Richard Riehle, the actor well known for playing Tom Smykowski in the 1999 film “Office Space,” has died, according to a report [1] cited by NewsNation. TMZ reported the death of the performer, whose work included more than 400 projects.
Riehle reportedly died of natural causes on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles. The report did not provide additional circumstances surrounding his death, focusing instead on the extensive collection of film and television appearances he amassed.
For many viewers, Riehle was closely associated with Tom Smykowski, his character in “Office Space.” The 1999 film remained a prominent entry among the hundreds of projects on which the actor worked.
Richard Riehle, the character actor best known for playing Tom Smykowski in “Office Space,” died of natural causes on Oct. 15. He was 78.
Riehle appeared in more than 400 film and TV projects, including “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “The Fugitive,” “Grounded for Life,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Wedding Crashers” and “Bridesmaids.”
He also portrayed Santa Claus in eight different projects throughout his career.
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— Variety (@Variety) October 19, 2026 [2]
His screen work reached well beyond that role. Riehle appeared throughout the “Star Trek” franchise, adding multiple appearances from that franchise to a professional record that extended across television and movies.
His television work also included guest appearances on “Psych,” “The Middle,” “NCIS,” and “The West Wing.” Those shows were among the various television projects that featured Riehle during his career.
The list highlights how regularly Riehle moved among different television productions. While “Office Space” supplied his best-known role identified in the report, his work encompassed numerous other characters and programs.
Riehle also appeared in “The Fugitive,” one of several movies named in the report. His film credits further included “Of Mice and Men,” expanding the list of notable productions connected to the actor.
“Wedding Crashers” was another movie featuring Riehle. He also appeared in “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo,” adding both films to a roster that ultimately formed part of his more than 400 projects.
The actor was also seen in “Mercury Rising.” Together with “The Fugitive,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Wedding Crashers,” and “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo,” the film represented another portion of his extensive screen work.
Riehle’s appearances across the “Star Trek” franchise stood alongside his guest roles on established television programs. The report specifically identified “Psych,” “The Middle,” “NCIS,” and “The West Wing” among those shows.
Before building that large catalog of acting work, Riehle attended both the University of Notre Dame and the University of Minnesota. The report identified him as a Wisconsin native who later died in Los Angeles.
His connection to Wisconsin and attendance at two universities were among the personal details included in the account. The central focus, however, remained his acting work and the breadth of projects attached to his name.
More than 400 projects made up Riehle’s reported professional output. That total included the movie role for which he was especially well known, appearances throughout a major franchise, guest television work, and numerous film credits.
The report’s list of television appearances ranged from “Psych” and “The Middle” to “NCIS” and “The West Wing.” It did not identify his individual characters on those programs, but confirmed his presence as a guest performer.
Likewise, the movie list extended considerably beyond “Office Space.” “The Fugitive,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo,” and “Mercury Rising” were all specifically named among his film appearances.
NewsNation attributed the report of Riehle’s death to TMZ. The account said he died from natural causes on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles, marking the death of an actor whose work reached audiences through hundreds of projects.