Tom Skerritt (1933-2026)
Actor Tom Skerritt, best known for his roles in "Alien" and "Top Gun," has passed away. He was 93 years old.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1933, he served in the U.S. Air Force before beginning an acting career, often in military roles. He made his first on-screen appearance in 1962, when he acted opposite a young Robert Redford in "War Hunt." His breakthrough role came in 1970, when he played surgeon Duke Forrest in Robert Altman's war comedy "M*A*S*H," which was adapted into a television series years later.
His other 1970s film roles include "Harold and Maude," "The Turning Point," "Fuzz," "Thieves Like Us," and "Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke." Skerritt later played Captain Arthur Dallas in Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi/horror movie "Alien," after originally passing on the role. The ensemble included Sigourney Weaver, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, John Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, and Veronica Cartwright, and Skerritt was among them.
In the 1980s, Skerritt appeared in films such as "The Dead Zone," "Wisdom," "SpaceCamp," "Poltergeist III," and "Steel Magnolias." However, his most memorable role from that decade is probably Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf, Tom Cruise's instructor in "Top Gun."
In 1992, Skerritt reunited with director Robert Redford for his drama "A River Runs Through It, where he played the father of Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer's character. Later, he acted in "Singles," "Contact," "Smoke Signals," "The Other Sister," "Tears of the Sun," "Whiteout," and "A Hologram for the King." Skerritt made a cameo appearance as himself in Seth MacFarlane's 2012 comedy "Ted."
On television, he played Sheriff Jimmy Brock in the television series "Picket Fences." For that role, Skerritt earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He also appeared in other shows like "Cheers," "Brothers & Sisters," "Huff," and "The Good Wife."
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