Tom Skeritt, who starred as Mike "Viper" Metcalf opposite Tom Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the 1986 action movie classic Top Gun, as well as several other screen projects, has died.

Skerritt died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to a statement from a representative.

Skerritt was best known for film appearances in “Alien” and “Steel Magnolias,” along with his starring role on the David E. Kelley-created CBS series “Picket Fences,” which ran from 1992 to 1996 and n...