Tom Skerritt, Hollywood Actor Best Known for ‘Alien’ and ‘Top Gun’, Dies at 93
Legendary actor Tom Skerritt, renowned for his iconic roles in 'Alien', 'Top Gun', 'MASH', and his Emmy-winning performance in Picket Fences, has passed away at the age of 93 due to natural causes. Spanning a distinguished six-decade career that began with his 1962 debut in War Hunt after serving in the US Air Force.
Veteran actor Tom Skerritt, known for his memorable roles in classic films such as Alien and Top Gun alongside his Emmy-winning television work in Picket Fences, has died at the age of 93. As per Variety, his publicist confirmed that he passed away on Wednesday of natural causes. Mushtaq Khan Passes Away: 'Welcome' Actor Dies at 56 After Battling Cancer.
Skerritt built a celebrated six-decade screen career defined by rugged charm and memorable performances across both film and television.
He won an Emmy Award in 1993 and received a nomination in 1994 for portraying Jimmy Brock, the sheriff of the quirky town at the centre of David E. Kelley’s CBS dramedy Picket Fences.
On the big screen, Skerritt delivered iconic performances in a wide range of genres. In Ridley Scott's landmark sci-fi horror film 'Alien' (1979), he starred as Dallas, the captain of the Nostromo. He also worked alongside Tony Scott as Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf, the chief instructor at the naval fighter school in the 1986 box-office megahit Top Gun.
His extensive film credits further include Robert Altman’s MASH (1970) as surgeon Duke Forrest, Robert Redford's adaptation of A River Runs Through It (1992) as a Presbyterian minister, and Seth MacFarlane’s comedy Ted (2012).
Born in Detroit, Skerritt attended Wayne State University and UCLA before completing a stint in the US Air Force. He made his feature film debut in the 1962 Korean War drama War Hunt. Nana Patekar Dies at 75; Veteran Actor Suffered Cardiac Arrest in Goa.
He is survived by his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, whom he married in 1998, and his children Andy, Matt, Erin, and Colin from his previous marriages to Charlotte Shanks and Sue Oran.
