Tom Skerritt, the captain of Alien and Top Gun’s Viper, dies at 93
The actor who anchored Alien, Top Gun and Picket Fences died of natural causes on Wednesday, and his family has asked for privacy as it grieves.
By
Freya Donnelly
In brief
- Tom Skerritt died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to IndieWire, IGN and TVLine.
- He won the 1993 Emmy for lead actor in a drama series for Picket Fences.
- He served in the US Air Force and co-founded The Red Badge Project for veterans.
- His most recent project was a supporting role in the 2025 Western Broke.
Tom Skerritt, the actor behind Captain Dallas in Alien and Commander Viper in Top Gun, died on Wednesday of natural causes at 93.
The sourcing of the announcement differs slightly. IndieWire says it came in a statement from his manager, while TVLine and IGN say his family issued the message. IGN adds that the family’s statement was provided to The Hollywood Reporter.
The family wrote that Skerritt cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world and helping others find and share their own voices. It also asked for privacy while the family grieves. A statement from his publicist, quoted by TVLine, describes a career of more than six decades; IndieWire puts it at more than seven.
The film roles that made his name
His career on screen stretched from a Korean War drama in 1962 to a supporting part in the 2025 Western Broke. The dated highlights below show how his best-known work unfolded.
- War Hunt, a Korean War drama, marks his feature debut.
- He breaks out as surgeon Duke Forrest in Robert Altman’s comedy M*A*S*H. IndieWire notes he was 37 and third-billed, behind Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould.
- He plays Dallas, captain of the Nostromo, in Ridley Scott’s Alien. IGN says he first turned the part down; IndieWire calls him the top-billed star, ahead of Sigourney Weaver.
- In Top Gun he is Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf, head of the Top Gun program and instructor to Tom Cruise’s character.
- Broke becomes his most recent project.
Other film credits cited by the outlets include The Dead Zone, Steel Magnolias, Poltergeist III, A River Runs Through It and Contact.
Picket Fences and a television peak
On television, Skerritt played Sheriff Jimmy Brock in David E. Kelley’s CBS drama Picket Fences, which debuted in 1992 and ran four seasons.
IndieWire says he was nominated again the following year. He also recurred in season 6 of NBC’s Cheers as Evan Drake, the corporate boss.
Detroit, the Air Force and work beyond acting
Born Thomas Roy Skerritt on August 25, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, he enlisted in the US Air Force after high school. IGN dates his service from 1951 to 1955. He later attended Wayne State University and UCLA, according to IndieWire.
He co-founded The Red Badge Project, which helps veterans dealing with PTSD, anxiety and depression, and was a founder of The Film School in Seattle, created to support rising filmmakers. In 2016 he gave a TED Talk on both causes.
IndieWire reports that he married three times. He is survived by his wife, Julie Tokashiki, along with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels
