Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt[1] (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.
Biography
Career
Skerritt made his television debut in the series Gunsmoke around 1959 and his film debut in War Hunt, produced by Terry Sanders and released the same year. Skerritt's notable film appearances include M*A*S*H (1970; his role was pared down considerably by director Robert Altman), Harold and Maude (credited as "M. Borman") (1971), Big Bad Mama, Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke (1978), Ice Castles (1978), as Captain A.J. Dallas of the commercial towing vessel 'Nostromo' in Alien (1979), as a would-be astronaut in Contact (1997) and SpaceCamp (1986), and in Top Gun (1986), as Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf.
Skerrit starred in the television series Picket Fences (1992–1996) in the role of Sheriff Jimmy Brock, for which he won an Emmy. More recently, he has starred in Homeland Security and The Grid.
He also portrays the deceased William Walker on Brothers & Sisters, having appeared in the pilot as well as in several flashbacks since. This is his second time playing the husband of Sally Field, the first being his role in the film Steel Magnolias. He played the role of Ezekiel on ABC Family's Fallen miniseries. He also appeared as the guide on the showcase website for Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system.
Personal life
Skerritt was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Helen, a homemaker, and Roy Skerritt, a businessman.[2][3] A 1951 graduate of Detroit's Mackenzie High School, Skerritt attended Wayne State University and the University of California at Los Angeles. Since 1988, he has divided his domestic life between his Lake Washington home in suburban Seattle, Washington and a home on Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands. Skerritt has four grown children (three sons and one daughter).
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1962 | War Hunt | Sgt. Stan Showalter | |
| 1964 | One Man's Way | Leonard Peal (Grown) | |
| 1965 | Those Calloways | Whit Turner | |
| 1970 | MASH | Capt. Augustus Bedford 'Duke' Forrest | |
| 1971 | Wild Rovers | John Buckman | |
| Harold and Maude | Motorcycle Officer | ||
| 1972 | Fuzz | Det. Bert Kling | |
| 1974 | Thieves Like Us | Dee Mobley | |
| Arrivano Joe e Margherito | Margherito | ||
| Big Bad Mama | Fred Diller | ||
| 1975 | The Devil's Rain | Tom Preston | |
| 1976 | ...e tanta paura | Chief Inspector | |
| Madama, La | Rick Dylan | ||
| 1977 | The Turning Point | Wayne | |
| 1978 | Up in Smoke | Strawberry | |
| Ice Castles | Marcus Winston | ||
| 1979 | Alien | Dallas | |
| 1981 | A Dangerous Summer | Howard Anderson | |
| Savage Harvest | Casey | ||
| Silence of the North | Walter Reamer | ||
| 1982 | Fighting Back | John D'Angelo | |
| 1983 | The Dead Zone | Sheriff George Bannerman | |
| 1986 | Top Gun | Cmdr. Mike 'Viper' Metcalf | |
| SpaceCamp | Zach Bergstrom | ||
| Opposing Force | Logan | ||
| Wisdom | Lloyd Wisdom | ||
| 1987 | Maid to Order | Charles Montgomery | |
| The Big Town | Phil Carpenter | ||
| 1988 | Honor Bound | Sam Cahill | |
| Poltergeist III | Bruce Gardner | ||
| 1989 | Big Man on Campus | Dr. Webster | |
| Steel Magnolias | Drum Eatenton | ||
| 1990 | The Rookie | Eugene Ackerman | |
| 1992 | Poison Ivy | Darryl Cooper | |
| Knight Moves | Capt. Frank Sedman | ||
| Wild Orchid 2: Two Shades of Blue | Ham McDonald | Direct-to-Video Release | |
| A River Runs Through It | Reverend Maclean | ||
| Singles | Mayor Weber | ||
| 1997 | Contact | David Drumlin | |
| 1998 | Smoke Signals | Police Chief | |
| 1999 | The Other Sister | Dr. Radley Tate | |
| 2001 | Texas Rangers | Richard Dukes | |
| 2002 | Tuscaloosa | ||
| Changing Hearts | Johnny Pinkley | ||
| Greenmail | Tom Bradshaw | Direct-to-Video Release | |
| 2003 | Tears of the Sun | Captain Bill Rhodes | |
| Swing | George Verdi | ||
| 2006 | Bonneville | Emmett | |
| 2007 | The Velveteen Rabbit | Horse | |
| 2008 | Beer for My Horses | Sheriff Wilson Landry | |
| 2009 | Whiteout | Dr. John Fury | |
| For Sale by Owner | Clive Farrier | post-production | |
| Rivers of a Lost Coast | Narrator | ||
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1962–1967 | Combat! | Soldier (uncredited) Glinski (uncredited) Hicks Burke Sgt. Decker |
Episode: Combat Front Episode: A Day in June Episode: The Prisoner Episode: Losers Cry Deal Episode: Nothing to Lose Episode: The Gantlet |
| 1962–1971 | The Virginian | Eric Kroeger Rev. Paul Martin Billy Landers Moran Rafe Bobby Allen |
Episode: Impasse Episode: The Secret of Brynmar Hall Episode: The Showdown Episode: The Crooked Path Episode: The Saddle Warmer Episode: Nan Allen |
| 1963 | Laramie | Episode: No Place to Run | |
| The Real McCoys | Mailman | Episode: Aunt Win Steps In | |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Dr. Frank Farmer | Episode: Run for Doom | |
| My Three Sons | Young Steve | Episode: The Proposals | |
| 1963–1968 | Death Valley Days | Emmett Dalton Patrick Hogan Sam Clemens |
Episode: Three Minutes to Eternity Episode: Honor the Name Dennis Driscoll Episode: The Book Episode: Sense of Justice Episode: Ten Day Millionaires |
| 1964 | Wagon Train | Hamish Browne | Episode: The Last Circle Up |
| My Favorite Martian | Dr. Edgar Edgarton | Episode: Miss Jekyll and Hyde | |
| 1964–1967 | Twelve O'Clock High | Lt. Ryan Lt. Parmalee Sgt. Ben Rodale Lt. Paddy Gialella Tech. Sgt. Neely |
Episode: Spiders Sometimes Kill Episode: Those Who Are About to Die Episode: The Came the Mighty Hunter Episode: Twenty Fifth Mission Episode: Long Time Dead |
| 1964, 1973 | Bonanza | Jerry Corporal Bill Tanner |
Episode: Thanks for Everything, Friend Episode: The Hunter |
| 1965 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Frank Richardson | Episode: The Enemies |
| Disney's Wonderful World | Corky Mardis | Episode: ...The Daily Press vs. City Hall | |
| 1965, 1966 | The Fugitive | Neely Hollister Pete |
Episode: Nicest Fella You'd Ever Want to Meet Episode: Joshua's Kingdom |
| 1965–1972 | Gunsmoke | Edmund Dano Ben Stone Orv Timpson Fred Garth Tuck Frye |
Episode: The Pretender Episode: The Jailer Episode: The Moonstone Episode: The Noose Episode: Jubilee |
| 1966 | The Time Tunnel | Matthew Gebhardt | Episode: The Death Trap |
| 1966–1972 | The F.B.I. | Robert Hastings John Clarence Rim Thorn Hazard Bill Leonard |
Episode: The Assassin Episode: The Legend of John Rim Episode: Unknown Victim Episode: The Deadly Species |
| 1967 | Mannix | Morgan Carpenter | Episode: Warning - Live Blueberries |
| Hallmark Hall of Fame | Trapani | Episode: A Bell for Adano | |
| 1968 | Cimarron Strip | Enoch Shelton | Episode: Knife in the Darkness |
| Run for Your Life | Lou Patterson | Episode: The Killing Scene | |
| Felony Squad | Gerald Gardner | Episode: Matched for Murder | |
| 1969 | The Outsider | Arnie Cambor | Episode: A Bowl of Cherries |
| Lancer | Bill Blake | Episode: The Knot | |
| 1970 | Hawaii Five-O | Lew Morgan | Episode: Most Likely to Murder |
| Medical Center | Artie Atwood | Episode: Between Dark and Daylight | |
| The Name of the Game | Pete | Episode: Cynthia is Alive and Living in Avalon | |
| Bracken's World | Gil Dobie | Episode: A Team of One-Legged Acrobats | |
| 1971 | Storefront Lawyers | Paul Marek | Episode: This Money Kills Dreams |
| The Birdmen | Orville 'Fitz' Fitzgerald | ABC TV-Movie | |
| Nichols | Episode: The Marrying Fool | ||
| 1971, 1972, 1975 | Cannon | Dude Toby Hauser Sheriff Andrews |
Episode: The Salinas Jackpot Episode: Nobody Beats the House Episode: The Conspirators |
| 1974 | Get Christie Love! | Episode: Deadly Betrayal | |
| Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Sen. Robert W. Palmer | Episode: The Devil's Platform | |
| The Manhunter | Episode: Flight to Nowhere | ||
| 1975 | The Last Day | Bill Powers | NBC TV-Movie |
| Barnaby Jones | Darrin Addison | Episode: Image of Evil | |
| 1976 | S.W.A.T. | Maynard Hill | Episode: Dragons and Owls |
| Sara | Episode: 1.9 | ||
| Alle origini della mafia | Bernardino Campo | ITC Miniseries Episode: La Speranza | |
| 1978 | Baretta | Al Brimmer | Episode: The Appointment |
| Maneaters are Loose! | John Gosford | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 1983 | Ryan's Four | Dr. Thomas Ryan | |
| 1984 | Calendar Girl Murders | Lieutenant Dan Stoner | ABC TV-Movie |
| A Touch of Scandal | Father Dwelle | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 1986 | Miles to Go... | Stuart Browning | CBS TV-Movie |
| The Hitchhiker | Det. Frank Sheen | Episode: True Believer | |
| The Parent Trap II | Bill Grand | ABC TV-Movie | |
| The New Twilight Zone | Alex Mattingly | Episode: What Are Friends For? | |
| Danger Bay | Don Bared | Episode: The Fish Who Walks | |
| 1987 | Poker Alice | Jeremy Collins | CBS TV-Movie |
| 1987, 1988 | Cheers | Evan Drake | Episode: A Kiss is Still a Kiss Episode: Tale of Two Cuties Episode: Yacht of Fools Episode: Let Sleeping Drakes Lie Episode: The Sam in the Grey Flannel Suit Episode: Backseat Becky, Up Front |
| 1988 | Moving Target | Joseph Kellogg | NBC TV-Movie |
| Nightmare at Bittercreek | Ding | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 1989 | The Heist | Ebbet Berens | HBO TV-Movie |
| Red King, White Knight | Stoner | HBO TV-Movie | |
| 1990 | The China Lake Murders | Sheriff Sam Brodie | TV-Movie |
| Child in the Night | Bass | CBS TV-Movie | |
| ABC Afterschool Special | Jim | Episode: A Question About Sex | |
| She'll Take Romance | Judge Warren Danvers | ABC TV-Movie | |
| 1992 | Getting Up and Going Home | Jack Montgomery | TV-Movie |
| In Sickness and In Health | Jarrett Mattison | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 1992–1996 | Picket Fences | Sheriff Jimmy Brock | |
| 1997 | Divided by Hate | Steve Riordan | USA TV-Movie |
| Chicago Hope | Jim Kellner | Episode: Guns N' Roses | |
| What the Deaf Man Heard | Norm Jenkins | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 1998 | Two for Texas | Sam Houston | TNT TV-Movie |
| 1999 | Into the Wild Blue | Host | History Documentary |
| The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer | Fred Maddux | NBC Miniseries | |
| Aftershock: Earthquake in New York | Thomas Ahearn | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 2000 | An American Daughter | Walter | Lifetime TV-Movie |
| High Noon | Will Kane | TBS TV-Movie | |
| Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis | Joseph P. 'Joe' Kennedy | CBS TV-Movie | |
| 2001 | Chestnut Hill | Daniel Eastman | Unsold TV-Pilot |
| The Voyage to Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Host | Short Documentary | |
| 2002 | Path to War | Gen. William Westmoreland | HBO TV-Movie |
| Will & Grace | Dr. Jay Markus | Episode: The Needle and the Omelet's Done | |
| 2003 | Biography | Passages Read By | Episode: Jack London - Forces of Nature |
| The West Wing | Sen. Chris Carrick | Episode: Constituency of One | |
| 2004 | Homeland Security | Admiral McKee | NBC TV-Movie |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Judge Oliver Taft | Episode: Poison | |
| The Grid | CIA Dep. Director Acton Sandman | TNT Miniseries | |
| 2005 | Vinegar Hill | Fritz Grier | CBS TV-Movie |
| Category 7: The End of the World | Col. Mike Davis | CBS Miniseries | |
| 2006 | Mammoth | Simon Abernathy | Sci Fi TV-Movie |
| Huff | Ben Huffstodt | Episode: Red Meat Episode: So...What Brings You to Armageddon? Episode: Radio Silence | |
| Desperation | John Edward Marinville | ABC TV-Movie | |
| Fallen | Zeke | ABC Miniseries | |
| 2006–2008 | Brothers & Sisters | William Walker | |
| 2007 | Killer Wave | Victor Bannister | Miniseries |
| The Dead Zone | Herb Smith | Episode: Denouement | |
| 2008 | Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Himself | |
| Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Gabe Utterson | TV-Movie | |
| The Trojan Horse | President Stanfield | CBC Miniseries | |
Awards and nominations
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
- 1998: Nominated, "Favorite Supporting Actor in a Drama" - Contact
DVD Exclusive Awards
- 2003: Won, "Best Audio Commentary" - Alien
Emmy Awards
- 1993: Won, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" - Picket Fences
- 1994: Nominated, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" - Picket Fences
Genie Awards
- 1982: Nominated, "Best Performance by a Foreign Actor" - Silence of the North
Golden Globe Awards
- 1994: Nominated, "Best Performance By an Actor in a Dramatic TV series" - Picket Fences
- 1995: Nominated, "Best Performance By an Actor in a Dramatic TV series" - Picket Fences
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures
- 1977: Won, "Best Supporting Actor" - The Turning Point
Screen Actors Guild Awards
- 1995: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series" - Picket Fences
- 1995: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" - Picket Fences
- 1996: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" - Picket Fences
Western Heritage Awards
- 1999: Won, "Best Television Feature Film" - Two for Texas
Gallery
Tom Skerritt.
References
External links
- Template:Imdb
- TomSkerritt.com
- PersonRatings Profile
- Kelly Video
Template:EmmyAward DramaLeadActor 1976-2000