Richard Riehle, known for playing Tom Smykowski on “Office Space” and many other acting roles, died of natural causes on October 15 in Los Angeles. Variety confirmed. He was 78 years old.
Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin on May 12, 1948. He attended the University of Notre Dame before receiving a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. He began acting at the Meadow Brook Theater in Rochester, Michigan, and was doing regional theater in the Pacific Northwest when he appeared in the John Wayne film “Rooster Cogburn.”
As Tom in “Office Space,” Riehle plays the product manager who was laid off at Initech, survived a hit-and-run accident and received a massive financial settlement that allowed him to pursue his dreams and build his prototype “Jump to Conclusions” mat.
On television, he played Walt Finnerty in “Grounded for Life.” He has made several appearances in the “Star Trek” franchise, including the role of Batai in “The Next Generation” episode “The Inner Light.” He also had guest roles on shows like “NCIS,” “The Middle,” and “The West Wing.”
Riehle has appeared in more than 400 films, television shows and other projects. His other roles include Carlson, the ranch guard in “Of Mice and Men”, the guard who allowed Harrison Ford to escape in “The Fugitive”, Principal Beasely in the Pauly Shore comedy “Jury Duty” and roles in “Executive Decision”, “Mercury Rising”, “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo”, “Wedding Crashers”, “Bridesmaids” and many others. Over the course of his career and numerous roles, Riehle has portrayed Santa Claus in eight different projects, including five films, two television shows and one TV movie.
He is survived by his wife, Jane Latham, and their four children.
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