'Office Space' star Richard Riehle dead at 78

Richard Riehle, the veteran character actor known for 'Office Space' and 'Grounded for Life', has died at 78

Richard Riehle, the veteran character actor known for his roles in Office Space and Grounded for Life, has died at the age of 78. The actor reportedly died of natural causes in Los Angeles on October 15, according to TMZ.

PEOPLE reported on October 19 that it had contacted a representative for Riehle for comment.

Born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1948, Riehle built a career spanning decades, earning hundreds of film and television credits. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Minnesota.

Riehle began his screen career with an appearance in the 1975 John Wayne film Rooster Cogburn. Alongside his work in film and television, he maintained a steady presence in regional theatre, making his Broadway debut in Execution of Justice in 1986. He later appeared in Broadway productions of The Iceman Cometh in 1999 and The Man Who Had All the Luck in 2002.

One of his most recognisable roles came in Mike Judge’s 1999 comedy Office Space, in which he portrayed Tom Smykowski, a software company employee. Riehle also gained recognition for playing Walt Finnerty on the Fox sitcom Grounded for Life, appearing in the series from 2001 to 2005.

His television credits included appearances across the Star Trek franchise and a guest role in Bill Hader’s comedy series Barry in 2023.

Riehle also appeared in several well-known films, including Of Mice and Men (1992), The Fugitive (1993), Jury Duty (1995), Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) and Wedding Crashers (2005).

He frequently portrayed Santa Claus, taking on the character in eight projects, including Our First Christmas and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. In 2026, his screen credits included The Cowboy Killer and Boris Is Dead.