Raye Birk
Born
May 27, 1943 (82 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Flint, Michigan, USA
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
New Neighbors
2016
A Serious Man
Dr. Shapiro
2009
Sweet Land
Postal Clerk
2005
Factotum
Heathercliff
2005
North Country
Tom Motel Clerk
2005
Black Scorpion
Dr. Phineas Phoenix · (1 episode)
2001
Star Trek: Insurrection
Son'a Doctor
1998
After Jimmy
John Davies
1996
The Big Squeeze
Contractor
1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
Jeweler · (1 episode)
1996
Caroline in the City
Danny · (1 episode)
1995
Ned and Stacey
Earl · (1 episode)
1995
Illegal in Blue
Gary Dedmarch
1995
Nowhere Man
Tobe Alder · (1 episode)
1995
My Brother's Keeper
Dr. Roth
1995
Cries from the Heart
1994
Due South
Francis Bolt · (1 episode)
1994
Touched by an Angel
Mr. McFarlane · (1 episode)
1994
ER
Mr. Hartley · (1 episode)
1994
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Papshmir
1994
Babylon 5
William · (1 episode)
1994
Frasier
Walt Twitchell · (1 episode)
1993
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
Superintendent Stoneman · (1 episode)
1993
The X-Files
Dr. Jeff Eckerle · (1 episode)
1993
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Prosecuting Attorney · (1 episode)
1993
Caught in the Act
Sterling
1993
Class Act
Principal Kratz
1992
Silk Stalkings
Atticus Dunn · (2 episodes)
1991
Home Improvement
Fred · (1 episode)
1991
Doc Hollywood
Simon Tidwell, First Patient
1991
Aftermath: A Test of Love
Dr. Frenzel
1991
Under Cover
Grimbach · (14 episodes)
1991
Under Cover
Grimbach
1991
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Judge Brown
1990
Wings
Prince Restivon · (1 episode)
1990
Challenger
Joseph Kilminster
1990
Snoops
Mr. Nelson · (1 episode)
1989
Seinfeld
Mr. Pless · (1 episode)
1989
Coach
Riley Pringle · (5 episodes)
1989
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
Sam Morgan
1989
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Pahpshmir
1988
Murphy Brown
Barney · (1 episode)
1988
Empty Nest
Judge Talmadge · (1 episode)
1988
Empty Nest
Albert · (1 episode)
1988
Dear John
Dr. Hendricks · (4 episodes)
1988
Eisenhower and Lutz
Bjorn · (1 episode)
1988
The Wonder Years
Mr. Diperna · (9 episodes)
1988
Throw Momma from the Train
Pinsky
1987
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Wrenn · (1 episode)
1987
J.J. Starbuck
(1 episode)
1987
The Popcorn Kid
Leonard Brown · (6 episodes)
1987
Burglar
The Jogger
1987
The Stepford Children
George Larson
1987
Fresno
Mr. Loats · (5 episodes)
1986
ALF
Officer Griswald · (2 episodes)
1986
ALF
Lenny Scott · (1 episode)
1986
L.A. Law
Judge Steven Lang · (3 episodes)
1986
Matlock
Simon Le Simple · (1 episode)
1986
The Twilight Zone
(segment "Lost and Found") · (1 episode)
1985
The Golden Girls
Caterer · (2 episodes)
1985
Deadly Messages
Harding
1985
Best Defense
Sonny
1984
Mister Roberts
Dowdy
1984
Blue Thunder
Martin C. Sharp · (1 episode)
1984
Night Court
Dworkin · (1 episode)
1984
Night Court
God #1 · (1 episode)
1984
Night Court
Ward · (1 episode)
1984
Night Court
Frank Pepitone · (2 episodes)
1984
Cheers
Walt Twitchell · (3 episodes)
1982
A Christmas Carol
Marley's Ghost
1981
The Taming of the Shrew
Gremio
1976
Columbo
Howard Seltzer · (1 episode)
1971
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
Mort Catafalque
1970
Hawaii Five-O
Parole Officer · (1 episode)
1968