‘Alien’ and ‘Top Gun’ actor Tom Skerritt dies at 93

Veteran Hollywood actor Tom Skerritt best known for his performances in Alien Top Gun and the television drama Picket Fences has died at the age of 93.

Veteran Hollywood actor Tom Skerritt best known for his performances in Alien Top Gun and the television drama Picket Fences has died at the age of 93.

Skerritt died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 according to his publicist who confirmed the news to Variety. His career spanned several decades with memorable roles across film and television.

The actor gained widespread recognition for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock in CBS’s Picket Fences which aired from 1992 to 1996. His performance earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 1993. He received another Emmy nomination the following year and was also nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work on the series.

Skerritt appeared in several celebrated films during his career. In Robert Altman’s 1970 film MASH he played surgeon Duke Forrest. He later portrayed Captain Dallas the commander of the spaceship Nostromo in Ridley Scott’s science-fiction horror film Alien (1979) starring alongside Sigourney Weaver.

In 1986, Skerritt appeared in the action blockbuster Top Gun as Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf, sharing the screen with Tom Cruise. His other film credits included The Turning Point A River Runs Through It Steel Magnolias The Dead Zone Contact and Ted.

Beyond cinema, Skerritt maintained a substantial television career appearing in popular programmes such as The West Wing, Law & Order: SVU, Brothers & Sisters, The Good Wife and Madam Secretary.

Born Thomas Roy Skerritt in Detroit Michigan he attended Wayne State University and the University of California, Los Angeles. Before entering the entertainment industry he served in the United States Air Force. His film debut came in the 1962 Korean War drama War Hunt.

Skerritt is survived by his wife Julie Tokashiki whom he married in 1998 and his four children Andy, Matt, Erin and Colin.

His passing marks the loss of a seasoned performer whose work connected him with audiences across generations through acclaimed television dramas and enduring Hollywood films.