Movies - TV
The Awkward Way Walter Koenig Found Out He’d Been Cast In Star Trek
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Ensign Pavel Chekov, played by Walter Koenig, first appeared in the "Star Trek" episode "Catspaw," the first episode of the show's second season in 1967.
The appearance of a forthrightly Russian hero signaled to Trekkies that the Cold War of the 1960s was over, and in the role, Koenig brought a great deal of energy and humor.
In a Sci-Fi Bulletin interview, Koenig, now 87, reminisced an amusing — if slightly embarrassing — anecdote about how he first learned about his casting on the show.
When he landed the role of Chekov, Koenig was hired to act on an episode-by-episode basis and was never sure if he'd be in the next episode until he finished shooting the first.
There weren’t any official announcements during or after his audition. It wasn't until a shocking invasion of his personal space occurred that Koenig learned about his new gig.
"I went in, I read and hung around for a couple of hours. Nobody came to tell me to go home but then the costume guy came by,” Koenig said, “So I went with him to wardrobe.”
Koenig revealed, “He dropped to his knees and put his hand on my crotch — this is no hyperbole, there is no exaggeration — that's exactly what happened.”
“I said 'What are you doing!?' and he said 'I have to measure you for a costume.' And that's how I found out I was on the show," Koenig said.