Tom Skerritt, star of Alien, Top Gun and Picket Fences, dies at 93
The Emmy-winning American actor, who played the Nostromo's captain in Alien and Tom Cruise's commander in Top Gun, died of natural causes on October 21, his family said.
At a glance
- American actor Tom Skerritt died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the age of 93, his family said.
- He was known for Alien (1979), Top Gun (1986), Steel Magnolias (1989), A River Runs Through It (1992) and the TV series Picket Fences.
- He won the 1993 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences.
- Born in Detroit in 1933, he served four years in the US Air Force before studying film at UCLA.
- He is survived by his wife, Julie, five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Tom Skerritt, the American actor best known as Captain Dallas in Alien, Commander "Viper" Metcalf in Top Gun and Sheriff Jimmy Brock in the TV drama Picket Fences, has died at the age of 93. His family said he died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and his publicist confirmed the news on Thursday.
A six-decade career
Skerritt worked steadily in film and television for more than 60 years, often as the calm, dependable figure of authority at the centre of the story.
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | War Hunt | Sergeant (film debut) |
| 1970 | M*A*S*H | Duke Forrest |
| 1977 | The Turning Point | Wayne Rodgers |
| 1979 | Alien | Captain Dallas of the Nostromo |
| 1986 | Top Gun | Cdr Mike "Viper" Metcalf |
| Early 1990s | Cheers | Evan Drake (recurring) |
| 1989 | Steel Magnolias | Drum Eatenton |
| 1992 | A River Runs Through It | Rev. John Maclean |
| 1992–1996 | Picket Fences | Sheriff Jimmy Brock |
| 1997 | Contact | David Drumlin |
| 2006–2011 | Brothers & Sisters | William Walker |
| 2013 | A Time to Kill (Broadway) | Stage debut on Broadway |
Picket Fences, a CBS series set in a small Wisconsin town, won 14 Emmys and a Golden Globe during its run. Skerritt took the 1993 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and was nominated again for the same role. He also won a National Board of Review award for The Turning Point and directed and starred in the 1997 TV film Divided by Hate.
Early life
Skerritt was born on August 25, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in a middle-class family; his father ran a small business. After school he served four years in the US Air Force, then studied at Wayne State University before moving to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to study filmmaking. A stage role in Los Angeles led to his first film part in 1962.
In later life he settled in Seattle, where he narrated Our Town at the Intiman Theatre in 2004 and supported local filmmaking and screenwriting programmes.
Family and tributes
In a statement, his family said they were "heartbroken by his loss" and remembered his humour, curiosity, wisdom and generosity. They thanked fans and colleagues for their support, asked for privacy and said details of a memorial would be shared later. He is survived by his wife, Julie Tokashiki, five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Julia Roberts, who earned her first Oscar nomination playing his on-screen daughter in Steel Magnolias, shared a still of the two of them from the film. His Picket Fences co-star Kathy Baker also paid tribute.
Why he mattered
Few actors appeared in as many films that are still watched by new generations. Alien helped define modern science-fiction horror, and Top Gun became one of the biggest hits of the 1980s, leading to the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick. On television, Picket Fences was praised for tackling difficult moral and legal questions in a small-town setting, and Skerritt's steady performance anchored it.
What happens next
The family said information about a memorial service will be announced at a later date. Streaming services and broadcasters are expected to schedule his best-known films in the coming weeks.
Questions people are asking
How did Tom Skerritt die?
Tom Skerritt died of natural causes on October 21, 2026, at the age of 93, according to a statement from his family.
Who did Tom Skerritt play in Top Gun?
He played Commander Mike 'Viper' Metcalf, the head of the Top Gun flight school and instructor to Tom Cruise's character Maverick, in the 1986 film.
Did Tom Skerritt win an Emmy?
Yes. He won the 1993 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in the CBS series Picket Fences.
