©Courtesy of Paramount Pictures, “Top Gun”
“Alien” and “Top Gun” veteran actor Tom Skerritt, has passed away. The actor, aged 93, died in Seattle yesterday from natural causes, according to his family’s statement.
His family has issued a statement: “We are heartbroken by his loss. While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humour, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and the love he brought into our lives. He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world and helping others find and share their own voices.”
His breakthrough came when he appeared in “M*A*S*H” as Southern surgeon Duke Forrest in 1970, which led to work in films like “Wild Rovers,” “Big Bad Mama,” “Thieves Like Us,” “Ice Castles” and “Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke”.
Some of his notable works like “The Turning Point”, he portrayed Shirley MacLaine’s husband, he was also Tom Cruise’s Air Force instructor Mike “Viper” Metcalf in “Top Gun” (1986) and was memorable as a minister and the patriarch of the MacLean family in Robert Redford‘s rhythmic “A River Runs Through It” (1992). Other notable film roles include “Contact,” “The Dead Zone,” “SpaceCamp,” “The Turning Point,” “Harold and Maude,” “Tears of the Sun,” “Steel Magnolias,” “The Rookie,” “The Other Sister,” “Redemption Road,” “Desperation,” and “Ted”.
The feature work opened many TV opportunities as well, including a recurring role as Kirstie Alley’s ex-boss on “Cheers,” a guest appearance as Sally Field’s late husband on “Brothers and Sisters,” and a particularly Emmy-nominated lead role as a sheriff in a small town on David E. Kelley’s “Picket Fences” in the ’90s.
He guest-starred on many series like “Gunsmoke,” “The Fugitive,” “Laramie,” “Bonanza,” “Wagon Train,” “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” “The Time Tunnel,” “Mannix,” “Kolchak: The Night Stalker,” “Baretta,” “Chicago Hope,” “The West Wing,” “Will & Grace,” “Leverage,” “The Good Wife” and “Madam Secretary”.
He’s survived by his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, five children and multiple grandkids.