Actor Tom Skerritt Passes Away at 93

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor renowned for portraying authoritative figures with a touch of wit, has died at the age of 93. His extensive career spanned characters like the flight instructor in “Top Gun,” the fair-minded sheriff in “Picket Fences,” and the ill-fated captain in “Alien.”

His family announced that Skerritt passed away from natural causes on Wednesday. They shared in a statement, “While the world recognized Tom for his incredible acting talent, we will remember him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he shared with us. He had a profound appreciation for imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, nature, and helping others find their own voices.”

Skerritt earned two Emmy nominations for his role in “Picket Fences,” ultimately winning for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1993. His career also featured memorable performances, such as playing Shirley MacLaine’s husband in “Turning Point,” Sally Field’s spouse in “Steel Magnolias,” and a rival to Jodie Foster’s character in “Contact.”

Reflecting on his career, he once remarked to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1997, “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.”

On stage, he narrated “Our Town” at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle in 2004 and made his Broadway debut in a 2013 adaptation of “A Time to Kill,” where he notably portrayed a disgraced lawyer.

Early Life

Born into a middle-class family in Detroit, Skerritt’s upbringing was influenced by his father’s small business and his mother’s role as a homemaker. He had two brothers, while his sister sadly passed away in childhood.

He served four years in the Air Force before attending Wayne State University and later transferring to UCLA to study filmmaking, spurred by his inspiration from “Citizen Kane.”

His first film role came after a theater performance in Los Angeles, landing a supporting part as a sergeant in the 1962 independent war film “War Hunt.” This film also marked the beginnings for other notable filmmakers and actors, including Robert Redford, Sydney Pollack, and Francis Ford Coppola.

Interestingly, Redford and Skerritt competed for the same lead role at the time, with Redford taking the prize. However, years later, Redford cast Skerritt in “A River Runs Through It,” where he played the stern Reverend John Maclean. The New York Times praised his thoughtful performance.

Redford, who passed away last year, considered Skerritt a lifelong friend, recalling, “There was such a deep connection we made with each other that it matured into a level-headed friendship.”

Defining Roles

After “War Hunt,” Skerritt faced a challenging period with mostly minor roles in productions like “M*A*S*H” and “Harold and Maude.” However, a breakthrough came with “The Turning Point,” which won him a National Board of Review award. This success led to his iconic role in “Alien,” where he portrayed the captain of the ship Nostromo amidst terrifying circumstances.

He appreciated that the script shifted the typical narrative, where the male lead didn’t survive, and a woman emerged as the hero, saying, “I really like that idea.” Following “Alien,” his portrayal as Tom Cruise’s mentor in “Top Gun” solidified his status, delivering memorable lines about being the elite among Navy aviators.

Skerritt shone brightly in “Picket Fences,” a David E. Kelley comedy that won multiple Emmy Awards. In his role as the kind sheriff in a quirky Wisconsin town, he starred alongside Kathy Baker, commenting on the exceptional writing, “That was the magic and brilliance of it.”

His television work also included roles in “Brothers and Sisters,” “Leverage,” and a recurring spot on “Cheers.” He even starred in the Hallmark film “What the Deaf Man Heard” and modeled for Guess jeans.

While directing and writing had been his original ambitions, acting became his primary focus. Nonetheless, he directed and appeared in the 1997 TV movie “Divided by Hate.”

Reflecting on his journey, he shared with The Ottawa Citizen in 1992, “You get hired for a film and the roles kept coming for me. I kept telling myself that if I stuck with acting it would be really good training for what the problems are in directing.” Despite the shift, he held no regrets.

He is survived by his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, and five children.