Richard Riehle, character actor best known for ‘Office Space,’ dies at 78 - BERITAJA

Richard Riehle, a prolific characteristic character whose bushy mustache and knack for portraying beleaguered middlemen made him a favourite of Hollywood casting board for decades, has died, his representatives said Monday.

He was 78. Riehle’s representatives said he died complete the play but did not supply specifications about the cause.

Riehle was champion known for his supporting domiciled successful Mike Judge’s firm satire “Office Space” arsenic Tom Smykowski, an anxious merchandise head who rages against the imaginable of getting laid off. (“I person group skills! I americium bully astatine dealing pinch people! Can’t you understand that?”).

He near an belief moreover pinch scant surface time, whether playing a racist quartermaster successful “Glory,” a defender who allows Harrison Ford to fly successful “The Fugitive,” a mob banker who gets cursed retired by Joe Pesci successful Martin Scorsese’s “Casino,” aliases a kindly car mechanic who helps retired Kristen Wiig successful “Bridesmaids.”

Riehle’s hundreds of credits see scores of TV roles, specified arsenic Principal Ed Rooney connected the short-lived sitcom “Ferris Bueller,” a gruff grandfather connected “Grounded for Life” and a constabulary serviceman connected “The West Wing.” He about precocious appeared arsenic a situation prison guard connected HBO’s acheronian drama “Barry.”

“Beyond his immense talent, he will beryllium remembered for his genuine goodness, boundless kindness, and unwavering generosity, peculiarly toward emerging actors and filmmakers, whom he encouraged and supported astatine each opportunity,” his talent agency and guidance institution said successful a statement.

“Grounded for Life” prima Donal Logue paid tribute to Riehle connected Facebook, describing his co-star arsenic “an astonishing quality being” and a “consummate professional.”

“He was an actor’s character — humble, kind, and unthinkable astatine his craft,” Logue wrote. “I had to apologize to him aft his last web audition for ‘Grounded’ because he made maine laughter truthful hard, I collapsed characteristic and fell to the floor.”

Riehle made his surface acting debut arsenic an unnamed bartender successful the 1977 road-trip movie “Joyride,” the first of much than 400 credits crossed movie and television.

Richard Mathias Riehle was calved connected May 12, 1948, successful Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Notre Dame, wherever he joined the field theatrical group and grew fond of shape acting.

“I ever wanted the domiciled that would bring thing retired of me, unit maine to find thing extra,” Riehle told Notre Dame Magazine for the wintertime 2011-2012 issue. “The lead isn’t ever the champion portion successful a play aliases a movie.”