Richard Riehle, the character actor best known for playing Tom Smykowski in the 1999 comedy “Office Space,” died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 78.
Friends told TMZ, which first reported his death Monday, that he died of natural causes. His representatives at Artists & Representatives and Wright Entertainment confirmed his death in a statement but did not share details, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Entertainment outlets reported the news Monday, four days after his death.
A career spanning 400-plus credits
Riehle appeared in more than 400 film and television projects over the course of his career. His most enduring role came in “Office Space,” where he played Tom Smykowski, a product manager at the fictional software company Initech.
Tom’s arc — a layoff, a hit-and-run and a settlement that finally bankrolls his “Jump to Conclusions” mat — became one of the film’s lasting comedic touches.
His film credits also included “Glory,” “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “The Fugitive,” and “Casino.”
Television audiences knew Riehle as Walt Finnerty on the sitcom “Grounded for Life,” which aired on Fox and then The WB from 2001 to 2005. He also made guest appearances across the “Star Trek” franchise.
Holiday movie fans may recognize him from the 2018 Lifetime film “A Very Nutty Christmas,” which starred Melissa Joan Hart. More recently, he appeared in the 2024 Hallmark movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.”
From Wisconsin to Hollywood
Riehle was born May 12, 1948, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. He studied at the University of Notre Dame and earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota before landing his first screen role in the 1975 John Wayne western “Rooster Cogburn.”
His body of work, spanning nearly five decades of film and television, reflected the range typical of a performer who became a familiar face without always being a household name.
What’s next
Riehle is survived by his wife and four children, according to Gray News. Memorial plans have not been announced.
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