Raye Birk
Raye Birk
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 33​1⁄3: 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
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
74
Gender
Male
Birthday
1943-05-27 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
Flint, Michigan, USA
Acting

2016

New Neighbors as Not available

2009

A Serious Man as Dr. Shapiro

2005

North Country as Tom Motel Clerk

2005

Factotum as Heathercliff

2005

Sweet Land as Postal Clerk

2001

Black Scorpion as Dr. Phineas Phoenix

1998

Star Trek: Insurrection as Son'a Doctor

1996

3rd Rock from the Sun as Jeweler

1996

The Big Squeeze as Contractor

1996

After Jimmy as John Davies

1995

Nowhere Man as Tobe Alder

1995

Caroline in the City as Danny

1995

Ned and Stacey as Earl

1995

Illegal in Blue as Gary Dedmarch

1995

My Brother's Keeper as Dr. Roth

1994

Touched by an Angel as Mr. McFarlane

1994

Babylon 5 as William

1994

ER as Mr. Hartley

1994

Due South as Francis Bolt

1994

Cries from the Heart as Not available

1993

The X-Files as Dr. Jeff Eckerle

1993

Frasier as Walt Twitchell

1993

Saved by the Bell: The New Class as Superintendent Stoneman

1993

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as Prosecuting Attorney

1993

Caught in the Act as Sterling

1992

Class Act as Principal Kratz

1991

Home Improvement as Fred

1991

Silk Stalkings as Atticus Dunn

1991

Doc Hollywood as Simon Tidwell, First Patient

1991

Under Cover as Grimbach

1991

Under Cover as Grimbach

1991

Aftermath: A Test of Love as Dr. Frenzel

1990

Wings as Prince Restivon

1990

Challenger as Joseph Kilminster

1989

Seinfeld as Mr. Pless

1989

Coach as Riley Pringle

1989

Snoops as Mr. Nelson

1988

The Wonder Years as Mr. Diperna

1988

Murphy Brown as Barney

1988

Empty Nest as Judge Talmadge

1988

Empty Nest as Albert

1988

Dear John as Dr. Hendricks

1988

Eisenhower and Lutz as Bjorn

1987

J.J. Starbuck as Not available

1987

The Popcorn Kid as Leonard Brown

1987

Burglar as The Jogger

1987

The Stepford Children as George Larson

1986

L.A. Law as Judge Steven Lang

1986

ALF as Lenny Scott

1986

ALF as Officer Griswald

1986

Matlock as Simon Le Simple

1986

Fresno as Mr. Loats

1985

The Twilight Zone as (segment "Lost and Found")

1985

The Golden Girls as Caterer

1985

Deadly Messages as Harding

1984

Night Court as Dworkin

1984

Night Court as God #1

1984

Night Court as Ward

1984

Night Court as Frank Pepitone

1984

Blue Thunder as Martin C. Sharp

1984

Best Defense as Sonny

1984

Mister Roberts as Dowdy

1982

Cheers as Walt Twitchell

1981

A Christmas Carol as Marley's Ghost

1971

Columbo as Howard Seltzer

1968

Hawaii Five-O as Parole Officer