Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor known for roles in Alien, Top Gun and the television drama Picket Fences, has died at the age of 93, his family announced. His publicist confirmed the news to Variety, saying he died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21.
In a family statement, relatives described Skerritt as a loving husband, father and grandfather, remembering him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom and generosity, and said the world knew him through his remarkable acting career.
Skerritt was best known on film as Captain Dallas in Ridley Scott's 1979 science-fiction classic Alien and as Commander Mike 'Viper' Metcalf, the Top Gun flight instructor, opposite Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster, according to the Associated Press. On television, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1993 for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock on CBS's Picket Fences, after a nomination the previous year.
His six-decade career also included M*A*S*H, The Turning Point, Steel Magnolias, A River Runs Through It, Contact and Ted. Born in Detroit, he served in the United States Air Force before studying at UCLA, and in later years he supported independent film and a storytelling program for veterans.
He is survived by his wife, Julie Tokashiki, his children and grandchildren. No public memorial details have been announced; the family asked for privacy. Tributes from colleagues and fans have continued across the industry since the news broke.
Photo: Tom Skerritt in 2014. Credit: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.