Tom Skerritt dies at 93, his publicist confirmed to Variety, closing a screen career that stretched across more than six decades and over 170 credits. The actor’s family shared a statement with People describing his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and love. His death, announced October 22, 2026, was attributed to natural causes.
A Career Built on Range, Not Repetition
Skerritt’s first screen appearance came in 1962 with the war film War Hunt, but the role that changed his trajectory arrived eight years later. In 1970 he appeared in Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H, a box office success that earned a best Oscar nomination. The part established him as a reliable presence in ensemble-driven films, and he worked with Altman more than once.
The decade that followed was unusually busy. Skerritt appeared in Harold and Maude, Thieves Like Us, Big Bad Mama and The Turning Point, moving between comedy, crime and drama without settling into a single register. By the end of the 1970s he had joined the cast of Alien — though not without hesitation.
Turning Down 'Alien,' Nearly Missing 'Top Gun'
Skerritt initially declined a role in Ridley Scott’s Alien, citing its two-million-dollar budget and an unfamiliar cast. He later joined the 1979 film, which became one of his best-known credits. In a 2019 interview he said he had been uncertain about the project because of the budget.
A similar near-miss followed with Top Gun. Skerritt said in 2021 that he was called laconic for the role, and that producer Don Simpson’s comment angered him. He ultimately appeared in the 1986 film, which introduced him to a new generation of moviegoers. The same period brought roles in The Dead Zone, SpaceCamp, Poltergeist III and Steel Magnolias.
Television Brings an Emmy
While his film work continued into the 1990s — including A River Runs Through It, Contact, Poison Ivy and The Other Sister — Skerritt’s most decorated role came on television. He won an Emmy for Picket Fences, which ran for four seasons. The win added a major industry honor to a résumé that also included Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations.
He remained active on the small screen in the 2000s, appearing on Will & Grace, The West Wing and Brothers & Sisters, and in films such as Tears of the Sun and Whiteout. His final film role came in the 2025 western Broke.
Service Before Acting, and Service After
Before his screen career began, Skerritt served four years in the U.S. Air Force. That military background informed his later work off camera. In 2012 he co-founded the Red Badge Project, an organization that uses storytelling to help veterans living with PTSD.
Skerritt told CBS News that he wanted to help others rather than simply talk about it, and he said he preferred action over discussion when it came to assisting veterans. He also said in 2021 that he considered himself lucky, and that strength is measured by confronting one’s weaknesses — adding that he had many of his own.
His family’s statement emphasized the qualities they associated with him: humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and love. The publicist’s confirmation to Variety did not include the exact place of death, and no memorial plans have been disclosed.
