Veteran actor Tom Skerritt, best remembered for playing Captain Dallas in Alien and Viper in Top Gun, has died at the age of 93. He died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, according to his family.
The news was reported by CBS News on Thursday via a statement from Skerritt's publicist. His career, which spanned over 60 years, made him one of Hollywood's most dependable character actors.
"In this time of great loss, we are heartbroken," his family said in a statement. "While the rest of the world remembers him for his incredible career in acting, we will remember him for his sense of humor, his curious nature, his wisdom, his generosity and for the love that he brought into our lives." According to the family statement, Skerritt had great passion for imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, nature and the voice of others.
Skerritt was born on Aug. 25, 1933, in Detroit. According to NPR, he described himself as "a blue collar kid from Detroit who served in the U.S. Air Force and attended UCLA before becoming an actor." He was 37 years old when he made his breakthrough with Robert Altman's 1970 film "MAS*H" and continued building a career in both film and television.
Skerritt played roles of authority figures who were also warm. NPR notes that it's impossible not to use the term rugged about Skerritt starting from his mustache and jaw ending up with the crinkly eyes.
Among Skerritt's best known roles were:
- "Alien" (1979) – Captain Dallas, doomed leader of the ship Nostromo.
- "Top Gun" (1986) – Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf, flight instructor who teaches Maverick played by Tom Cruise.
- "Steel Magnolias" (1989) – Husband of Sally Field.
- "A River Runs Through It" (1992) – The strict Reverend Maclean in Robert Redford's movie.
- "Contact" (1997) – The opportunist trying to stop Jodie Foster's character.
- Skerritt also played Shirley MacLaine's husband in "Turning Point" and small town sheriff in "The Dead Zone".
On television, Skerritt received most acclaim in his role of the benevolent sheriff in a small town in David E. Kelley's "Picket Fences" aired between 1992 and 1996.
In total, the show won 14 Emmys and a Golden Globe, while Skerritt won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1993. He was nominated for the Emmy two times.
Among his later television appearances were an arc on "Cheers" and recurring appearances on "Madam Secretary," "The Good Wife," "Brothers & Sisters," and "White Collar." His last film appearance was in the 2025 Western movie "Broke."
According to reports, Skerritt and Redford had earlier vied for the same lead role in a movie, with Redford beating Skerritt for the part. Later, when Redford became the director of "A River Runs Through It," he awarded Skerritt the coveted role of Reverend as repayment with compounded interest.
Skerritt frequently praised the 1986 film. According to Fox News Digital, he first met Tom Cruise at age 25 while he was discussing the role with director Tony Scott and the film's producers. He said his own military experience influenced his interpretation of the character since military is basically the same regardless of which branch you are in.
Besides this, Skerritt was an educator and an activist. He established TheFilmSchool in Seattle in order to assist aspiring filmmakers and storytellers. Moreover, the Skerritt family also pointed out his passion for service and veterans as well as his involvement in environmental conservation.
The tributes from Skerritt's colleagues appeared shortly after the news spread. One of the celebrities who worked with him is Lauren Holly, who starred alongside Skerritt in the TV show "Picket Fences." According to Lauren Holly, Skerritt was one of the best leaders in the crew whom everyone loved and respected.
CNN noted that he was an everyman actor whose work had a unique combination of unshakable authority and charm.
Skerritt left behind his wife Julie Tokashiki, five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, as reported by ABC News. The funeral date has not been specified yet.
Hardly any other actors have been part of so many successful films or shows over such a prolonged period of time. After appearing in the sci-fi horror movie "Alien", Skerritt was cast as an actor in the military movie "Top Gun", literary quiet movie "A River Runs Through It" and small-town drama "Picket Fences".
Young people watched his performance in remastered versions of "Top Gun" movie while older generation remembered him for the movies like "MAS*H" or "The Blue Millionaire" that were filmed in the 1970s. He continued his acting career until late 90s, long after most of his peers retired from business.
