Raye Birk
Acting • Born 1943-05-27
Biography
Raye Birk (born May 27, 1943, Flint, Michigan) is an American film and television actor best known for playing the role of Pahpshmir in the first and last of the Naked Gun movies. He was the main villain in Naked Gun 331⁄3: The Final Insult. He has also starred in Due South as the terrorist Francis Bolt in the Episodes "All the Queens Horses", "Red, White and Blue", "Call of the Wild Part One" and "Call of the Wild Part Two". He also had roles in the X-Files and Babylon 5. His other film credits include roles in Best Defense (1984), Amazon Women on the Moon (1987), Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Doc Hollywood (1991) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). In addition to these roles, he had a frequently occurring role as the assistant principal on The Wonder Years; starting with the pilot episode, when he had a conference with Kevin Arnold's parents for throwing food in the cafeteria. While generally antagonist, a more sympathetic role on the show was seen in the award winning episode "Goodbye" where he confides in Kevin that he is Kevin's new math teacher as Kevin's hardnosed algebra teacher has just died. He was also on a pair of Home Improvement episodes as one of Tim's poker buddies. Raye appeared in several episodes on the TV series Night Court. He appeared twice on The Golden Girls, both times playing a wedding caterer. Furthermore, in 1985, 1986 and 1992, he appeared on three episodes of Cheers as Walt Twitchell, a mailman who got into minor altercations with Cliff Clavin. Birk reprised the role of Twitchell in a 2002 episode of the Cheers spinoff series, Frasier, in which the title character (played by Kelsey Grammer) returned to Boston and re-acquainted himself with old friends from the bar. He played a recurring role on Coach as university band director Riley Pringle from 1989 to 1993. He also appeared in an episode of Mr. Belvedere as an accordion player. In 2004–2008, he played Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Raye has been married to his wife Candace Barrett for 41 years. They have one son, Joshua, who is a professor of medieval history.
Filmography
75 credits
Class Act
Movie • 1992
Principal Kratz
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Movie • 1988
Pahpshmir
The Taming of the Shrew
Movie • 1976
Gremio
Caught in the Act
Movie • 1993
Sterling
Aftermath: A Test of Love
Movie • 1991
Dr. Frenzel
Throw Momma from the Train
Movie • 1987
Pinsky
Burglar
Movie • 1987
The Jogger
Mister Roberts
Movie • 1984
Dowdy
The Stepford Children
Movie • 1987
George Larson
After Jimmy
Movie • 1996
John Davies
Cries from the Heart
Movie • 1994
Under Cover
Movie • 1991
Grimbach
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Movie • 1994
Papshmir
Best Defense
Movie • 1984
Sonny
Doc Hollywood
Movie • 1991
Simon Tidwell, First Patient
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
Movie • 1970
Mort Catafalque
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Movie • 1990
Judge Brown
Challenger
Movie • 1990
Joseph Kilminster
A Christmas Carol
Movie • 1981
Marley's Ghost
Sweet Land
Movie • 2005
Postal Clerk
Deadly Messages
Movie • 1985
Harding
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
Movie • 1989
Sam Morgan
Star Trek: Insurrection
Movie • 1998
Son'a Doctor
Factotum
Movie • 2005
Heathercliff
New Neighbors
Movie • 2016
A Serious Man
Movie • 2009
Dr. Shapiro
Illegal in Blue
Movie • 1995
Gary Dedmarch
My Brother's Keeper
Movie • 1995
Dr. Roth
North Country
Movie • 2005
Tom Motel Clerk
The Big Squeeze
Movie • 1996
Contractor
Barbarians at the Gate
Movie • 1993
Travis Gaines
Star Trek: The Next Generation
TV • 1987
Wrenn
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1985
(segment "Lost and Found")
Wings
TV • 1990
Prince Restivon
Frasier
TV • 1993
Walt Twitchell
Babylon 5
TV • 1994
William
The X-Files
TV • 1993
Dr. Jeff Eckerle
ALF
TV • 1986
Lenny Scott
ALF
TV • 1986
Officer Griswald
Under Cover
TV • 1991
Grimbach
The Popcorn Kid
TV • 1987
Leonard Brown
Columbo
TV • 1971
Howard Seltzer
Home Improvement
TV • 1991
Fred
The Wonder Years
TV • 1988
Mr. Diperna
Night Court
TV • 1984
Dworkin
Black Scorpion
TV • 2001
Dr. Phineas Phoenix
Hawaii Five-O
TV • 1968
Parole Officer
Nowhere Man
TV • 1995
Tobe Alder
Seinfeld
TV • 1989
Mr. Pless
Empty Nest
TV • 1988
Judge Talmadge
Fresno
TV • 1986
Mr. Loats
Night Court
TV • 1984
God #1
Night Court
TV • 1984
Ward
Dear John
TV • 1988
Dr. Hendricks
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
TV • 1993
Prosecuting Attorney
Due South
TV • 1994
Francis Bolt
Murphy Brown
TV • 1988
Barney
Matlock
TV • 1986
Simon Le Simple
3rd Rock from the Sun
TV • 1996
Jeweler
L.A. Law
TV • 1986
Judge Steven Lang
Night Court
TV • 1984
Frank Pepitone
Empty Nest
TV • 1988
Albert
Silk Stalkings
TV • 1991
Atticus Dunn
ER
TV • 1994
Mr. Hartley
Eisenhower and Lutz
TV • 1988
Bjorn
The Golden Girls
TV • 1985
Caterer
Cheers
TV • 1982
Walt Twitchell
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Mr. McFarlane
Caroline in the City
TV • 1995
Danny
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
TV • 1993
Superintendent Stoneman
Coach
TV • 1989
Riley Pringle
Snoops
TV • 1989
Mr. Nelson
J.J. Starbuck
TV • 1987
Blue Thunder
TV • 1984
Martin C. Sharp
St. Elsewhere
TV • 1982
Irish Patient