Tom Skerritt Biography: Wife, Children, Awards, Films, Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents

Thomas Roy Skerritt is an American actor and director whose portrayal of Captain Augustus Bedford “Duke” Forrest in Robert Altman’s 1970 film MASH* launched his career into the spotlight.

Over the following decades, he took on memorable parts such as Captain Arthur Dallas in Alien and Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in Top Gun, and became a familiar face on television as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences—a performance that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award.

Since his screen debut in 1962, Skerritt has appeared in more than 170 productions, balancing film roles with long-running TV projects and occasional directing work.

Profile

• Full name: Thomas Roy Skerritt
• Date of birth: August 25, 1933
• Age: 92 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, United States
• State of origin: Michigan
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actor, director
• Height: 6′ (1.83 m)
• Weight: 75 kg
• Eye color: Blue
• Hair color: Brown
• Parents: Roy Skerritt (father), Helen Skerritt (mother)
• Siblings: Youngest of three children; names not publicly documented
• Spouse: Charlotte Shanks (m. 1957–1972), Sue Oran (m. 1977–1992), Julie Tokashiki (m. 1998–present)
• Children: Five (three with Charlotte Shanks; one with Sue Oran; one with Julie Tokashiki)
• Relationship status: Married (to Julie Tokashiki)
• Religion: Christianity
• Ethnicity: Caucasian descent
• Net worth: $12 million

Early Life and Education

Thomas Roy Skerritt was born on August 25, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan, the youngest of three children born to Roy Skerritt, a businessman, and Helen Skerritt, a homemaker.

He graduated from Mackenzie High School in 1951 and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving as a classifications specialist from 1951 to 1955. Following his military service, Skerritt attended Wayne State University and later the University of California, Los Angeles.

Personal Life

Skerritt’s first marriage was to Charlotte Shanks in 1957; they had three children before divorcing in 1972. He then married Sue Oran in 1977, with whom he had one son before their 1992 divorce. In 1996, he wed Julie Tokashiki, and together they have one daughter.

Career

Skerritt began acting on screen in the early 1960s, making his debut in the film War Hunt (1962). His breakthrough came with the role of Duke Forrest in MASH* (1970), after which he secured parts in movies such as Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke (1978), Ice Castles (1978), Alien (1979), The Dead Zone (1983), Top Gun (1986), A River Runs Through It (1992), and Contact (1997).

On television, Skerritt starred as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences (1992–1996), earning critical acclaim and several award nominations. He has directed episodes of various TV series and continued acting in both supporting and leading roles into the 2020s.

Awards and Nominations

• Primetime Emmy Award, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Picket Fences (1993) – Won
• Golden Globe Award, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama — Picket Fences (1994) – Nominated
• Screen Actors Guild Award, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series — Picket Fences (1995) – Nominated
• Saturn Award, Best Guest Performance in a Television Series — Leverage (2012) – Won
• Mary Pickford Award, Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the Entertainment Industry (International Press Academy, 2022) – Won

Net Worth

Thomas Skerritt’s net worth is estimated at $12 million, accrued through more than six decades of acting in film and television, as well as directing and producing projects in both mediums.

Social Media

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Filmography

• War Hunt (1962)
• MASH* (1970)
• Up in Smoke (1978)
• Ice Castles (1978)
• Alien (1979)
• The Dead Zone (1983)
• Top Gun (1986)
• SpaceCamp (1986)
• Poltergeist III (1988)
• Steel Magnolias (1989)
• A River Runs Through It (1992)
• Contact (1997)
• Field of Lost Shoes (2014)
• A Hologram for the King (2016)
• Lucky (2017)
• East of the Mountains (2021)
• Broke (2025)