Tom Skerritt: key obituary facts
Is Tom Skerritt dead? Yes. Tom Skerritt died on October 21, 2026, at age 93.
Cause of death: Tom Skerritt's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Tom Skerritt known for?
He was an American actor.
More about Tom Skerritt
Born: 25 August 1933.
Place of birth: Detroit.
Gender: male.
Occupation: television actor, film actor, character actor, model, voice actor, video game actor, film director, television director.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Mackenzie High School, Wayne State University, University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
Awards: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Mary Pickford Award.
Children: Matt Skerritt.
Also known as: Thomas Roy Skerritt.
Occupations: Actor, director.
Years active: 1961–present.
Tom Skerritt, the American actor and Emmy winner known for Alien and Picket Fences, died October 21, 2026, aged 93.
Born Thomas Roy Skerritt in Detroit, he built a career spanning more than 170 film and television productions, beginning in the early 1960s. His breakthrough came as Duke Forrest in Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H (1970), followed by roles in The Turning Point, Ice Castles and Alien.
His film credits also included The Dead Zone, Top Gun and A River Runs Through It. On television, Skerritt played Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences from 1992 to 1996. The role earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, along with two Golden Globe nominations. He also had a recurring part as Evan Drake on the sixth season of Cheers. In addition to acting, Skerritt worked as a director. In 2022, he received the Mary Pickford Award from the International Press Academy for his contribution to the entertainment industry.