American actor Thomas Roy Skerritt, known professionally as Tom Skerritt, died on Wednesday (21) in the United States from natural causes. He was 93 years old and built a career in film and television that spanned from the 1960s to the 2020s.
His relatives publicly announced his death on Thursday (22) through an official statement. “Our family is deeply saddened to share that Tom Skerritt passed away on October 21, 2026, from natural causes. He was a loving husband to Julie; father to Andy, Erin, Matt, Colin, and Emiko; grandfather to Sara, Maddison, Sunny, Louisa, and Georgia; and great-grandfather to Marigold and Ravi. We are heartbroken by his loss,” the family stated. In the same note, they added: “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives.”
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Details confirmed by the family of Tom Skerritt
- Full name: Thomas Roy Skerritt
- Age at death: 93 years old
- Date of death: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Location: United States (exact city not disclosed)
- Cause of death: Natural causes
- Immediate survivors: Wife Julie Tokashiki, five children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren
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Major roles of Tom Skerritt in cinema and television
Skerritt gained major projection in cinema playing Army surgeon Duke Forrest in the Korean War dark comedy M*A*S*H (1970), directed by Robert Altman and co-starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, and Sally Kellerman. Nine years later, he portrayed Captain Dallas in Ridley Scott’s science fiction horror film Alien (1979), alongside Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, and John Hurt, participating in the famous scene where an extraterrestrial creature bursts from the torso of Hurt’s character. In 1986, director Tony Scott, brother of Ridley Scott, cast him as naval aviation instructor Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in the box office hit Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise.
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- Skerritt starred in the CBS drama series Picket Fences from 1992 to 1996 as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in a Wisconsin town, winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1993.
- He played the husband of Shirley MacLaine’s character in the ballet drama The Turning Point (1977), directed by Herbert Ross, and Drum Eatenton, husband of Sally Field’s character M’Lynn Eatenton, in Steel Magnolias (1989).
- He acted alongside Brad Pitt in the period drama A River Runs Through It (1992), directed by Robert Redford.
- His extensive filmography also includes roles in Harold and Maude (1971), Ice Castles (1978), The Dead Zone (1983), Poltergeist III (1988), Contact (1997), Tears of the Sun (2003), and Ted (2012).
Tom Skerritt from the US Air Force to Broadway
Born in Detroit, Michigan, on August 25, 1933, Skerritt served in the United States Air Force before entering the entertainment industry and making his film debut in 1962 in War Hunt, acting alongside a young Robert Redford. Reflecting on his versatility across different media during an interview in 1997, the actor declared: “A writer once described me as a character actor locked in a leading man’s body, and I’ve always loved that. It’s a nice compliment. I’ve been able to walk the line between television and features.” Married three times over his life, he also worked on stage in his later decades, appearing in Seattle and New York.
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Dates and milestones in the career of Tom Skerritt
- August 25, 1933 — Born in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
- 1962 — Made his cinema debut in the film War Hunt alongside Robert Redford.
- 1970 — Gained international recognition as Duke Forrest in M*A*S*H.
- 1979 — Starred as Captain Dallas in Ridley Scott’s Alien.
- 1986 — Played Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in Top Gun.
- 1993 — Won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Picket Fences.
- 2004 — Performed on stage as the narrator in Our Town at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle.
- 2013 — Made his Broadway debut in a stage adaptation of John Grisham’s A Time to Kill.
- October 21, 2026 — Died at age 93 from natural causes.
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The exact city where the death occurred and details regarding funeral services or a memorial ceremony were not disclosed in the family statement.
