Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Raye Birk

Highest Rated: 86% The Naked Gun (1988)

Lowest Rated: 17% Class Act (1992)

Birthday: May 27, 1943

Birthplace: Flint, Michigan, USA

Prolific actor of the stage and screen Raye Birk gained celebrity as the villainous Papshmir in the irreverent police spoof "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" A lifelong acting enthusiast, Birk received a degree in theater in the late '60s, and taught his craft at Southern Methodist University and the University of Southern California over the course of his career. He appeared in Hollywood in the '70s, scoring guest spots on popular police series like "Hill Street Blues" and "Remington Steele," and supporting roles in sci-fi oddballs "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension" and "Amazon Women on the Moon." His eclectic and often bizarre taste saw him gravitate toward series like the '80s revival of "The Twilight Zone" and the extraterrestrial sitcom "ALF." By the end of the decade, Birk had landed a recurring role as the antagonistic assistant principal Mr. Diperna on the nostalgia series "The Wonder Years," and portrayed postal employee Walt Twitchell on three episodes of bar-bound comedy "Cheers" and its spin-off, "Frasier." Birk also portrayed recurring characters on the sports sitcom "Coach

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

86% 84% The Naked Gun Watchlist
71% 75% Barbarians at the Gate
Watchlist
67% 51% Doc Hollywood Watchlist
43% 60% The Big Squeeze
Watchlist
17% 72% Class Act
Watchlist
The Stepford Children
Watchlist
Columbo: A Trace of Murder
Watchlist
88% Aftermath: A Test of Love
Watchlist
0% Morgue
Watchlist
19% Gas-s-s-s
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 0% Morgue Unknown (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Columbo: A Trace of Murder Howard Seltzer (Character) - 1997
43% 60% The Big Squeeze Contractor (Character) $23.6K 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cries From the Heart Unknown (Character) - 1994
71% 75% Barbarians at the Gate Travis Gaines (Character) - 1993
17% 72% Class Act Principal Kratz (Character) $11.1M 1992
67% 51% Doc Hollywood Simon Tidwell (Character) $51.8M 1991
No Score Yet 88% Aftermath: A Test of Love Dr. Frenzel (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 47% Challenger Unknown (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 44% Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again Judge Brown (Character) - 1990
86% 84% The Naked Gun Pahpshmir (Character) $77.9M 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Stepford Children George Larson (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet 19% Gas-s-s-s Mort Catafalque (Character) - 1970

TV

Credit
95% 95% Frasier Walt Twitchell (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Black Scorpion Dr. Phineas Phoenix (Character) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet 92% Babylon 5 Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 81% Columbo Howard Seltzer (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Caroline in the City Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 85% ER Mr. Hartley (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wings Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
74% 86% The X-Files Dr. Jeff Eckerle (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nowhere Man Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murphy Brown Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
89% 92% Seinfeld Mr. Pless (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nurses Unknown (Guest Star) 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Coach Riley Pringle (Guest Star) 1989-1990 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dear John Unknown (Guest Star) 1992
87% 95% Cheers Walt Twitchell (Guest Star) 1992
No Score Yet 88% The Wonder Years Mr. Diperna (Guest Star) 1988-1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Perfect Strangers Unknown (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Newhart Unknown (Guest Star) 1984 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mr. Belvedere Unknown (Guest Star) 1985 1988
No Score Yet 86% Beauty and the Beast Edmonton (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet 79% ALF Lenny Scott (Guest Star) 1987-1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Lt. Fifer (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mary Waiter (Guest Star) 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Sister Sam Unknown (Guest Star)