# Richard Riehle

Richard Riehle (born May 12, 1948) is an American character actor. He portrayed Walt Finnerty on Grounded for Life (2001–2005). He has also appeared in over 200 films, including Of Mice and Men (1992), The Fugitive (1993), Jury Duty (1995), Executive Decision (1996), Mercury Rising (1998), Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), and Wedding Crashers (2005).

## Life and career

Riehle was born on May 12, 1948, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the son of Mary Margaret (née Walsh), a nurse, and Herbert John Riehle (1921–1961), an assistant postmaster. He attended the University of Notre Dame and then went on to complete an MFA at University of Minnesota. Riehle began acting at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan and was doing regional theatre in the Pacific Northwest when he got his very first film role in the John Wayne film Rooster Cogburn.
Riehle has portrayed the role of Santa Claus in eight different projects, including five films, two television shows, and a television movie.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977 | Joyride | The Bartender | |
| 1987 | Rachel River | Mervyn "Merv" | |
| 1989 | Black Rain | Internal Affairs Detective Crown | |
| 1989 | Glory | Kendric, The Quartermaster | |
| 1991 | Shadows and Fog | Roustabout | |
| 1991 | Fried Green Tomatoes | Reverend Scroggins | |
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kiss | Jerry Blier | |
| 1992 | The Public Eye | Officer O'Brien | |
| 1992 | Of Mice and Men | Carlson | |
| 1992 | Hero | Robinson | |
| 1993 | Body of Evidence | Detective Griffin | |
| 1993 | Free Willy | Wade | |
| 1993 | The Fugitive | Old Guard | |
| 1993 | A Dangerous Woman | John, Drycleaner Owner | |
| 1994 | Iron Will | Burton | |
| 1994 | Lightning Jack | Marcus | |
| 1994 | Holy Matrimony | Greeson | |
| 1995 | Casino | Charlie Clark | |
| 1995 | Stuart Saves His Family | Judge | |
| 1995 | Jury Duty | Principal Beasley | |
| 1995 | Dominion | Larry | |
| 1995 | Killer: A Journal of Murder | Warden Quince | |
| 1995 | Lone Justice 2 | The Mayor | |
| 1996 | Executive Decision | Air Marshal George Edwards | |
| 1996 | Too Fast Too Young | Sergeant | |
| 1996 | The Fan | Shopkeeper | |
| 1996 | Driven | Leo | |
| 1996 | Last Resort | Phil Billingsley | |
| 1996 | Ghosts of Mississippi | Tommy Mayfield | |
| 1997 | Trading Favors | Highway Patrolman | |
| 1997 | One Eight Seven | Walter | |
| 1997 | Cold Night Into Dawn | Gerald | |
| 1997 | One of Our Own | Burt Herchak | |
| 1997 | A River Made to Drown In | Heavyset Man | |
| 1997 | Dilemma | Captain Ross | |
| 1998 | Desperate Measures | Warden Ed Fayne | |
| 1998 | Mercury Rising | Edgar Halstrom | |
| 1998 | The Odd Couple II | The Sheriff | |
| 1998 | Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | Dune Buggy Driver | Cameo |
| 1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Coast Guard Officer | |
| 1998 | The Lesser Evil | Detective Smitts | |
| 1998 | Judas Kiss | Security Guard | |
| 1998 | Richie Rich's Christmas Wish | Sergeant Mooney | |
| 1998 | Mighty Joe Young | Commander Gorman | |
| 1999 | The Arrangement | Detective Bert Hershak | |
| 1999 | Kill the Man | Mr. Ellias | |
| 1999 | Office Space | Tom Smykowski | |
| 1999 | Blink of an Eye | Main Prison Guard | |
| 1999 | Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo | Bob Bigalow | |
| 2001 | The Fluffer | Sam Martins | |
| 2001 | Say It Isn't So | Sheriff Merle Hobbs | |
| 2001 | Crash Point Zero [fr] | Alan Douglas | |
| 2001 | Joe Dirt | Car Dealer | |
| 2001 | Bandits | Lawrence Fife | |
| 2001 | The Socratic Method | Professor Myers | |
| 2001 | The Gristle | Starnes | |
| 2002 | Ken Park | "Murph" Murphy | |
| 2002 | Time Changer | Dr. Wiseman | |
| 2003 | The Hebrew Hammer | Santa Claus | |
| 2003 | Beethoven's 5th | Vaughn Carter | |
| 2004 | Death and Texas | Prison Warden | |
| 2004 | Home on the Range | Sheriff Sam Brown | Voice |
| 2004 | Palindromes | Dr. Dan | |
| 2004 | Mysterious Skin | Charlie | |
| 2005 | Neo Ned | Officer Pendleton | |
| 2005 | The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green | Hat Sister | |
| 2005 | Wedding Crashers | Funeral Guest | Uncredited |
| 2005 | The 12 Dogs of Christmas | Mayor Nobel Doyle | |
| 2006 | The Lost | Bill Richmond | |
| 2006 | Intellectual Property | Detective Rees | |
| 2006 | Hot Tamale | Sheriff Pinkham | |
| 2006 | Hatchet | Jim Permatteo | |
| 2006 | The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell | The Narrator, Paranormal Historian | |
| 2006 | Down the P.C.H. | Ricky | |
| 2006 | National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2 | Captain Bunkley | |
| 2006 | Little Big Top | Bob | |
| 2006 | The Darkroom | Emilio | |
| 2006 | Price to Pay | Hooper | |
| 2006 | Midnight Clear | Tommy | |
| 2006 | Fierce Friend | Phone Tech | |
| 2006 | Domestic Import | Sam, The Mailman | |
| 2007 | Smiley Face | Mr. Spencer | |
| 2007 | The Memory Thief | Judaica Store Clerk | |
| 2007 | Choose Connor | Grant Miller | |
| 2007 | The Man from Earth | Dr. Will Gruber | |
| 2007 | Spinning into Butter | Paul Meyers | |
| 2007 | My Father | John Parker | |
| 2007 | A Plumm Summer | Art Bublin | |
| 2007 | Wasting Away | Colonel South | |
| 2007 | Resurrection Mary | Detective Mahoney | |
| 2007 | Big Stan | Judge | |
| 2007 | Desperate Escape | Croaker Norge | |
| 2008 | The Last Word | Man At Gorge | |
| 2008 | Red | Sam Berry | |
| 2008 | Hindsight | Peter | |
| 2008 | The Temerity of Zim | Mr. Brown | Short film |
| 2008 | Green Flash | Herb | |
| 2008 | Your Name Here | Literary Agent Lipschitz | |
| 2008 | Audie & the Wolf | Michael Ludlow | |
| 2008 | Bait Shop | Gus | |
| 2008 | Necessary Evil | Captain Parsons | |
| 2009 | Stellina Blue | Dr. Helfenstein | |
| 2009 | Nowhere to Hide | Toley | |
| 2009 | Messengers 2: The Scarecrow | Jude Weatherby | |
| 2009 | Project Solitude | Frederick Sterling | |
| 2009 | Halloween II | Buddy, The Night Watchman | |
| 2009 | Play Dead | Truck Driver | |
| 2009 | The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu | Mr. Snodgrass | |
| 2010 | Growth | Larkin Holberman | |
| 2010 | 5 Star Day | Jim, The Plumber | |
| 2010 | Spork | Clyde | |
| 2010 | BoyBand | Principal Collins | |
| 2010 | Miss Nobody | Leonard Ormsby | |
| 2010 | Screwball: The Ted Whitfield Story | Joe Francia, The Umpire | |
| 2010 | 1,001 Ways to Enjoy the Missionary Position | Charlie | |
| 2010 | The Search for Santa Paws | Santa Claus | |
| 2010 | Lights Out | Harold | |
| 2010 | Killer by Nature | Warden Upton | |
| 2010 | Darnell Dawkins: Mouth Guitar Legend | Hal "Howlin' Hal" Halsby | |
| 2011 | The Back-up Bride | Sonny Spur | |
| 2011 | Bridesmaids | Bill Cozbi | |
| 2011 | Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer | The Ringmaster | |
| 2011 | Chillerama | Cecil Kaufman | Segment: "Zom-B-Movie" |
| 2011 | A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas | Santa Claus | |
| 2011 | Black Velvet | The Sheriff | |
| 2011 | Finding Hope | Sheriff Avery | Short film |
| 2012 | Treasure Buddies | Thomas Howard | |
| 2012 | Extracted | Father Riley | |
| 2012 | Waterwalk | Jim T. | |
| 2012 | FDR: American Badass! | Senator Bronson | |
| 2012 | Last Call | Harold | |
| 2012 | Bad Ass | Father Miller | |
| 2012 | The Watermen | Belvin Lee Smith | |
| 2012 | 3 Days of Normal | Chief Dale Nickens | |
| 2012 | Stitch in Time | Norman Stitch | |
| 2012 | Dead Man's Burden | Hank "Three Penny Hank" | |
| 2012 | BearCity 2: The Proposal | Gabe | |
| 2012 | Breathless | Deputy Cole | |
| 2013 | Texas Chainsaw 3D | Farnsworth | |
| 2013 | Blue Dream | Ted Sellers | |
| 2013 | Lonely Boy | Mr. Fitz | |
| 2013 | Girl Meets Boy | Raymond | |
| 2013 | Lionhead | Bronowitz, The Lawyer | |
| 2013 | The Secret Village | Paul | |
| 2013 | Coffee, Kill Boss | Vincent Brutsi | |
| 2013 | Mischief Night | The Trucker | |
| 2013 | Friend Request | Frank | |
| 2013 | Munchausen | The Doctor | Short film |
| 2014 | The Scribbler | Officer O'Reilly | |
| 2014 | There's Always Woodstock | Mr. Harmon | |
| 2014 | Gone Doggy Gone | Stan Janson | |
| 2014 | In Your Eyes | Mr. Padgham | |
| 2014 | Lovesick | The Father | |
| 2014 | Friended to Death | Dan | |
| 2014 | The Cabining | "Sarge" | |
| 2014 | Transformers: Age of Extinction | The Landlord | |
| 2014 | One Week Vacation | Kevin Winters | Short film |
| 2014 | The Turtle's Head | Detective Bing Shooster | Short film |
| 2014 | The Three Dogateers | Santa | |
| 2014 | Pilot Error | Roy Grimm | |
| 2015 | Amnesiac | The Postman | |
| 2015 | Primrose Lane | Officer Braggs | |
| 2015 | Roommate Wanted | Dr. Hoffman | |
| 2015 | Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant | The Bartender | |
| 2015 | Contracted: Phase II | "Deuce" Gelman | |
| 2015 | Daddy | Al Rubin | |
| 2015 | Sex, Death and Bowling | Father Joe | |
| 2015 | Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves | Sheriff Ryan | |
| 2015 | Dementia | Sam | |
| 2015 | Jimmy's Jungle | Grandpa Bell | |
| 2016 | Pee-wee's Big Holiday | Dan | |
| 2016 | Fear, Inc. | Bill | |
| 2016 | Medal of Victory | Ted Crump | |
| 2016 | Citrus Springs | George | |
| 2016 | Last Man Club | Grady | |
| 2016 | Heels | Calvin Lackey | |
| 2016 | Schlep | Uncle Bill | |
| 2017 | Miyubi | Grandfather | Short film |
| 2017 | Swing State | Tom Fleischman | |
| 2017 | Breaking Legs | Principal Bater | |
| 2017 | Nowhere, Michigan | Martin | |
| 2017 | Pitching Tents | Grandpa | |
| 2017 | 20 Weeks | Keenan | |
| 2017 | You Have a Nice Flight | Bob | |
| 2017 | The Meanest Man in Texas | Mr. Kilpatrick | |
| 2017 | Aquarians | Father Rob | |
| 2017 | Golden Vanity | The Radio Announcer | |
| 2017 | Delight in the Mountain | Judge George Hinton | |
| 2018 | Bad Apples | Principal Dale | |
| 2018 | For the Hits | Grandpa George | |
| 2018 | Bullitt County | The Mister | |
| 2018 | Hyde Park | Clarence Potts | |
| 2018 | Fishbowl California | Glen | |
| 2018 | PawParazzi | Bobby | |
| 2018 | West of Hell | Mr. Braxton | |
| 2018 | Living Room Coffin | Nate | |
| 2018 | The Invisible Mother | Archie | |
| 2018 | Randy's Canvas | Professor Hausdorff | |
| 2018 | The Acorn | Mr. Ives | Short film |
| 2018 | Puppy Star Christmas | Santa Claus | |
| 2019 | Limbo | Phil | |
| 2019 | Chase | Turley | |
| 2019 | 15 Minutes at 400 Degrees | John | Short film |
| 2019 | 3 from Hell | Sheriff Wolfe | |
| 2019 | The Incredible Enzo | The Magician | Short film |
| 2019 | What's Buried in the Backyard | Allen Palms | |
| 2019 | Made Vicious | Lawyer Justice | |
| 2021 | Destination Marfa | "Skeeter" | DVD, Amazon, and VUDU |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1978 | The Other Side of Hell | Tattooed Man | Television film |
| 1989 | My Two Dads | Ed Steinbauer Jr. | Episode: "Say Goodnight, Gracie" |
| 1989 | Dragnet | Oliver Brady | Episode: "Nouveau Gypsies" |
| 1989 | Falcon Crest | George Beeker | Episode: "Payback" |
| 1989 | Cross of Fire | Duvall | Television film |
| 1989 | Cast the First Stone | Dickson | Television film |
| 1989, 1990 | Quantum Leap | Clifford Vargas, Lieutenant Lannon | 2 episodes |
| 1989, 1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Sergeant Devon O'Malley, Aaron | 2 episodes |
| 1989–1993 | L.A. Law | Roger Beekman, Edmund Clancy | 3 episodes |
| 1990 | Nasty Boys | Gardner | Episode: "The Good, the Bad, and the Nasty" |
| 1990 | His & Hers | Mr. Mueller | Episode: "Dueling Therapists" |
| 1990 | People Like Us | Anthony Feliciano | Television film |
| 1990 | Broken Badges | Unknown Character | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1990–1991 | Ferris Bueller | Principal Ed Rooney | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | L.A. Detective Miller | Episode: "The Malibu Mystery" |
| 1991 | The Golden Girls | Detective Parres | Episode: "Never Yell Fire in a Crowded Retirement Home: Part 1" |
| 1991 | Keeper of the City | Captain Walder | Television film |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Richard Sturdevant | Episode: "Whippet 'Til It Breaks" |
| 1992 | Roseanne | Mr. Evans | Episode: "Lies" |
| 1992 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Batai | Episode: "The Inner Light" |
| 1992 | On the Air | Dr. Winky | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | For Their Own Good | Dave Butler | Television film |
| 1993 | Shaky Ground | Henry McCallister | Episode: "Love Thy Neighbor]" |
| 1993 | Sirens | Irving Chattle | Episode: "Keeping the Peace" |
| 1993 | Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life | Judge Longley | 4 episodes |
| 1993 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss | Mort Aberdine | Television film |
| 1994 | Shadow of Obsession | Applegate | Television film |
| 1994 | Gambler V: Playing for Keeps | Frank DiMaio | Television film |
| 1995 | Get Smart | Mr. Winters | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1995 | Trial by Fire | Fred Cobb | Television film |
| 1995 | Too Something | Unknown Character | Episode: "The Candidate" |
| 1996 | The Client | Sergeant Phil Rucker | Episode: "Motherless Child" |
| 1996 | Terminal | Security Chief | Television film |
| 1996 | Murder One | Pat Ferguson | Episode: "Chapter Twenty-Three" |
| 1996 | Kirk | Dr. Arthur Bacanovic | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | The Single Guy | Mr. Van Wagner | Episode: "Best Man" |
| 1996, 1999 | Diagnosis: Murder | Deputy Sheriff Harmon Tolliver, Dustin Woods | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Men Behaving Badly | Stranger | Episode: "The Odds Couple" |
| 1997 | High Incident | Roy | Episode: "Knock, Knock" |
| 1997 | Perversions of Science | Gorn | Episode: "People's Choice" |
| 1997 | Ally McBeal | Jack Billings | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | The Visitor | Principal Shinagel | Episode: "Fear of Flying" |
| 1997 | The Practice | Mr. Holt | Episode: "Sex, Lies, and Monkeys" |
| 1997 | Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest | Jack Ogden | Television film |
| 1998 | Brooklyn South | Donald Jarman | Episode: "Tears on My Willow" |
| 1998 | The Pretender | Graham Hawkes | Episode: "Indy Show" |
| 1998 | The Pentagon Wars | General Vice | Television film |
| 1998 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Merrick | Episode: "Becoming: Part 1" |
| 1998 | When the Bough Breaks II: Perfect Prey | Detective Bevlan | Television film |
| 1998 | The Ransom of Red Chief | The Narrator, Sheriff "T-Bone" Yankum | Television film |
| 1998 | Mr. Murder | John Wexel | Television film |
| 1998 | Chicago Hope | Milo Schwarz | Episode: "Sarindipity" |
| 1998 | Maggie | The Frog | Voice, episode: "The Greatest Story Ever Toad" |
| 1998 | Home Improvement | Detective Roberts | Episode: "Bewitched" |
| 1998 | Route 9 | Agent Wallace | Television film |
| 1998 | Columbo | Sergeant Degarmo | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Hard Time: The Premonition | Captain Waters | Television film |
| 1999 | Au Pair | Sam Morgan | Television film |
| 1999 | Hard Time: Hostage Hotel | Captain Waters | Television film |
| 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager | Seamus Driscol | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Dr. Whitney | Episode: "Ax and You Shall Receive" |
| 2000 | Providence | Simon, Inspector | Episode: "The Storm" |
| 2000 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Jedediah | Episode: "The Wild, Wild Witch" |
| 2000 | Any Day Now | Unknown Character | Episode: "Nothing Personal" |
| 2001 | The West Wing | Officer Jack Sloan | 2 episodes |
| 2001–2005 | Grounded for Life | Walt Finnerty | 45 episodes |
| 2002 | The Laramie Project | Henderson Trial Judge | Television film |
| 2002 | ER | Mandrake Patient | Episode: "A Hopeless Wound" |
| 2002 | Another Pretty Face | Hilton March | Television film |
| 2003 | Fillmore! | Leo Grant | Voice, episode: "Masterstroke of Malevolence" |
| 2003 | Tremors | Helmut Krause | Episode: "The Key" |
| 2003 | Monster Makers | Detective Brennan | Television film |
| 2003–2004 | Married to the Kellys | Uncle Dave | 10 episodes |
| 2004 | MNTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 | Ernie Wilson | Television film |
| 2004 | Star Trek: Enterprise | Dr. Jeremy Lucas | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Detective | Father Uxbridge | Television film |
| 2005 | Boston Legal | Dr. Barry Glouberman | Episode: "The Ass Fat Jungle" |
| 2006 | George Lopez | Eddie Carter | Episode: "It's a Cliffhanger, by George" |
| 2006 | All of Us | Sergeant Nelson | Episode: "Police... Open Up" |
| 2007 | 7th Heaven | Crossroads Mayor | Episode: "Inked" |
| 2007 | American Body Shop | Bishop Thomas K. O'Banyon | Episode: "The Bishop and the Pawn" |
| 2007 | The Young and the Restless | Warden McQueen | 10 episodes |
| 2008 | Our First Christmas | Santa | Television film |
| 2008–2011 | Poor Paul | Grandpa Paul, Big Chief Malcolm Roaring Boar | 10 episodes |
| 2009 | Psych | Army Johnson | Episode: "Earth, Wind and... Wait for It" |
| 2009 | Better Off Ted | Bob | Episode: "Get Happy" |
| 2010 | Funny or Die Presents | Jerry, The Mayor | Episode: "Episode Five" |
| 2010, 2011 | Nick Swardson's Pretend Time | Ellen's Grandfather, The Mayor | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Kickin' It | Mr. Coburn | Episode: "The Great Escape" |
| 2012 | Lake Effects | Chairman McCarren | Television film |
| 2012 | The Client List | Jim Richardson | Episode: "Games People Play" |
| 2012 | Men at Work | Gus | Episode: "Wake and Bake" |
| 2012 | The League | Santa Claus | Episode: "A Krampus Carol" |
| 2013 | The Mindy Project | George Menken | Episode: "Mindy's Brother" |
| 2013 | Modern Family | Norman | Episode: "The Future Dunphys" |
| 2013, 2018 | Drunk History | James Roche, Ralph Himmelsbach | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Mob City | Sergeant Kuzyk | Episode: "Red Light" |
| 2013–2014 | The Legend of Korra | Bumi, Additional Voices | Voice, 17 episodes |
| 2014 | Maron | David Anthony Sr. | Episode: "The Mom Situation" |
| 2014 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Umpire Bill Kessel | Episode: "Nick Offerman Wears a Green Flannel Shirt & Brown Boots" |
| 2014 | Mystery Girls | Walt | Episode: "Haunted House Party" |
| 2014 | Mom | John | Episode: "Chicken Nuggets and a Triple Homicide" |
| 2014 | Two and a Half Men | Santa | Episode: "Family, Bublé, Deep-Fried Turkey" |
| 2015 | Black-ish | Solomon | Episode: "Big Night, Big Fight" |
| 2015 | The Soul Man | Larry | Episode: "Tell It Like It Isn't" |
| 2015 | Axe Cop | Science Corp Scientist, Secret President Larry, Tutukaka Male | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2015–2017 | NCIS | Walt Osorio | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Major Crimes | Mr. Lutz | Episode: "Skin Deep" |
| 2016 | The Real O'Neals | Father Bernard | Episode: "The Real Move" |
| 2016–2018 | The Middle | Sheriff Dugan | Episode: "Roadkill" |
| 2017 | Love at First Glance | Wally Moore | Television film |
| 2017 | Real Rob | Kyle | Episode: "Priorities" |
| 2017 | Superior Donuts | Murray | Episode: "Flour Power" |
| 2017 | Mr. Student Body President | Principal | Episode: "Last Year" |
| 2017 | In the Rough | Duke "Chopper" McNeil | 7 episodes |
| 2018 | Another Period | Congressman | Episode: "Congress" |
| 2018 | Corporate | Hubert | Episode: "Society Tomorrow" |
| 2018 | A Very Nutty Christmas | Dosselmeyer | Television film |
| 2019 | Now Apocalypse | Neil | Episode: "The Downward Spiral" |
| 2019 | American Housewife | Gerald | Episode: "Field Trippin'" |
| 2020 | Fuller House | Uncle Monty | Episode: "Family Business" |
| 2023 | Barry | The Warden | 2 episodes |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom | Chief Technician Robert "Pliers" Sykes | |