Top Gun and Alien star Tom Skerritt dead as tributes paid to award-winning actor

The actor was best known for starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as Top Gun and Alien but passed away on Wednesday at his home in Seattle after a career spanning 65 years. Following small roles in a host of television series, Tom quickly found fame when he was cast in the part of Duke Forrest in Robert Altman's feature film M*A*S*H in 1970. More acting success followed and held a recurring role as Evan Drake on the sitcom Cheers before going on to win an Emmy for his role of Sherriff Jimmy Brock on the family drama Picket Fences in the early 1990s.