A career that began on the stage
Richard Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, on May 12, 1948. He studied at the University of Notre Dame and later earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota. His first acting work came at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan, and he was performing in regional theatre across the Pacific Northwest when he was cast in the John Wayne film Rooster Cogburn.[S1]
Tom Smykowski and the Office Space legacy
In Office Space, Riehle portrayed Tom, the product manager pushed out of Initech. The character survives a hit-and-run accident and receives a large financial settlement, which he uses to pursue his dream of building a prototype he called the Jump to Conclusions mat. The role made him a familiar figure to a generation of filmgoers.[S1]
News of his death was carried by multiple outlets, which remembered him as a character actor and a scene-stealer from Office Space and Bridesmaids. Variety reported that he died of natural causes on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles at the age of 78.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6]
Hundreds of roles across film and television
Riehle's television work included the role of Walt Finnerty on Grounded for Life, and he appeared more than once across the Star Trek franchise, among them Batai in the Next Generation episode The Inner Light. He also took guest parts on series such as NCIS, The Middle and The West Wing.[S1]
Over the course of his career he accumulated credits on more than 400 productions spanning film, television and other media. His parts included Carlson, the ranch hand, in Of Mice and Men; the corrections officer in The Fugitive who allows Harrison Ford's character to slip out of custody; and Principal Beasely in the Pauly Shore comedy Jury Duty. Further appearances came in Executive Decision, Mercury Rising, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Wedding Crashers and Bridesmaids.[S1]
Riehle took on the role of Santa Claus in eight different productions over his career — five feature films, two television series and one made-for-TV movie. He leaves behind his wife, Jane Latham, along with their four children.[S1]
