Richie, played by Todd Giebenhain, is Francis' dim-witted best friend before military school and often visits him during his trips back home during the first two seasons. Lois has a dislike for him, believing he is a bad influence on Francis. Richie was later mentioned to be seeing BeeBee while Francis was at Marlin Academy.
He is implied to be even dumber than Reese. He is a vagabond and delinquent who was eventually shipped off to military school with Francis where he became friends with Spangler and ends up getting beat up by his fellow cadets and was sent home as a result. He was Reese's boss at a fast-food restaurant called Circus Burger, where he and his girlfriend, Greta, stole 4 hundred dollars from the register and framed Reese for theft. However, Malcolm and Barton catches on to the truth. After, Greta accidentally confesses in stealing more money, they and Reese confronts Richie. They punish him by forcing him to letting them throw parties at his house anytime, giving them free burgers for life, giving Reese his bean bag chair, and taking them to school and back. They mention that if Richie refuses, Malcolm and Reese he and his girlfriend would be sent to jail since she committed the robbery as well.
It is never explained why he is never seen again after season three or why Francis never visited him again after season 2. He once gave Francis an injury by clipping his toenails, hitting his eye with one when Francis stayed at his place. He is last mentioned in the episode Stilts in season 6, after this he is never seen or heard from again. Meaning that Francis ended his friendship with him after he found out Richie framed Reese for the robbery he and his girlfriend pulled.
Richie allowed Francis to stay at his house when he was kicked out, while staying they usually watched porn and Richie accidentally injured Francis' eye while clipping his toenails and burned himself while cooking burgers.
Episode Appearances[]
Season 1[]
- Home Alone 4 (First Appearance)
- Smunday
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
- Reese's Job (Last Appearance)
Trivia[]
- Todd Giebenhain was originally intended to return as Richie in Reese's Party as a gang leader to a bunch of hoodlums with Circus as his 2nd in command who takes over the house and was planned to be confronted by his mother alongside his other gang's mothers.