Tom Skerritt, Top-Billed Star of 'Alien' and 'M*A*S*H' Scene-Stealer, Dies at 93

Tom Skerritt, the actor top-billed in Ridley Scott's 1979 horror classic "Alien," died Wednesday of natural causes at 93, according to a statement from his manager.

His career spanned more than seven decades and more than 100 screen credits. He was still acting in his final years; his last role was a supporting part in the 2025 Western "Broke," starring Wyatt Russell.

"While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives," Skerritt's family said in a statement. "He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world, and helping others find and share their own voices."

The family added: "We are incredibly grateful for the love and support being shown by his friends, colleagues, and fans. We ask for privacy as our family grieves."

How did the career begin?

Skerritt broke through in Robert Altman's Korean War comedy "MAS*H" (1970), playing the surgeon Duke Forrest. He was 37 and third-billed, behind the then-more-established stars Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould. The part propelled him into a prolific Hollywood run.

His feature debut had come earlier, in the Korean War drama "War Hunt" (1962), starring John Saxon and Sydney Pollack. A small turn as a motorcycle cop in 1971's "Harold and Maude" fell along the way.

Then came "Alien." Skerritt played Dallas, captain of the spaceship Nostromo, and stood first in the credits, ahead of Sigourney Weaver. His character does not survive long against the Xenomorph, but the role remains his most enduring.

What were his landmark roles?

The often-mustachioed actor built his reputation on strong supporting work through the 1980s and 1990s:

• David Cronenberg's "The Dead Zone"
• Herbert Ross's "Steel Magnolias"
• Tony Scott's blockbuster "Top Gun"
• The horror sequel "Poltergeist III," which he led
• "A River Runs Through It," "The Rookie," and "Contact"

In 1993, Skerritt won a Primetime Emmy for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock on the CBS series "Picket Fences," and earned another nomination the following year. The show's cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding ensemble in a drama series in both 1995 and 1996.

What did he do off screen?

Thomas Roy Skerritt was born in Detroit, Michigan, on August 25, 1933. He served in the U.S. Air Force after high school, then studied at Wayne State University and the University of California, Los Angeles.

His service shaped his later advocacy. He co-founded The Red Badge Project, which helps veterans find assistance for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. He also founded The Film School, a Seattle organization supporting rising filmmakers, and gave a 2016 TED Talk on both causes. He backed river conservation through partnerships with the Wildlands Festival, American Rivers, and the Gallatin River Task Force.

Skerritt married three times: to Charlotte Shanks from 1957 to 1972, to Sue Oran from 1977 to 1992, and to Julie Tokashiki from 1998 until his death. He is survived by Julie; his children Andy, Erin, Matt, Collin, and Emiko; his grandchildren Sara, Maddison, Sunny, Louisa, and Georgia; and his great-grandchildren Marigold and Ravi.

What does his death change for Hollywood? It closes a chapter on a generation of character actors who could anchor a blockbuster, carry a series, and still work into their nineties — a durability the industry rarely sees again.