Raye Birk
Known for Acting · 73 credits
- Born
- 1943-05-27 (age 83)
- Place of birth
- Flint, Michigan, USA
- Also known as
- Ray 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 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
TV Shows (41)
Seinfeld
1989
as Mr. Pless
Columbo
1971
as Howard Seltzer
The X-Files
1993
as Dr. Jeff Eckerle
ER
1994
as Mr. Hartley
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987
as Wrenn
Frasier
1993
as Walt Twitchell
Cheers
1982
as Walt Twitchell
Babylon 5
1994
as William
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Parole Officer
Home Improvement
1991
as Fred
Coach
1989
as Riley Pringle
L.A. Law
1986
as Judge Steven Lang
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Mr. McFarlane
Night Court
1984
as Dworkin / God #1 / Ward / Frank Pepitone
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
as Jeweler
Wings
1990
as Prince Restivon
The Wonder Years
1988
as Mr. Diperna
St. Elsewhere
1982
as Irish Patient
The Golden Girls
1985
as Caterer
Matlock
1986
as Simon Le Simple
Due South
1994
as Francis Bolt
ALF
1986
as Officer Griswald / Lenny Scott
The Twilight Zone
1985
as (segment "Lost and Found")
Silk Stalkings
1991
as Atticus Dunn
Murphy Brown
1988
as Barney
Caroline in the City
1995
as Danny
Empty Nest
1988
as Judge Talmadge / Albert
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
1993
as Superintendent Stoneman
Dear John
1988
as Dr. Hendricks
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993
as Prosecuting Attorney
Nowhere Man
1995
as Tobe Alder
Blue Thunder
1984
as Martin C. Sharp
Snoops
1989
as Mr. Nelson
Black Scorpion
2001
as Dr. Phineas Phoenix
J.J. Starbuck
1987
Eisenhower and Lutz
1988
as Bjorn
Fresno
1986
as Mr. Loats
Working Girl
1990
as Mr. Dixon
Under Cover
1991
as Grimbach
Beauty and the Beast
1987
as Edmonton
The Popcorn Kid
1987
as Leonard Brown
Movies (32)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
as Pahpshmir
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
as Papshmir
North Country
2005
as Tom Motel Clerk
Star Trek: Insurrection
1998
as Son'a Doctor
A Serious Man
2009
as Dr. Shapiro
Doc Hollywood
1991
as Simon Tidwell, First Patient
Factotum
2005
as Heathercliff
Throw Momma from the Train
1987
as Pinsky
Burglar
1987
as The Jogger
Barbarians at the Gate
1993
as Travis Gaines
Sweet Land
2005
as Postal Clerk
Best Defense
1984
as Sonny
Class Act
1992
as Principal Kratz
Caught in the Act
1993
as Sterling
Illegal in Blue
1995
as Gary Dedmarch
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
1989
as Sam Morgan
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
1990
as Judge Brown
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
1970
as Mort Catafalque
My Brother's Keeper
1995
as Dr. Roth
Challenger
1990
as Joseph Kilminster
Aftermath: A Test of Love
1991
as Dr. Frenzel
After Jimmy
1996
as John Davies
Deadly Messages
1985
as Harding
The Stepford Children
1987
as George Larson
Under Cover
1991
as Grimbach
Cries from the Heart
1994
Mister Roberts
1984
as Dowdy
The Big Squeeze
1996
as Contractor
The Taming of the Shrew
1976
as Gremio
A Christmas Carol
1981
as Marley's Ghost
New Neighbors
2016
Seed of Doubt
as Dr. Bill Larson
About 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 Wo… With 73 credits spanning from 1968 to 2016, Raye Birk has appeared in 32 films and 41 TV shows.
Fans searching for Raye Birk movies, Raye Birk filmography, or the latest projects starring Raye Birk can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Raye Birk Movies
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) — as Pahpshmir
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) — as Papshmir
- North Country (2005) — as Tom Motel Clerk
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) — as Son'a Doctor
- A Serious Man (2009) — as Dr. Shapiro
Where to Watch Raye Birk Films
Most Raye Birk movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Raye Birk, check our movies catalogue and browse page.