RIP, Walter Koenig

Walter Koenig, forever the Beatle/Monkees hairdo-topped navigator Pavel Chekov in the second and third seasons of “Star Trek” and the early movies. But he shouldn’t have been typecast: He was a great actor and a screenwriter beyond Star Trek.

I’ve always loved David Gerrold’s “The Trouble with Tribbles,” where Koenig played to hilarious effect. But this is probably my favorite scene, where Nichelle Nichols and Koenig improv on the streets of 1986 San Francisco, in “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.”

Another boss move by Koenig: His long friendship with co-star George Takei, which began after Takei’s unhappiness with Koenig’s joining the Star Trek cast even though Koenig remembered Takei as being thoroughly professional to the point where Koenig didn’t realize there was any anger. And Koenig’s serving as best man at Takei’s wedding.