‘Office Space’ Actor Richard Riehle Dies at 78

Richard Riehle Dies at 78

Character actor Richard Riehle, best known for playing Tom Smykowski in the 1999 workplace comedy “Office Space,” died on Oct. 15 at age 78, Wright Entertainment Inc. said Monday. The company did not disclose a cause or other details. Friends later told TMZ that he died of natural causes.

Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1948. He studied at the University of Notre Dame, earned a master of fine arts at the University of Minnesota, worked in regional theater and made his film debut in an uncredited role in 1975’s “Rooster Cogburn.”

A Career Spanning Nearly Five Decades

Riehle accumulated more than 400 acting credits across film, television and voice work. His films included “Casino,” “The Man from Earth,” “Glory,” “The Fugitive” and “Fried Green Tomatoes,” while television appearances included “Grounded for Life,” “Modern Family,” “The Middle,” “The West Wing” and “Barry.”

He also played mechanic Bill Cozbi in “Bridesmaids,” principal Ed Rooney in the television adaptation of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and voiced Bumi in “The Legend of Korra.” In 2026, he appeared in “The Cowboy Killer” and “Boris Is Dead.”

Remembered for Tom Smykowski

In Mike Judge’s “Office Space,” Riehle portrayed Tom Smykowski, a cynical Initech product manager whose claim to specialized “people skills” becomes a memorable comic performance. The role also featured the fictional Jump to Conclusions mat, which fans later invoked in online tributes after news of his death circulated.

Riehle’s other widely recognized authority-figure roles included a Civil War quartermaster in “Glory,” a prison guard in “The Fugitive” and an air marshal in “Executive Decision.” Wright Entertainment said, “Our industry has lost an exceptional talent, and our community has lost a truly wonderful man.”