Raye Birk
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 27, 1943 (age 83)
- Place of birth
- Flint, Michigan, USA
- Credits
- 75
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.
Known for
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988Movie
Pahpshmir
The X-Files
1993TV
Dr. Jeff Eckerle
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994Movie
Papshmir
A Serious Man
2009Movie
Dr. Shapiro
Seinfeld
1989TV
Mr. Pless
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987TV
Wrenn
Filmography
New Neighbors
2016Movie
A Serious Man
2009Movie
Dr. Shapiro
Sweet Land
2005Movie
Postal Clerk
Factotum
2005Movie
Heathercliff
North Country
2005Movie
Tom Motel Clerk
Black Scorpion
2001TV
Dr. Phineas Phoenix
Star Trek: Insurrection
1998Movie
Son'a Doctor
After Jimmy
1996Movie
John Davies
The Big Squeeze
1996Movie
Contractor
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996TV
Jeweler
Caroline in the City
1995TV
Danny
Illegal in Blue
1995Movie
Gary Dedmarch
Nowhere Man
1995TV
Tobe Alder
My Brother's Keeper
1995Movie
Dr. Roth
Cries from the Heart
1994Movie
Due South
1994TV
Francis Bolt
Touched by an Angel
1994TV
Mr. McFarlane
ER
1994TV
Mr. Hartley
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994Movie
Papshmir
Babylon 5
1994TV
William
Frasier
1993TV
Walt Twitchell
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993TV
Superintendent Stoneman
The X-Files
1993TV
Dr. Jeff Eckerle
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993TV
Prosecuting Attorney
Caught in the Act
1993Movie
Sterling
Barbarians at the Gate
1993Movie
Travis Gaines
Class Act
1992Movie
Principal Kratz
Silk Stalkings
1991TV
Atticus Dunn
Home Improvement
1991TV
Fred
Doc Hollywood
1991Movie
Simon Tidwell, First Patient
Aftermath: A Test of Love
1991Movie
Dr. Frenzel
Under Cover
1991TV
Grimbach
Under Cover
1991Movie
Grimbach
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
1990Movie
Judge Brown
Wings
1990TV
Prince Restivon
Working Girl
1990TV
Mr. Dixon
Challenger
1990Movie
Joseph Kilminster
The War of the Roses
1989Movie
Auctioneer (uncredited)
Snoops
1989TV
Mr. Nelson
Seinfeld
1989TV
Mr. Pless
Coach
1989TV
Riley Pringle
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
1989Movie
Sam Morgan
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988Movie
Pahpshmir
Murphy Brown
1988TV
Barney
Empty Nest
1988TV
Judge Talmadge, Albert
Dear John
1988TV
Dr. Hendricks
Eisenhower and Lutz
1988TV
Bjorn
The Wonder Years
1988TV
Mr. Diperna
Throw Momma from the Train
1987Movie
Pinsky
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987TV
Wrenn
J.J. Starbuck
1987TV
Beauty and the Beast
1987TV
Edmonton
The Popcorn Kid
1987TV
Leonard Brown
Burglar
1987Movie
The Jogger
The Stepford Children
1987Movie
George Larson
Fresno
1986TV
Mr. Loats
ALF
1986TV
Officer Griswald, Lenny Scott
L.A. Law
1986TV
Judge Steven Lang
Matlock
1986TV
Simon Le Simple
The Twilight Zone
1985TV
Time-Traveller (segment "Lost and Found")
The Golden Girls
1985TV
Caterer
Deadly Messages
1985Movie
Harding
Best Defense
1984Movie
Sonny
Mister Roberts
1984Movie
Dowdy
Blue Thunder
1984TV
Martin C. Sharp
Night Court
1984TV
Dworkin, God #1, Ward, Frank Pepitone
St. Elsewhere
1982TV
Irish Patient
Newhart
1982TV
Whitley McVeigh
Cheers
1982TV
Walt Twitchell
A Christmas Carol
1981Movie
Marley's Ghost
The Taming of the Shrew
1976Movie
Gremio
Columbo
1971TV
Howard Seltzer
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
1970Movie
Mort Catafalque
Hawaii Five-O
1969TV
Parole Officer
Seed of Doubt
Movie
Dr. Bill Larson