simple photography: Walter Koenig

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Star Trek Convention Film Courtesy Trek Today

This is very cool video from a 1975 Star Trek Convention. From the article:

Back in August of 1975, Star Trek fan Rich Portnoy shot almost four minutes worth of 8mm movie film showing original series cast members at a Chicago Star Trek convention.The 1975 Star Trek convention, attended by over 14,000 people, was held from August 22-24 at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago.In attendance were the original series actors, younger and with classic 1970s hairstyles. They included: Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Walter Koenig, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols and George Takei.Also in attendance was Arlene Martel (T’Pring from Amok time,) wearing a scarf over her dark hair.The cast was “guarded” by security personnel dressed up as (old style) Klingons. Before Doohan’s entrance, a female Klingon came out with bagpipes.

Here is the link.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Actor Andrew Koenig Missing

The son of the famous actor from Star Trek: The Original Series has been missing since the 14th of Feb 2010. While I am not too familiar with the work of Andrew Koenig, 41 years of age, it is sad that he has gone missing. From the article:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The actor son of "Star Trek" veteran Walter Koenig has disappeared while visiting friends in Canada, and family pleaded on Sunday for information on his whereabouts to be given to the Vancouver police.
Andrew Koenig, 41, who co-starred as "Boner" on the 1980s sitcom "Growing Pains," was last seen in Vancouver on February 14 after neighbors said he sold all his possessions in Los Angeles.
"He's been depressed," his father, who has a degree in psychology, told local ABC television station KABC. "He's trying to get ahead in this business and he's been working at it a long time."
Koenig, 73, who played Starfleet officer Pavel Chekov on the original "Star Trek" series and the first seven feature spin-offs, said drugs were not an issue.

I would like to point out, and I am not in any way inferring this is the case here, that many people are getting depressed during these very difficult economic times we are living in, hence the name Depression. I wish governments, the mainstream media, and people in general would start talking openly about how hard things are financially and how hard it is to find work. I guess people are scared, ashamed, or feel like failures and would rather pretend to others things are fine, but the truth is, things are not fine! Please read this link and read the comments, people are getting desperate about where their next paycheck is coming from and how they will eat!
I realize this seems way off topic from an actor gone missing but the bottom line is, when we feel down and out, we need to be honest with each other and support each other in the best way we can. I hope Andrew shows up and I am sure his family would support him with open arms.
Here is a link to the article.

UPDATE: Sadly, Andrew Koenig was found dead, RIP.