Acting
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.
Filmography
New Neighbors
Film · 2016
A Serious Man
Film · 2009
Sweet Land
Film · 2005
Factotum
Film · 2005
North Country
Film · 2005
Black Scorpion
Series · 2001
Star Trek: Insurrection
Film · 1998
After Jimmy
Film · 1996
The Big Squeeze
Film · 1996
3rd Rock from the Sun
Series · 1996
Illegal in Blue
Film · 1995
My Brother's Keeper
Film · 1995
Nowhere Man
Series · 1995
Caroline in the City
Series · 1995
Cries from the Heart
Film · 1994
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Film · 1994
Babylon 5
Series · 1994
Due South
Series · 1994
ER
Series · 1994
Touched by an Angel
Series · 1994
Caught in the Act
Film · 1993
Barbarians at the Gate
Film · 1993
Frasier
Series · 1993
The X-Files
Series · 1993
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Series · 1993
Saved by the Bell: The New Class
Series · 1993
Class Act
Film · 1992
Aftermath: A Test of Love
Film · 1991
Under Cover
Film · 1991
Doc Hollywood
Film · 1991
Under Cover
Series · 1991
Home Improvement
Series · 1991
Silk Stalkings
Series · 1991
Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Film · 1990
Challenger
Film · 1990
Wings
Series · 1990
Working Girl
Series · 1990
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
Film · 1989
The War of the Roses
Film · 1989
Seinfeld
Series · 1989
Coach
Series · 1989
Snoops
Series · 1989
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Film · 1988
The Wonder Years
Series · 1988
Empty Nest
Series · 1988
Dear John
Series · 1988
Murphy Brown
Series · 1988
Empty Nest
Series · 1988
Eisenhower and Lutz
Series · 1988
Throw Momma from the Train
Film · 1987
Burglar
Film · 1987
The Stepford Children
Film · 1987
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Series · 1987
The Popcorn Kid
Series · 1987
J.J. Starbuck
Series · 1987
Beauty and the Beast
Series · 1987
ALF
Series · 1986
ALF
Series · 1986
Fresno
Series · 1986
Matlock
Series · 1986
L.A. Law
Series · 1986
Deadly Messages
Film · 1985
The Twilight Zone
Series · 1985
The Golden Girls
Series · 1985
Mister Roberts
Film · 1984
Best Defense
Film · 1984
Night Court
Series · 1984
Night Court
Series · 1984
Night Court
Series · 1984
Night Court
Series · 1984
Blue Thunder
Series · 1984
Cheers
Series · 1982
St. Elsewhere
Series · 1982
Newhart
Series · 1982
A Christmas Carol
Film · 1981
The Taming of the Shrew
Film · 1976
Columbo
Series · 1971
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
Film · 1970
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
Seed of Doubt
Film