Renowned actor Richard Riehle, known for his role as Tom Smykowski in the 1999 film Office Space, has passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 78. Sources from TMZ confirmed that his death on Thursday was due to natural causes.
Born in Wisconsin, Riehle’s career spanned over 400 film and television projects. His film appearances included notable titles such as Casino, Free Willy, and The Fugitive. In television, he was seen in series like Fuller House, The West Wing, and Grounded for Life. On Broadway, he took on roles in The Man Who Had All the Luck, The Iceman Cometh, and Execution of Justice.
Riehle attended the premiere of New Line Cinema’s A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on November 2, 2011, in Hollywood. Reflecting on his career in a 2019 interview, he shared his perspective on handling rejection. “I bring the best I can to the audition, and if that’s what they want, and if all the other stars align, I’ll get it,” he said to The Working Actor’s Journey blog.
His portrayal in Office Space remains one of his most memorable roles. Playing a project manager who envisioned a ‘Jump to Conclusions’ mat concept—met with criticism from his colleagues—Riehle depicted a character equally clueless about social interactions. In one scene, he expressed frustration, declaring, “I am good at dealing with people! Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?”
Riehle’s final credited role on IMDb was in The Cowboy Killer, featuring Ed Begley Jr. and Robert Carradine, who passed away in February. The movie premiered in July.