiences by reprising the role in seven Star Trek movies – a truly iconic contribution to the franchise!

Wearing a simple fleece jacket and pants, he looked much different than his Starfleet uniform. It was a stark contrast to the days when he had a well-known and difficult rivalry with William Shatner on set.

The competition between the actors supposedly became obvious during the filming of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. One actor playfully complained that William Shatner was deliberately positioning himself to dominate scenes, but Shatner responded with a cold look that upset the other actor for the entire day.

Even years later, the tension hadn’t eased. Reportedly, at a 1989 press conference, Shatner called Walter Koenig ‘the gentleman who plays Chekov,’ seemingly unable to remember Koenig’s name.

Fans will immediately recognize this actor – and if you thought it was Walter Koenig, you’re right!

Although Walter Koenig and William Shatner never had a major falling out, Koenig often attributed the underlying tension to what he described as a strict hierarchy common in Hollywood.

He explained that the show’s stars were given special treatment in the 1960s, but those in smaller roles felt disposable, as if they were just props rather than valued team members.

The tension apparently peaked while filming Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, when Koenig playfully ribbed Shatner for intentionally positioning himself to get more screen time in a scene.

Koenig remembered telling Bill Gates he was simply acting as Gates himself would in the same situation. Gates reportedly responded by calling that behavior “neurotic,” after which Koenig experienced significant stomach pain for the rest of the day.

Walter Koenig recalled that after William Shatner famously forgot his name at a 1989 press conference, Shatner didn’t speak to him, even when they worked together on the show Columbo later on.

Even though he’s been hurt, Koenig hasn’t called it a rivalry and has tried to put the past behind him over the years.

He was even a guest on William Shatner’s talk show, Raw Nerve, in 2011, where they discussed their past experiences together. Koenig later spoke in support of Shatner’s acting, dismissing the idea that his portrayal of Captain Kirk was exaggerated.

In his 2020 memoir, Koenig explained that he was fine with Shatner choosing to disregard him, saying he didn’t take it to heart.

Still, he conceded the relationship never fully healed.

In a 2020 interview with TrekMovie, Walter Koenig shared that he and William Shatner hadn’t reached a point of resolution. He explained that Shatner’s perspective and values were simply different from his own.

He claims he did nothing wrong and isn’t guilty of any minor offense—and I emphasize ‘minor’ because it never rose to the level of a serious crime.

It was a series of small disappointments, but nothing major enough to really bother me or keep me up at night – I wasn’t losing sleep over Bill Shatner, that’s for sure.

William Shatner’s strained relationship with Walter Koenig wasn’t unusual; he often had difficult relationships with his fellow actors on Star Trek.

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy were once very close friends, but their relationship fell apart in the 1970s. Shatner had published private information about Nimoy without permission, which led to years of them not speaking. They eventually began to repair their friendship shortly before Nimoy passed away in 2015.

For decades, William Shatner has been engaged in a public feud with George Takei. Takei has claimed Shatner was arrogant and inconsiderate during filming, but Shatner has always denied these accusations.

The conflict between them has grown worse recently, with George Takei criticizing William Shatner’s views and behavior. Shatner, however, believes the disagreement is entirely on Takei’s side and stems from old feelings.

Walter Koenig became a beloved figure in science fiction beyond his role on Star Trek. He’s especially remembered for playing Alfred Bester on Babylon 5, and he remained active in the genre throughout his life, doing voice acting, attending fan conventions, and appearing in occasional films and TV shows.

I’ve been so impressed to see how dedicated he remains to the creative community and his fans! It’s wonderful that he’s recently revisited the Star Trek universe with a voice acting role, and he’s still actively writing and developing his own exciting projects – truly inspiring!

His personal life, however, has been marked by profound tragedy.

In 2010, Koenig experienced the heartbreaking loss of his son, Andrew, who had battled mental illness. Andrew was a former child actor, known for his role on Growing Pains, and had also worked as a television writer, contributing to the show My Name Is Earl. He tragically died by suicide.

Since then, Koenig has openly discussed his grief, working to raise awareness about mental health and keep his son’s memory alive by being honest and kind.

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2026-01-29 01:07