Creation Entertainment have announced that Walter Koening can no longer attend STLV this year. Below is the message attached to the announcement.

It was 1979, and we had been producing Creation events for eight years. Although we dabbled a bit in talent from filmed science fiction and fantasy, our focus was still primarily (as it had been from the beginning) on comic books.

That didn’t mean that we weren’t HUGE sci fi TV and film fans, and of course, Star Trek fanatics. We finally decided to book a Star Trek guest for one of our shows, and as history has it, that was Walter Koenig. Then, as now, he came off as ebullient, witty, erudite, and charmingly handsome. 

Chekov, of course, was the iconic character that made him famous. Did Gene Roddenberry envision him as a “Davy Jones of the Monkees” eye candy for the casting? Chekov was typically the foil for comic relief, often taking the fall, getting maimed (this extended into the films, by the way), or generally being trivialized, even though we were ALWAYS on his side.

But he also represented something more important: remember this was America in the '60s during the Cold War. The fact that a Russian worked alongside other crew members (and aliens) and there was no conflict echoed Gene’s determination that the future was politics-free, at least on Earth.

Chekov’s son, Anton Chekov, did rise to the role of President in Star Trek: Picard, in a touching tribute that also honored the late Anton Yelchin (a much-loved doppelgänger for Koenig’s canon).

Walter, on the other hand, is an insightful, talented actor, but so much more. He is sharp as a writer, contributing scripts for Land of the Lost and other TV series, and writing a candid and humorous memoir, “Warped Factors,” that offered behind-the-scenes stories from Trek and Hollywood. Beyond that, he is much loved as the notorious Psi Cop Alfred Bester on Babylon 5, one of television’s great sci-fi antagonists.

Over the 47-year run of Walter’s appearances at our shows, he:

  • ALWAYS entertained our audiences with hysterical stories, energized stage antics, perhaps a little dance, and always a positive attitude.

  • Tried to push out into performance material, including several performances with the great actor Mark Leonard (he who played Sarek, Spock’s father). Their two-man play The Boys In Autumnfeaturing the exploits of Tom Sawyer (Walter) and Huckleberry Finn (Mark) delighted our audiences. We still remember the climactic moment when the two of them rolled out on stage in a 1912 Model T roadster!

  • Was honest about the challenges in his career, how he had hoped his famous character would grow, and his relationships with the members of Hollywood (the producers, writers, and actors)

We regret that circumstances won’t allow Walter to appear at the show next week. He will be SORELY missed on this 60th Anniversary Celebration! But we are GRATEFUL for 47 years of wonderful appearances and the friendship we share with this self-effacing Hollywood legend whom we all love.

If you purchased Walter’s photo ops, duo with George Takei and/or his autographs, you can exchange them for other available tickets at the Information & Photo/Auto station. If you want a refund, you don’t need to do anything; you’ll receive it AFTER the convention.

Thanks,

Gary and Adam and the whole crew at Creation Entertainment