Raye Birk
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.
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Movies (33)
New Neighbors
2016
Un hombre serio
2009 · Dr. Shapiro
Sueños de vida
2005 · Postal Clerk
Factotum
2005 · Heathercliff
Tierra Fria
2005 · Tom Motel Clerk
Viaje a las estrellas: Insurrección
1998 · Son'a Doctor
After Jimmy
1996 · John Davies
The Big Squeeze
1996 · Contractor
Illegal in Blue
1995 · Gary Dedmarch
My Brother's Keeper
1995 · Dr. Roth
Cries from the Heart
1994
¿Y dónde está el policía? 33⅓: El insulto final
1994 · Papshmir
Caught in the Act
1993 · Sterling
Barbarians at the Gate
1993 · Travis Gaines
Class Act
1992 · Principal Kratz
Doc Hollywood
1991 · Simon Tidwell, First Patient
Aftermath: A Test of Love
1991 · Dr. Frenzel
Under Cover
1991 · Grimbach
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
1990 · Judge Brown
Challenger
1990 · Joseph Kilminster
The War of the Roses
1989 · Auctioneer (uncredited)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
1989 · Sam Morgan
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988 · Pahpshmir
Throw Momma from the Train
1987 · Pinsky
Burglar
1987 · The Jogger
The Stepford Children
1987 · George Larson
Deadly Messages
1985 · Harding
Best Defense
1984 · Sonny
Mister Roberts
1984 · Dowdy
A Christmas Carol
1981 · Marley's Ghost
The Taming of the Shrew
1976 · Gremio
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
1970 · Mort Catafalque
Seed of Doubt
· Dr. Bill Larson
TV shows (42)
Black Scorpion
2001 · Dr. Phineas Phoenix
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996 · Jeweler
Caroline in the City
1995 · Danny
Nowhere Man
1995 · Tobe Alder
Due South
1994 · Francis Bolt
El Toque de un Angel
1994 · Mr. McFarlane
Sala de urgencias
1994 · Mr. Hartley
Babilonia 5
1994 · William
Frasier
1993 · Walt Twitchell
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993 · Superintendent Stoneman
Los Expedientes Secretos X
1993 · Dr. Jeff Eckerle
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993 · Prosecuting Attorney
Silk Stalkings
1991 · Atticus Dunn
Mejorando la Casa
1991 · Fred
Under Cover
1991 · Grimbach
Wings
1990 · Prince Restivon
Working Girl
1990 · Mr. Dixon
Snoops
1989 · Mr. Nelson
Seinfeld
1989 · Mr. Pless
Coach
1989 · Riley Pringle
Murphy Brown
1988 · Barney
Empty Nest
1988 · Judge Talmadge, Albert
Dear John
1988 · Dr. Hendricks
Eisenhower and Lutz
1988 · Bjorn
The Wonder Years
1988 · Mr. Diperna
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987 · Wrenn
J.J. Starbuck
1987
Beauty and the Beast
1987 · Edmonton
The Popcorn Kid
1987 · Leonard Brown
Fresno
1986 · Mr. Loats
ALF
1986 · Officer Griswald, Lenny Scott
L.A. Law
1986 · Judge Steven Lang
Matlock
1986 · Simon Le Simple
The Twilight Zone
1985 · Time-Traveller (segment "Lost and Found")
The Golden Girls
1985 · Caterer
Blue Thunder
1984 · Martin C. Sharp
Night Court
1984 · Dworkin, God #1, Ward, Frank Pepitone
St. Elsewhere
1982 · Irish Patient
Newhart
1982 · Whitley McVeigh, Dean Dackman
Cheers
1982 · Walt Twitchell
Columbo
1971 · Howard Seltzer
Hawaii Five-O
1969 · Parole Officer