Star Trek Interviews (6) - Profile of/Interview with Walter Koenig/Commander Chekov Taken from the Public Domain 1. Profile - Walter Koenig/Commander Chekov "I feel comfortable with my place in Star Trek." explains Walter Koenig, who reprises his role as Commander Pavel Chekov in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. "Chekov is a role that I've been having a lot of fun with. I'm very intuitive when it comes to preparing for the character, and I never have to do much work with him." "When I got the call to do the movie, I didn't see myself as punching a clock," he adds. "I really didn't see anything special except that it was time for me to get back to work." The Chicago-born actor has seen a great deal of work since his high school days, when his initial stage experiences came as Peer Gynt and as Dick Dudgeon in The Devil's Disciple. He attended Grinnel College in Iowa and later moved on to UCLA, where he graduated with a degree in psychology. During his collegiate years, Koenig continued to act, performing in summer stock in Vermont. Upon graduation, he enrolled himself in New York's Neighbourhood Playhouse. He eventually returned to the West Coast, where he received his first acting job as "Irving da Dope" on Day in Court. From there Koenig made guest appearances on several TV series, including Ben Casey, Ironside and the Untouchables. It was while appearing in The Lieutenant, however, that he met producer Gene Roddenberry. That appearance, together with his role as a Russian defector in an episode of Mr. Novak, eventually led to Koenig's being cast as Ensign Chekov in the second season of Star Trek. When the series was cancelled in 1969, Koenig went back to making guest appearances on shows such as Columbo, Mannix and Medical Center. He was featured in the TV movies The Questor Tapes and Goodbye Raggedy Ann. He also starred in the feature film The Deadly Honeymoon. Koenig has focused his talents on writing. He penned scripts for The Powers of Matthew Star, Family, The Incredible Hulk and the animated Star Trek series before returning as Chekov in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and its four sequels. "I enjoy doing comedy," Koenig explains, noting he would like to do more comedy in the future with Chekov. "The character is most successful when he's in comedic situations. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home were the best opportunities for Chekov. Especially Star Trek IV; that was an absolute delight." "And I even have a couple of moments like that in Star Trek V," he adds. "In one scene, I get to masquerade as the Captain while everyone else is down on the planet. I'm running around trying to figure out what exactly is going on, which turns out nice in the movie. Then, there's another scene where Sulu (George Takei) comes on the bridge with Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill). Sybok has 'converted' him, and when I start to question Sulu, Sybok steps forward and bends me to his will." When he's not warping around the galaxy with "Keptin Kirk," Koenig spends time with his wife, actress Judy Levitt, and their two children, Joshua and Danielle. Both children are following their parents' footsteps: Joshua had a regular role as Boner on ABC's Growing Pains, and Danielle appeared on Simon and Simon. Walter Koenig still finds the time to write and perform elsewhere. He has authored Chekov's Enterprise (Pocket Books), which chronicles his experiences making Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the satiric SF/fantasy Buck Alice and the Actor Robot, and an issue of DC Comics' Star Trek comic. On stage, Koenig has toured in Actors, a two-man, one-act play, and Boys in August, both with Star Trek IV co-star Mark Lenard (Sarek). In addition to Star Trek V, Koenig will reappear on the big screen in 1990, making a visit to a familiar science fiction landscape in Moontrap. "I'm much more recognized since Star Trek," says Koenig. "I've also become a better actor and am more in control now. I'm even called 'Walter Koenig' on the streets, rather than Chekov." As always, there are vague plans for another adventure. But how does Walter Koenig feel about the possibility of it being the true "final frontier" for the crew of the NCC 1701-A? "If Star Trek VI was to be the last one, I would love to do a very dramatic death scene," he says. "Something touching and insightful. I feel that I'm up to any challenges that are presented to the character." 2. Interview - Walter Koenig/Commander Chekov Q: Do you think there is anything unique about Star Trek V in relation to the other Star Trek stories? A: Unique only in terms of degree. In magnitude... the story lends itself to some extraordinarily creative visuals... in terms of the story, Star Trek story, it deals with the three main protagonists, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy... even more specifically on them than in any of the other scripts. The story is really about three characters. So in that regard, I think it is different. But then again, it's purely in terms of intensity of the situation. I think there are some wonderful action sequences, planet sequences where there are battles, again, on a magnitude that we haven't seen before. Q: Do you think Star Trek says anything new? A: I think rather than breaking new ground, it has exploited and maintained ground we know is proven. Q: What about the characters? A: The characters of Spock, the towering intellect, the character of McCoy, the irascible charm, the character of Kirk, the charismatic, flamboyant, theatrical image. I think all three of those characters are very well defined, perhaps as well as any other time in the other Star Trek films. Q: Do you think people will like that? A: I think aficionados of those principal characters will be gratified, because not only do we intensify their relationships, we get some history of the characters that has not been offered before. I think that will help ensure an even greater sense of identification with the characters. We learn more about them, particularly Spock and McCoy. Q: What do you think the title says? A: Actually, The Final Frontier seems to suggest - and innumerable fans can attest to this - that this is the last picture... I'm constantly being asked "Is this the last of the Star Trek films?" And that may work well for us, psychologically. First of talk, a lot of discussion as to whether or not that's the case. And I think there's a certain amount of relief when we say, "No, it doesn't have that meaning. It means something quite different. It means a place where we go rather than a place where Star Trek is going." Q: What do you think the film is saying? A: That ultimately you have to take responsibility for your life and for what occurs. I think that probably that's what this picture is about... My feeling is that the principal statement of the movie is: You can't rely on the supernatural and you can't rely on forces beyond your control to shape your own life. You have to take it into your own hands. That isn't to say you can't have faith, religious faith etc. But not to throw off responsibility and let some other entity assume it for you. I think this story - and I try to couch it in the most positive way - has to do with the three main characters. The supporting group is really ancillary to the story... If it's a story of family, it's a story about the family of the three top guys. Maybe that's supposed to be a microcosm of the greater family. Maybe it's supposed to represent a larger type family, the entire seven crew members that the audience has gotten to know, the entire Enterprise, the universal family. Maybe that's part of the design in the screenplay. If indeed that is the case, it's focused on the three main people, though. Q: Do you think the humour is intensified in this movie? A: No, I don't think it's intensified... I think you'd be very hard pressed to find a moment that is more charming, more fun, and more spontaneous than the bit in Star Trek IV between Spock and Kirk, when they're in the truck trying to decide whether they want pizza, or whatever it was. It was a genuine, fresh moment that even the critics pointed out. Q: What do you think your character will be remembered for? A: I don't have the faintest idea... In several episodes and in three out of the five films, Chekov has suffered some kind of physical trauma [he laughs] and I am frequently asked about that. "Why is Chekov always getting beat up?"... I would like to think of Chekov as a character that has some sense of fun, that perhaps is not as irreverence about him... and I don't know what else to say because the opportunities have been limited as to how the character has been developed. Q: You write, don't you? A: Yes, I have a novel coming out soon. It has a science fiction setting, but it has little to do with science fiction. It's about two people who are marginal characters at best. Then they have to deal with an apocalypse and they [he laughs] don't get much better... I'm also trying to option a play, Two Boys in Autumn. It's about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn meeting years later, each harboring a secret. I toured in this play with Mark Lenard. I play Tom Sawyer. His secret is he never got over Becky Thatcher. And he likes little girls. [He laughs] Huckleberry Finn's secret is that he committed a mercy killing - his wife - and still feels guilty about it... I also have a film coming out called Moontrap. Q: Do you ever resent Star Trek? A: When I compare myself to some actors, who have all the talent in the world but have never managed to break through, I feel privileged. - o -