Character actor Richard Riehle dies at age 78

Character actor Richard Riehle has died at the age of 78. According to reports from the AV Club, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline, citing TMZ, Riehle died of natural causes in Los Angeles on October 15, 2026. Representatives at Artists & Representatives and Wright Entertainment confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter, stating that he passed away over the weekend. [3][4][7]

Riehle built a career spanning more than 400 screen projects, as noted by the AV Club, The Wrap, and Wikipedia. He was widely recognized for his turn as Tom Smykowski in the 1999 satirical comedy Office Space, written and directed by Mike Judge. His film portfolio also included appearances in major feature releases such as Glory, The Fugitive, Casino, Bridesmaids, and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, alongside television roles in Grounded for Life. [3][4][5][7][12][13][14]

Born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, on May 12, 1948, Riehle attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in speech and drama. He later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Arts and trained at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Rochester, Michigan, before establishing his long career in film and television production. [3][4][14]