Tom Skerritt, the versatile character actor whose six-decade career ranged from the doomed captain of the Nostromo in "Alien" to the laconic flight instructor Viper in "Top Gun," has died at 93.

Skerritt died Wednesday of natural causes, according to multiple outlets including CBS News and NPR, both of which cited a statement from his family released through his publicist. The family remembered him for his "humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity" and the love he brought into their lives. He is survived by his wife, Julie Tokashiki, and five children.

A career built on quiet authority

Born in Detroit in 1933, Skerritt built a reputation over decades as a dependable, authoritative screen presence rather than a conventional leading man. He broke through in Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H" (1970) and went on to play Captain Dallas, the ill-fated commander of the Nostromo crew picked off one by one in Ridley Scott's "Alien" (1979). He reached a wider audience playing Viper, Tom Cruise's flight instructor, in "Top Gun" (1986), and later appeared in "Steel Magnolias" and Robert Redford's "A River Runs Through It."

HIS HUMOR, CURIOSITY, WISDOM, GENEROSITY AND THE LOVE HE BROUGHT INTO OUR LIVES WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

On television, Skerritt won a 1993 Emmy Award for his lead role as the small-town sheriff in David E. Kelley's "Picket Fences," a part that, per ABC7's obituary, showcased the folksy, grounded screen persona that made him a favorite of directors across five decades.

A veteran before he was an actor

Before Hollywood, Skerritt served in the U.S. Air Force, an experience fans and fellow veterans have pointed to in tributes circulating since his death was announced. He continued working well into his 80s and 90s, taking supporting roles in film and television even as his best-known credits aged into classics.

Tributes poured in from the entertainment industry Thursday, with colleagues and fans recalling his unassuming manner off-camera and his ability to anchor ensemble casts without needing top billing — a quality that made him as effective playing a terrified spaceship captain as he was playing a small-town lawman.

What's next

No public memorial details had been announced as of Thursday evening. Skerritt's family asked for privacy "at this time," according to the statement carried by multiple outlets, while thanking fans for decades of support for his work.