Tom Skerritt, star of Top Gun and Alien, dies at 93
His family and his representative confirmed he died of natural causes; he was Viper in Top Gun and Capt. Dallas in Alien.
Tom Skerritt, the American actor, died at 93, his family said in a statement Thursday. The cause was natural, and no further medical details were given.
His representative confirmed the news, and the family said they were devastated by the loss. He is survived by his wife, Julie, five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Skerritt was born Aug. 25, 1933, in Detroit and served four years in the U.S. Air Force before turning to acting. His first notable role was Capt. Duke Forrest in *M\*A\*S\*H* (1970), and his career became tied to two roles of command. In *Alien* (1979) he was Dallas, captain of the ship; in *Top Gun* (1986), Cmdr. Mike "Viper" Metcalf.
On television he won an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for *Picket Fences*, which aired from 1992 to 1996. Earlier, in 1977, the National Board of Review named him best supporting actor. His filmography also includes *The Dead Zone*, *A River Runs Through It*, *Steel Magnolias* and *Contact* (1997).
In 2016 he founded Heyou Media, a digital media company.
