Richard Riehle, 'Office Space' actor, dies at 78

Richard Riehle, known for playing Tom Smykowski in the comedy Office Space (1999), has died at age 78 of natural causes in Los Angeles, according to his representatives.

The American actor appeared in more than 400 films and TV series over a career spanning nearly five decades. In addition to Office Space, he appeared in productions such as Casino, Glory, The Fugitive, Wedding Crashers, and Bridesmaids, as well as in several Star Trek series.

His most memorable role was that of Tom, the Initech employee who loses his job, survives an accident, and receives a settlement that he uses to finance his invention, the "Jump to Conclusions mat." That supporting character helped make Office Space a cult classic.

Riehle also played Walt Finnerty in the series Grounded for Life and continued working until 2026, with The Cowboy Killer as his final credit.