Tom Skerritt, Captain of the commercial space tug USCSS Nostromo, and Commanding Officer of the U.S Navy Fighter Weapons School, has died at the age of 93.
As well as playing Captain Dallas in Alien and Viper in Top Gun, Skerritt’s big screen career highlights include The Dead Zone (1983), Spacecamp (1986) Steel Magnolias (1989) and A River Runs Through It (1992).
Skerritt’s career on screen began in 1962, with his breakout role being Duke Forrest in M*A*S*H (1970).
Skerritt was no stranger the small screen either. His 176 acting credits on IMDB include guest spots on iconic shows The Fugitive, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, Hawaii 5-O, Gunsmoke and Bonanza.
In my younger days, I would frequently confuse Skerritt with Kris Kristofferson. Please tell me it’s not just me.
And Then There Were Two…
Back in 2017, we lost the first two cast members from Alien – John Hurt in February, and Harry Dean Stanton in September. I remember an Outposter (or whatever we were called back then) pointing out that they had died in the order they were killed in the movie. I’ll always remember the first reply:
“We better check on Tom Skerritt.”
Well, thankfully Tom was okay, and kept trucking for another nine years. Not literally of course – Kris Kristofferson was the one in Convoy. I think.
In the meantime we lost Ian Holm in 2020 and Yaphet Kotto in 2021 (again, in the order they perished in Alien), leaving only the two women remaining.
I hate thinking about that, but we seem to have a grim fascination with it. When I was younger, the newspapers used to run another story every time another member of The Magnificent Seven died.
“AND THEN THERE WERE TWO!” is a headline that sticks in my mind.
Just a reminder that all things must pass. RIP Mr Skerritt. If I had to go into battle, I’d want you with me.
