Richard Riehle, known for playing Tom Smykowski in “Office Space” and many other character actor roles, died of natural causes Oct. 15 in Los Angeles, Variety has confirmed. He was 78.
\n\nRiehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, on May 12, 1948. He attended the University of Notre Dame before receiving a masters from University of Minnesota. He began acting at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan, and was doing regional theatre in the Pacific Northwest when he appeared in the John Wayne film “Rooster Cogburn.”
\n\nAs Tom in “Office Space,” Riehle played the product manager who was laid off from Initech, survived a hit-and-run accident and landed a massive financial settlement that allowed him to follow his dreams and build his prototype “Jump to Conclusions” mat.
\n\nOn TV, he portrayed Walt Finnerty on “Grounded for Life.” He had multiple appearances across the “Star Trek” franchise, including the role of Batai in “The Next Generation” episode “The Inner Light.” He also had guest roles in shows like “NCIS,” “The Middle” and “The West Wing.”
\n\nRiehle appeared in over 400 films, television shows and other projects. His other roles include the ranch hand Carlson in “Of Mice and Men,” the…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/