Today we bid farewell to a veteran actor. Tom Skerritt has died, who appeared in blockbuster films such as the science-fiction classic “Alien” and the aviation saga “Top Gun.” According to his family, his death occurred on Wednesday, October 21, from natural causes, in Seattle, United States. He was 93 years old.
The news comes from his family, who paid tribute with a special statement. “His loss has left us inconsolable. Although the world knew Tom for his extraordinary career as an actor, we knew him for his sense of humor, his curiosity, his wisdom, his generosity and the love he brought to our lives. He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service to others, veterans, nature and helping others to find and share their own voice”.
Long Career
Skerritt’s career has been extensive and highly active. He worked in film for sixty years, which allowed him to take on a wide range of roles across the decades. His first screen roles came in the early sixties, but his first major success arrived with the turn of the decade in Robert Altman’s MASH. After this feature, opportunities grew, and he took on numerous memorable parts, such as Captain Dallas in “Alien”.
The eighties were his busiest years, with parts like Commander Mike in ‘Top Gun’ or Sheriff Bannerman in ‘The Dead Zone’. In the nineties his career was finally recognized as it deserved and he received an Emmy Award for the television series “Picket Fences”. In the following years he slowed the pace of his work as age began to catch up with him, but he continued to act in films until 2021.
Military Service
The roles Skerritt played most frequently tended to be military-related. It is no surprise to learn that he served in the United States Air Force for years, from his enlistment in 1951 until his film career began in 1962. That experience helped him fit perfectly into his most famous parts. In his country, he is remembered with particular affection for portraying veterans of military service on Hollywood screens.
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