Raye Birk was born in Flint, Michigan in 1943, where he spent his formative years before graduating from Southwestern High School in 1961. He then went on to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, earning a degree in theater in 1965. Subsequently, he received a Master of Fine Arts in theater from the University of Minnesota in 1967.
Following his academic pursuits, Raye taught acting and performed at Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1967 to 1970. He then embarked on a 13-year stint of professional acting and directing in regional theaters in Oregon, Milwaukee, and San Francisco, beginning in 1970. In 1983, he made the transition to Los Angeles, where he pursued opportunities in television and film, while still maintaining a strong connection to his first love, theater, by performing in at least one stage production annually during his 20-year residence in LA.
In 2003, Raye relocated to Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he has since appeared in 12 productions at the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, including notable titles such as "Pride and Prejudice", "Pygmalion", "Hamlet", "The Great Gatsby", and the musical "1776". Notably, he has played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Guthrie production of "A Christmas Carol" since 2005.
Throughout his life, Raye has been blessed with a loving family. He has been married to his wife, Candace Barrett, for an impressive 41 years, and they are proud parents of a son, Joshua, who is a professor of medieval history.
