Tom Skerritt dies at age 93

Tom Skerritt, an American actor best known for his roles in Alien, Top Gun, and M*A*S*H, has died of natural causes at age 93.

His career spanned over 60 years, from his screen debut with War Hunt in 1962 to the western drama Broke last year. His breakthrough came with his casting in 1970's M*A*S*H, while 1979's Alien made him a household name.

He won an Emmy for his role in Picket Fences and was nominated for two Golden Globes and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, among others.

“Our family is deeply saddened to share that Tom Skerritt passed away on October 21, 2026, from natural causes,” his family said in a statement shared with People. He is survived by his wife, five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The 80s saw Skerritt star in Top Gun and David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone. He also acted in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias alongside Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts. The latter paid tribute to him on Thursday, posting a photo of them captioned, "A shining light of a gentle man. RIP".

 

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In the 90s, Skerritt acted in A River Runs Through It alongside Brad Pitt, directed by Robert Redford. He was also in Contact with Jodie Foster, The Other Sister with Diane Keaton and Poison Ivy with Drew Barrymore.

The 2000s brought Tears of the Sun with Bruce Willis, Whiteout with Kate Beckinsale, and TV roles on Will & Grace, The West Wing and Brothers & Sisters.

Throughout his career, Skerritt had over 170 screen credits in total.

He also co-founded the Red Badge Project, an initiative which helps veterans process PTSD through storytelling. Skerritt himself served with the Air Force for four years before attending UCLA, where he was discovered as an actor.