John Koenig
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | John Koenig |
| Occupation: | Astronaut |
| Relationships: | Helena Russell |
| Fandom: | Space: 1999 |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
John Koenig was a main character during both Year One (Season One) and Year Two (Season Two) of Space: 1999 played by Martin Landau and is seen in 47 episodes (not Dorzak).
Koenig was orphaned in his teens and has no siblings or other close family. He studied astrophysics and engineering at MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). He later was accepted into the astronaut training program. He married and subsequently lost his wife in the global war of 1987. Devastated by her loss, he threw himself into his work and become a leading astronaut in the new World Space Commission. There, he met fellow astronaut Tony Cellini and they were both assigned to Alpha's Reconnaissance Section. This tour of duty was cut short by the Ultra Probe disaster of 1996 and he was reassigned to a desk job on Earth. In 1999 he was assigned as Commander, Moonbase Alpha, just days before the events in Breakaway.
His best friends on Moonbase Alpha are Victor Bergman and Helena Russell.
Fan Fiction
A large number of fanzines contain stories, commentary, and artwork focusing on John Koenig. Specific titles that contain stories featuring the character of Russell include Everything Yet To Be, The Alpha Files, and Moonscape.
Fan Club
The Landau/Bain Fan Association was formed by fans and run by Terry S. Bowers. One of the goals was to honor their characters from Space: 1999; Commander John Koenig and Doctor Helena Russell. The group published quarterly newsletters initially entitled "Mission: 1999", then changed to The Landau/Bain Concordance. In 1983, the club also split into separate entities and The Martin Landau Aficionados was formed. Jointly and separately, the clubs were in existence for more than 25 years.
Fan Art
From Command Center May/Jun 1978
Cover of ComLoC Issue 8, July 1979
Cover of Command Center Jan/Feb 1981
Cover of Command Center, Jul/Aug 1981
Interior art from Beating the Odds 1982
Interior drawing from Reconnaissance Quarterly Vol 1, Issue 2, April 1983
Cover of The Alpha Files, 1985
by Candance Olsen, 1987 (It was purchased in 1992 at a charity auction held at a SPACE: 1999 convention in Los Angeles; it features John Koenig and Helena Russell from the Year One episode "Collision Course".)
