Actor Tom Skerritt, Known for 'Alien' and 'Top Gun', Dies at 93
Tom Skerritt, a 93-year-old actor celebrated for roles in films such as "Alien" and "Top Gun" and for his Emmy-winning work on "Picket Fences," died of natural causes.
Tom Skerritt, the veteran actor whose career spanned more than six decades, died on Wednesday at the age of 93, his publicist confirmed to CBS News. The family said he died of natural causes.
Skerritt earned two Emmy nominations for his lead role in the CBS drama "Picket Fences," winning the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1993. His film credits included "The Turning Point," "Steel Magnolias," "Contact," and the iconic role of Captain Dallas in the 1979 science-fiction classic "Alien." He also appeared as Lieutenant Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf in the 1986 blockbuster "Top Gun."
"We are heartbroken by his loss," the family said in a statement.
Born in Detroit, Skerritt served four years in the Air Force before studying filmmaking at UCLA. His first screen appearance came in the 1962 independent war film "War Hunt," which also marked the debuts of Robert Redford, Sydney Pollack and Francis Ford Coppola. He later worked with Redford again in "A River Runs Through It," playing Reverend John Maclean.
In addition to film, Skerritt performed on stage, narrating "Our Town" at Seattle's Intiman Theatre in 2004 and making his Broadway debut in 2013 in an adaptation of John Grisham's "A Time to Kill."
His television work extended beyond "Picket Fences" to roles on "Brothers and Sisters," "Leverage," and a recurring part on "Cheers." He also starred in the Hallmark movie "What the Deaf Man Heard" and modeled for Guess jeans.
Skerritt is survived by his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, and five children.