Tom Skerritt, 'Top Gun' and 'Picket Fences' Actor, Dies at 93

Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor known for playing grounded, sardonic authority in roles from a flight instructor in “Top Gun” to a tough yet compassionate sheriff in “Picket Fences” and the doomed captain in “Alien,” has died at 93. His family said he died Wednesday from natural causes. They credited him with qualities including humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and a deep commitment to imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world, and helping others find their voices. Skerritt earned two Emmy nominations for “Picket Fences” and won an outstanding lead actor drama series Emmy in 1993.