Tom Skerritt, of Alien and Top Gun, dies at 93.

Tom Skerritt has died at the age of 93. His family announced his death, which occurred on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, of natural causes, in a statement carried by the Associated Press on October 22.

On screen, his face remains associated with Captain Dallas, at the helm of the Nostromo in Alien, directed by Ridley Scott in 1979. He plays the commander of the ship whose crew responds to a signal from a remote planet. The role places him at the heart of the saga’s first film, alongside Sigourney Weaver.

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In 1986, he returned to a position of authority in Top Gun, directed by Tony Scott. Known by the callsign Viper, his character, Mike Metcalf, trains pilots at the Navy’s fighter school, including Maverick, played by Tom Cruise.

Television also brings him major recognition as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences, David E. Kelley’s series that aired in the United States from 1992 to 1996. For this role, Tom Skerritt won the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was nominated again in the same category the following year.

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