Tom Skerritt

Biography

Tom Skerritt is an American actor and director whose screen career began in 1962 with War Hunt and took off when he played Duke Forrest in Robert Altman's MASH (1970). Born in Detroit, he built a long film resume that includes Harold and Maude (1971), The Turning Point (1977), Ice Castles (1978), Alien (1979), The Dead Zone (1983), Top Gun (1986), Steel Magnolias (1989), A River Runs Through It (1992), and Contact (1997). On television he had a recurring part as Evan Drake on Cheers and starred as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences, the drama he led from 1992 to 1996 and for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for lead actor in a drama series and received two Golden Globe nominations. Among his other honors are a Saturn Award, a Western Heritage Award, and the Mary Pickford Award in 2022. In 2012 he took the leading part in Pacific Northwest Ballet's Don Quixote.

93years old

Turns 94 on August 25in 315 days

Born August 25, 1933Detroit
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Thomas Roy Skerritt (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 53
Career span: 63 years1962 to 2025

Genres

Drama57%, 30 films
Comedy36%, 19 films
Romance25%, 13 films
Action23%, 12 films
Horror13%, 7 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Early training
Skerritt got noticed for his first feature film role after he appeared in a production of The Rainmaker. He left UCLA without finishing a degree so he could pursue acting.
Big break
Skerritt's agent Meyer Mishkin said he obtained Skerritt the co-starring role in The Turning Point (1977), which salvaged his career after a run of obscure European westerns.

Tom Skerritt movies on Netflix

Broke2025IMDb rating 6.1as Cliff
Catch the Bullet2021IMDb rating 3.1as Dex
Memory: The Origins of Alien2019IMDb rating 6.8as Himself
Lucky2017IMDb rating 7.3as Fred
A Hologram for the King2016IMDb rating 6.1as Ron
Journey Back to Christmas2016IMDb rating 7.1as Tobias Cook
Field of Lost Shoes2015IMDb rating 5.8as Ulysses S. Grant
Alien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 19792014IMDb rating 8.4as Himself
At Middleton2013IMDb rating 6.5as Dr. Roland Emerson
Ted2012IMDb rating 6.9as Tom Skerritt
Your Love Never Fails2011IMDb rating 5.4as Jack Connors
The Velveteen Rabbit2009IMDb rating 6.3as Horse (voice)
Whiteout2009IMDb rating 5.5as Dr. John Fury
Beer for My Horses2008IMDb rating 4.8as Sheriff Wilson Landry
Bonneville2006IMDb rating 6.1as Emmett L. Johnson
Desperation2006IMDb rating 5.3as John Edward Marinville
Mammoth2006IMDb rating 3.6as Simon Abernathy
Tears of the Sun2003IMDb rating 6.6as Captain Bill Rhodes
Changing Hearts2002IMDb rating 5.7as Johnny Pinkley
Path to War2002IMDb rating 7.3as General William Westmoreland
The 'Alien' Saga2002IMDb rating 7.7as Himself
Texas Rangers2001IMDb rating 5.3as Richard Dukes
The Other Sister1999IMDb rating 6.5as Radley
Smoke Signals1998IMDb rating 7.2as Police Chief
Contact1997IMDb rating 7.5as David Drumlin
What the Deaf Man Heard1997IMDb rating 7.1as Norm Jenkins
A River Runs Through It1992IMDb rating 7.2as Rev. Maclean
Knight Moves1992IMDb rating 6.1as Capt. Frank Sedman
Singles1992IMDb rating 6.8as Mayor Weber
Big Man on Campus1989IMDb rating 6.0as Dr. Webster
Steel Magnolias1989IMDb rating 7.3as Drum Eatenton
The Heist1989IMDb rating 6.0as Ebbet Berens
Moving Target1988IMDb rating 5.8as Joseph Kellogg
Poltergeist III1988IMDb rating 4.7as Bruce Gardner
Maid to Order1987IMDb rating 5.6as Charles Montgomery
The Big Town1987IMDb rating 5.9as Phil Carpenter
Opposing Force1986IMDb rating 5.3as Logan
SpaceCamp1986IMDb rating 5.8as Cmdr. Zach Bergstrom (Andie's husband)
The Parent Trap II1986IMDb rating 6.1as Bill Grand
Top Gun1986IMDb rating 7.0as Viper
The Dead Zone1983IMDb rating 7.1as Sheriff Bannerman
Fighting Back1982IMDb rating 6.0as John D'Angelo
Alien1979IMDb rating 8.4as Dallas
Ice Castles1978IMDb rating 6.6as Marcus Winston
The Turning Point1977IMDb rating 6.8as Wayne
The Devil's Rain1975IMDb rating 5.1as Tom Preston
Thieves Like Us1974IMDb rating 6.9as Dee Mobley
Fuzz1972IMDb rating 5.5as Det. Bert Kling
Harold and Maude1971IMDb rating 7.8as Motorcycle Officer
Wild Rovers1971IMDb rating 6.5as John Buckman
M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3as Duke Forrest
Those Calloways1964IMDb rating 6.5as Whit Turner
War Hunt1962IMDb rating 6.3as Sgt. Stan Showalter

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Alien1979 Horror, Sci-Fias Dallas
IMDb rating 8.41.1M votes
Top Gun1986 Action, Drama, Romanceas Viper
IMDb rating 7.0561K votes
Contact1997as David Drumlin
IMDb rating 7.5317K votes
The Dead Zone1983as Sheriff Bannerman
IMDb rating 7.186K votes
M*A*S*H1970as Duke Forrest
IMDb rating 7.384K votes
A River Runs Through It1992as Rev. Maclean
IMDb rating 7.272K votes
Tears of the Sun2003as Captain Bill Rhodes
IMDb rating 6.6138K votes
Whiteout2009as Dr. John Fury
IMDb rating 5.543K votes

Most often with

Robert Altman directed two of these films, Herbert Ross two and Michael Feifer two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

John Hurt

Veronica Cartwright

Anthony Zerbe

Donald Sutherland

Lance Henriksen

Harry Dean Stanton

Robert AltmanDirector, 2 films Herbert RossDirector, 2 films Michael FeiferDirector, 2 films

Films together

John Hurt4 films together, 1979 to 2014
John Hurt's page
- Alien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 19792014IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as HimselfHurt as Himself
- The 'Alien' Saga2002IMDb rating 7.7Skerritt as HimselfHurt as Narratorvoice
- Contact1997IMDb rating 7.5Skerritt as David DrumlinHurt as S. R. Hadden
- Alien1979IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as DallasHurt as Kane
Veronica Cartwright4 films together, 1979 to 2019
Veronica Cartwright's page
- Memory: The Origins of Alien2019IMDb rating 6.8Skerritt as HimselfCartwright as Himself
- Alien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 19792014IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as HimselfCartwright as Herself
- The 'Alien' Saga2002IMDb rating 7.7Skerritt as HimselfCartwright as Himself
- Alien1979IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as DallasCartwright as Lambert
Anthony Zerbe3 films together, 1977 to 1986
Anthony Zerbe's page
- Opposing Force1986IMDb rating 5.3Skerritt as LoganZerbe as Becker
- The Dead Zone1983IMDb rating 7.1Skerritt as Sheriff BannermanZerbe as Roger Stuart
- The Turning Point1977IMDb rating 6.8Skerritt as WayneZerbe as Rosie
Donald Sutherland2 films together, 1970 to 2002
Donald Sutherland's page
- Path to War2002IMDb rating 7.3Skerritt as General William WestmorelandSutherland as Clark Clifford
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Skerritt as Duke ForrestSutherland as Hawkeye Pierce
Lance Henriksen2 films together, 2002 to 2014
Lance Henriksen's page
- Alien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 19792014IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as HimselfHenriksen as Himself
- The 'Alien' Saga2002IMDb rating 7.7Skerritt as HimselfHenriksen as Himself
Harry Dean Stanton2 films together, 1979 to 2017
Harry Dean Stanton's page
- Lucky2017IMDb rating 7.3Skerritt as FredStanton as Lucky
- Alien1979IMDb rating 8.4Skerritt as DallasStanton as Brett
Robert AltmanDirector, 2 films, 1970 to 1974
All films by Robert Altman
- Thieves Like Us1974IMDb rating 6.9Skerritt as Dee Mobley
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Skerritt as Duke Forrest
Herbert RossDirector, 2 films, 1977 to 1989
All films by Herbert Ross
- Steel Magnolias1989IMDb rating 7.3Skerritt as Drum Eatenton
- The Turning Point1977IMDb rating 6.8Skerritt as Wayne
Michael FeiferDirector, 2 films, 2011 to 2021
All films by Michael Feifer
- Catch the Bullet2021IMDb rating 3.1Skerritt as Dex
- Your Love Never Fails2011IMDb rating 5.4Skerritt as Jack Connors
Also two films together18 more actors
- Sigourney WeaverThe 'Alien' Saga (2002) and Alien (1979)
- Michael BiehnAlien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 1979 (2014) and The 'Alien' Saga (2002)
- Matt DillonSingles (1992) and The Big Town (1987)
- Shirley MacLaineSteel Magnolias (1989) and The Turning Point (1977)
- Diane LaneKnight Moves (1992) and The Big Town (1987)
- Giovanni RibisiTed (2012) and The Other Sister (1999)
- Lauren HollyField of Lost Shoes (2015) and Changing Hearts (2002)
- Edie McClurgChanging Hearts (2002) and A River Runs Through It (1992)
- Bert RemsenThieves Like Us (1974) and Fuzz (1972)
- Yaphet KottoFighting Back (1982) and Alien (1979)
- William HopeAlien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 1979 (2014) and The 'Alien' Saga (2002)
- Dylan McDermottTexas Rangers (2001) and Steel Magnolias (1989)
- Sarah PaulsonPath to War (2002) and The Other Sister (1999)
- John SchuckThieves Like Us (1974) and M*A*S*H (1970)
- Jenette GoldsteinAlien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 1979 (2014) and The 'Alien' Saga (2002)
- Colleen DewhurstThe Dead Zone (1983) and Ice Castles (1978)
- Carrie HennAlien Encounters: Superior Fan Power Since 1979 (2014) and The 'Alien' Saga (2002)
- Ronald ShusettMemory: The Origins of Alien (2019) and The 'Alien' Saga (2002)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.