Tom Skerritt, the American screen actor who first starred in Ridley Scott’s horror classic “Alien” (1979) and went on to have a career spanning more than seven decades, died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to a statement from his manager. He was 93 years old.
A statement released by Skerritt’s family said, “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought to our lives. He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world, and helping others find and share their voices.” “We are incredibly grateful for the love and support shown by his friends, colleagues and fans. We ask for privacy as our family grieves.”
Skerritt first rose to prominence playing surgeon Duke Forrest in Robert Altman’s Korean War comedy “M*A*S*H” (1970). At only 37, Skerritt was cast third in the feature behind more established stars of the time, Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould. This role led him to a prolific Hollywood career, earning him over 100 screen credits. He continued to act into the final years of his life, his most recent project being a supporting role in the 2025 western “Broke” starring Wyatt Russell.
After a series of leading roles in the ’70s (and a small role as a motorcycle cop in 1971’s “Harold & Maude”), Skerritt’s most enduring role came with “Alien”, in which he played Captain Dallas of the spaceship Nostromo. He was the film’s top-billed star, ahead of Sigourney Weaver, but his character didn’t end up as one of the longest-lived survivors of the Xenomorph.
In the ’80s, the often-mustachioed actor played memorable supporting roles in David Cronenberg’s “The Dead Zone,” Herbert Ross’s “Steel Magnolias” and Tony Scott’s blockbuster “Top Gun.” He also led the horror sequel “Poltergeist III”. Notable credits from the ’90s include “A River Runs Through It,” “The Rookie,” and “Contact.”
In 1993, Skerritt won a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in the CBS series “Picket Fences”; He was nominated again the following year. The program’s third and fourth seasons won the award for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1995 and 1996, respectively.
Thomas Roy Skerritt was born on August 25, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating high school before attending Wayne State University and the University of California, Los Angeles. His first feature film was the Korean War drama “War Hunt” (1962), starring John Saxon and Sydney Pollack.
Skerritt was also the founder of The Film School, a Seattle institution created to support emerging filmmakers. He co-founded The Red Badge Project to help veterans get help dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. skerritt even gave a ted talk In 2016 on both reasons. He also supported river conservation through partnerships with the Wildlands Festival, American Rivers, and the Gallatin River Task Force.
Skerritt married three times. He married his first wife, Charlotte Shanks, in 1957, before divorcing in 1972. His marriage to Sue Oran began in 1977 and ended in 1992. He was married to his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, from 1998 until his death. He is survived by Julie; his children, Andy, Erin Matt, Colin and Emiko; his grandchildren, Sarah, Madison, Sunny, Louisa and Georgia; and his great-grandchildren, Marigold and Ravi.