Acting · Flint, Michigan, USA · Born May 27, 1943
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.
MovieNew Neighbors
2016
MovieA Serious Man
2009
as Dr. Shapiro
MovieSweet Land
2005
as Postal Clerk
MovieFactotum
2005
as Heathercliff
MovieNorth Country
2005
as Tom Motel Clerk
TVBlack Scorpion
2001
as Dr. Phineas Phoenix
MovieStar Trek: Insurrection
1998
as Son'a Doctor
After Jimmy
1996
as John Davies
MovieThe Big Squeeze
1996
as Contractor
TV3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
as Jeweler
TVCaroline in the City
1995
as Danny
MovieIllegal in Blue
1995
as Gary Dedmarch
TVNowhere Man
1995
as Tobe Alder
My Brother's Keeper
1995
as Dr. Roth
MovieCries from the Heart
1994
TVDue South
1994
as Francis Bolt
TVTouched by an Angel
1994
as Mr. McFarlane
TVER
1994
as Mr. Hartley
MovieNaked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
as Papshmir
TVBabylon 5
1994
as William
TVFrasier
1993
as Walt Twitchell
TVSaved by the Bell: The New Class
1993
as Superintendent Stoneman
TVThe X-Files
1993
as Dr. Jeff Eckerle
TVThe Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993
as Prosecuting Attorney
MovieCaught in the Act
1993
as Sterling
MovieBarbarians at the Gate
1993
as Travis Gaines
MovieClass Act
1992
as Principal Kratz
TVSilk Stalkings
1991
as Atticus Dunn
TVHome Improvement
1991
as Fred
MovieDoc Hollywood
1991
as Simon Tidwell, First Patient
MovieAftermath: A Test of Love
1991
as Dr. Frenzel
Under Cover
1991
as Grimbach
MovieUnder Cover
1991
as Grimbach
MovieArchie: To Riverdale and Back Again
1990
as Judge Brown
TVWings
1990
as Prince Restivon
TVWorking Girl
1990
as Mr. Dixon
MovieChallenger
1990
as Joseph Kilminster
TVSnoops
1989
as Mr. Nelson
TVSeinfeld
1989
as Mr. Pless
TVCoach
1989
as Riley Pringle
MoviePerry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
1989
as Sam Morgan
MovieThe Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
as Pahpshmir
TVMurphy Brown
1988
as Barney
TVEmpty Nest
1988
as Judge Talmadge
TVDear John
1988
as Dr. Hendricks
TVEisenhower and Lutz
1988
as Bjorn
TVThe Wonder Years
1988
as Mr. Diperna
MovieThrow Momma from the Train
1987
as Pinsky
TVStar Trek: The Next Generation
1987
as Wrenn
TVJ.J. Starbuck
1987
TVBeauty and the Beast
1987
as Edmonton
TVThe Popcorn Kid
1987
as Leonard Brown
MovieBurglar
1987
as The Jogger
MovieThe Stepford Children
1987
as George Larson
TVFresno
1986
as Mr. Loats
TVALF
1986
as Officer Griswald
TVL.A. Law
1986
as Judge Steven Lang
TVMatlock
1986
as Simon Le Simple
TVThe Twilight Zone
1985
as Time-Traveller (segment "Lost and Found")
TVThe Golden Girls
1985
as Caterer
MovieDeadly Messages
1985
as Harding
MovieBest Defense
1984
as Sonny
MovieMister Roberts
1984
as Dowdy
TVBlue Thunder
1984
as Martin C. Sharp
TVNight Court
1984
as Dworkin
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Irish Patient
TVCheers
1982
as Walt Twitchell
A Christmas Carol
1981
as Marley's Ghost
MovieThe Taming of the Shrew
1976
as Gremio
TVColumbo
1971
as Howard Seltzer
MovieGas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
1970
as Mort Catafalque
TVHawaii Five-O
1968
as Parole Officer
Seed of Doubt
as Dr. Bill Larson
