Phil Rubenstein Phil Rubenstein was the actor who played the part of a San Francisco garbage man in the film . Born in The Bronx , New York , he died of a heart attack in Los Angeles , California at the age of 51 . Career . 1970s . Rubenstein ' s acting career was brief by Hollywood standards . After making his film debut in the 1976 thriller " Dark Sunday " , he appeared on an episode of " Kojak " along with s Robert Picardo in 1977 . He would later work with Picardo in a 1986 episode of " Hardcastle and McCormick " entitled " Brother , Can You Spare a Crime ? " , which , in addition to series regulars Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly , also featured Leslie Bevis , Kenneth Mars , and Claudette Nevins . The next project Rubenstein and Picardo appeared in together was the 1986 comedy film " Back to School " , which co - starred Adrienne Barbeau , DS9 regular Terry Farrell , Sally Kellerman and Michael McGrady . Later in 1977 , Rubenstein appeared in the TV movie " Contract on Cherry Street " with ENT guest stars Michael Nouri and Tucker Smallwood . In 1979 , he was a regular on the short - lived CBS situation comedy series " Working Stiffs " , appeared on the CBS drama series " The White Shadow " with Madge Sinclair , and in an episode of the hit sitcom " Taxi " , along with series regular Christopher Lloyd and Dick Miller . His first major studio film was the 1979 musical drama " The Rose " , which also featured Jonathan Banks . 1980s . Television . In 1980 , Rubenstein appeared opposite Marc Alaimo in the " Nine Hours " episode of " The Incredible Hulk " , written and directed by Nicholas Corea . That same year , he appeared in an episode of " Trapper John , M . D . " directed by Murray Golden entitled " If You Can ' t Stand the Heat " . ( Rubenstein returned to this series in 1986 , in an episode co - starring Gary Lockwood . ) In 1981 , Rubenstein appeared on the comedy series " Barney Miller " with Ron Glass , Allan Miller , and Kenneth Tigar , and had a small role in the TV movie " A Small Killing " , starring Jean Simmons and Andrew Prine and featuring Nicholas Guest . In 1982 , Rubenstein appeared on William Shatner ' s police drama series , " T . J . Hooker " . In addition to Shatner , the series also starred James Darren and Richard Herd ; Richard McGonagle appeared in Rubenstein ' s episode , as well . Rubenstein then made three appearances on the police drama " Hill Street Blues " , one in 1983 and two in 1984 , each time playing a different role . Barbara Bosson and James B . Sikking were regulars on this series . In 1984 , Rubenstein was seen in the TV movies " Getting Physical " ( with Earl Boen , William Boyett , and an uncredited Spice Williams ) and " Gone Are the Days " ( directed by Gabrielle Beaumont and featuring Bibi Besch , Ted Gehring , and Olaf Pooley ) . In addition , he made the first of two appearances on " Night Court " , the hit NBC comedy series starring John Larroquette ; he made his second appearance on the show in 1986 . In 1985 , he appeared on " Highway to Heaven " ( in an episode with Anthony Zerbe ) and appeared on the show again the following year . Other television shows he on which he guest - starred throughout the 1980s include " Cassie & Co . " ( with Phillip Richard Allen and Robert Hooks ) , " Gimme a Break ! " ( starring John Hoyt ) , " Remington Steele " ( starring James Read , in an episode with Peter Vogt ) , " Airwolf " ( with Paul Carr and Henry Darrow ) , " Knight Rider " ( with Alan Oppenheimer ) , " Crazy Like a Fox " ( starring John Rubinstein , in an episode with Stan Ivar ) , " Hunter " ( with Biff Yeager ) , " Scarecrow and Mrs . King " ( with Earl Billings and Stanley Kamel ) , " Comedy Factory " ( with Hamilton Camp and Kitty Swink ) , " Murder , She Wrote " ( with James Sloyan and David Ogden Stiers ) , and " L . A . Law " ( starring Corbin Bernsen and Larry Drake , in an episode with Raye Birk ) . In 1986 , Rubenstein appeared the TV movie " Intimate Encounters " with Clyde Kusatsu . In the 1988 " CBS Summer Playhouse " production entitled " Dr . Paradise " , Rubenstein worked alongside Frank Langella ( in the title role ) , Tommy Hinkley , and the aforementioned Sally Kellerman . That same year , Rubenstein appeared in the TV movies " Frank Nitti : The Enforcer " with Mike Starr and " Crossing the Mob " with Joey Aresco , Robert Costanzo and Louis Giambalvo . Films . Rubenstein had a small role in the 1982 film " The Last American Virgin " , starring Lawrence Monoson . In 1984 , he appeared alongside Vincent Schiavelli in the film " Kidco " . He also had a small role in the musical comedy film " Rhinestone " that same year , along with Chip Heller and Leslie Morris . In 1985 , Rubenstein had a supporting role in the independent film " The Boys Next Door " , as did Christopher McDonald . The following year , he appeared in the film " Body Slam " , along with Ellen Albertini Dow . He then played a mannequin factory boss in the 1987 comedy film " Mannequin " , starring Kim Cattrall . He also had a role in the cult 1988 film " Elvira , Mistress of the Dark " , starring W . Morgan Sheppard . The final years . In 1989 , he appeared in three films : " The Runnin ' Kind " with Julie Cobb , James Cromwell , and Kenneth Tigar ; " My Mom ' s a Werewolf " with John Schuck ; and " Tango & Cash " with Marc Alaimo , Roy Brocksmith , Richard Fancy , Teri Hatcher , Clint Howard , Leslie Morris , Glenn Morshower , and Michael J . Pollard . Rubenstein then appeared in 1990 ' s " RoboCop 2 " , along with Bill Bolender , Roger Aaron Brown , Gabriel Damon , Robert DoQui , John Glover , Galyn Görg , Stephen Lee , Tzi Ma , Jeff McCarthy , Mark Rolston , and star Peter Weller . Rubenstein had quite possibly his largest film role in the 1991 comedy " Another You " , opposite Craig Richard Nelson , Michael J . Pollard , Vincent Schiavelli , Vanessa Williams , and Biff Yeager . The following year , he made his final television appearance , in the final episode of the short - lived situation comedy " Drexell ' s Class " , starring Dakin Matthews . Rubenstein died three months after this episode was aired .