Tom Skerritt, the veteran actor known for Alien, Top Gun and the television drama Picket Fences, died Wednesday, October 21, at age 93.
His family announced his death on October 22, saying he died of natural causes. In a statement reported by The Associated Press, they remembered a husband, father and grandfather whose interests extended far beyond Hollywood.
His film career began with 1962’s War Hunt, alongside Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack. He later worked with Robert Altman on M*A*S*H and Redford again on A River Runs Through It, moving between war stories, family dramas and blockbuster adventures.
His later credits included the 2021 drama East of the Mountains, in which he played a retired surgeon confronting the end of his life, and the 2025 Western Broke, with Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid.
His Family Remembers His Humor, Curiosity and Generosity
“We knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives,” the family said in its statement, published by PEOPLE.
Skerritt is survived by his wife, Julie Tokashiki, their blended family of five children: Andy, Erin, Matt, Colin and Emiko, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He and Tokashiki met while he was working on Picket Fences and married in 1998.
The family thanked friends, colleagues and fans for their support, requested privacy and said information about a memorial would be announced later.
From Detroit to the Sets of ‘Alien’ and ‘Top Gun’
Born in Detroit on August 25, 1933, Skerritt initially wanted to direct. In a 2016 Film Comment interview, he recalled taking up acting to overcome shyness and self-consciousness. Once professional roles arrived, he treated film sets as places to learn how movies were made.
That interest helped shape one of his most enduring roles. Skerritt initially passed on Alien because its proposed budget was small and no director was attached. Seeing Ridley Scott’s The Duellists, then learning that Scott would direct with a larger budget, changed his mind.
In the 1979 film, Dallas commands the commercial spacecraft Nostromo. His attempt to track the creature through the ship’s ventilation system becomes one of the crew’s most frightening encounters.
Seven years later, Skerritt played Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in Top Gun. The veteran naval aviator trains Tom Cruise’s Maverick and helps him understand the circumstances of his father’s death.
His other film credits included The Turning Point, The Dead Zone, Steel Magnolias and Contact. At 80, he made his Broadway debut in A Time to Kill, playing attorney Lucien Wilbanks in the 2013 adaptation of John Grisham’s novel.
‘Picket Fences’ Brought Skerritt His Emmy Win
Skerritt was nearly 60 when Picket Fences premiered on CBS in September 1992. Created by David E. Kelley, the drama followed the residents of fictional Rome, Wisconsin, where unusual crimes and personal disputes regularly collided.
He played Sheriff Jimmy Brock, with Kathy Baker as his wife, Dr. Jill Brock. Their marriage and family life were central to a show that could move from a police investigation to an argument at home.
The role earned Skerritt the 1993 Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. He received another nomination the following year, according to the Television Academy’s official records.
Skerritt credited Kelley’s writing and Baker’s involvement with persuading him to accept another television series. He also directed episodes during the show’s four-season run, which ended in 1996.
Skerritt Helped Veterans Tell Their Own Stories
Before becoming an actor, Skerritt spent four years in the U.S. Air Force. Decades later, he helped create a program for veterans finding their footing after military service.
In 2012, he and former Army Captain Evan Bailey co-founded the Red Badge Project. The nonprofit’s workshops teach writing and communication skills, helping participants shape stories from their own experiences.
Its stated goals include a stronger sense of purpose, self-worth and community. The project also conducts outreach to participants’ families and peers. By May 2024, CBS News reported, more than 1,000 veterans had participated across five Washington cities.