Office Space actor Richard Riehle dies at 78

Actor Richard Riehle, known for playing Tom Smykowski in the comedy Office Space, died at 78, according to reports published October 19. He died of natural causes in Los Angeles on October 15, according to reporting that cited friends and Variety’s account. The cause and circumstances were not detailed further in the reports. Riehle built a long career as a character actor across film and television. Variety reported that he appeared in more than 400 films, television shows and other projects. His roles ranged from comedy to drama, often in supporting parts. His best-known role was Tom Smykowski in the 1999 film Office Space. Smykowski is a product manager at the fictional company Initech who is laid off, survives a hit-and-run and receives a financial settlement. He uses the money to pursue an invention, the Jump to Conclusions mat. The character’s workplace frustrations and unusual business idea made him a memorable part of the film. On television, Riehle played Walt Finnerty on Grounded for Life and appeared in multiple Star Trek productions. His roles included Batai in The Next Generation episode The Inner Light. He also had guest appearances on series including NCIS, The...