Tom Skerritt dies: actor known for “Alien” and “Top Gun” roles

American actor Tom Skerritt died on Oct. 21. His relatives confirmed the news to a U.S. film publication. Skerritt was known for his roles in “M*A*S*H,” “Alien” and “Top Gun.”

From airman to Altman’s actor

Skerritt was born on Aug. 25, 1933, in Detroit, where he also finished high school. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and served four years during the Korean War, though he never made it to the front. After his service he studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, and began his acting career.

In the 1960s he appeared in several films and TV series, but his real breakthrough came with Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H.” There he played one of the leading roles, the racist Capt. Augustus “Duke” Forrest. He did not appear in the spin-off series and later admitted he regretted it: he had thought it would become just another silly sitcom, so he turned the role down.

Skerritt kept working with Altman, including on “Thieves Like Us,” where his co-stars were Keith Carradine and Louise Fletcher. In 1979 he played Dallas, captain of the Nostromo, in Ridley Scott’s first “Alien.” Harrison Ford had turned that role down before him.

“Top Gun” and television

In the 1980s the actor landed his third major role, as Cmdr. Mike “Viper” Metcalf in the cult film “Top Gun.” The character was based on a real person, Pete Pettigrew. Skerritt also had the lead role in the horror film “Poltergeist III.”

His other work includes “Steel Magnolias,” “Smoke Signals” and the war drama “Tears of the Sun.” He was also busy on television: for the series Picket Fences, in which he played Sheriff Jimmy Brock, he was nominated twice for a Golden Globe and won an Emmy.

The actor was married three times and had five children from those marriages.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz