Actor Tom Skerritt has died aged 93. His family said he died on Wednesday from natural causes. They remembered his humour, kindness and love for his family. He also cared about nature and helped other people tell their stories. His wife, Julie Tokashiki, and his five children survive him.
Skerritt's first film was War Hunt in 1962. He later played Duke Forrest in Robert Altman's film M*A*S*H. In the 1979 film Alien, he played Dallas, the leader of a spaceship. His character's death surprised the first people to see the film. Sigourney Weaver played Ellen Ripley, who became the story's hero. In Top Gun, Skerritt played a teacher who helped people learn to fly. He also played a father in A River Runs Through It.
Skerritt worked in television too. He played a police officer in Picket Fences and won an Emmy award for the role in 1993. Julia Roberts played his daughter in Steel Magnolias. After his death, she shared a picture of them together and remembered him as a gentle man.
