The Late Great Tom Skerritt

 

Actor Tom Skerritt died on October 21, 2026, at the age of 93. He appeared in such movies as MASH (1970), Alien (1979), Steel Magnolias (1989), and A River Runs Through It (1992). On television, he starred on the show Picket Fences and guest starred on shows from Gunsmoke to Chicago Hope.

Tom Skerritt was born on August 25, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Mackenzie High School in Detroit, then enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served as a classifications specialist. Following his service, he attended Wayne State University in Detroit where he studied English. He transferred to UCLA where he acted in school productions. It was because of his appearance in a production of The Rainmaker that he was cast in the low budget Korean War movie War Hunt (1962). He left UCLA to pursue a career in acting.

In the Sixties, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies One Man's Way (1964), Those Calloways (1965), MASH (1970),  and The Moonshine War (1970).. He made his television debut in an episode of The Virginian in 1962. During the decade, he guest starred on the shows Laramie, The Real McCoys, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Temple Houston, My Three Sons, Bonanza, Wagon Train, My Favorite Martian, Gunsmoke, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, The Fugitive, The Time Tunnel, 12 O' Clock High, Combat!, The FBI, Mannix, Cimarron Strip, Run for Your Life, The Felony Squad, The Outsider, Lancer, Hawaii Five-O, Medical Center, The Name of the Game, and Bracken's World. 

In the Seventies, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies The Wild Rovers (1971), Harold and Maude (1971), Fuzz (1972), Thieves Like Us (1974), Run, Run, Joe (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), The Devil's Rain (1975), La Madama (1976), Plot of Fear (1976), The Turning Point (1978), Up in Smoke (1978), Ice Castles (1978), and Alien (1979). He appeared on the TV shows The Virginian; Storefront Lawyers; Nichols; The FBI; Gunsoke; Bonanza; Get Christie Love!; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; The Manhunter; Cannon; Barnaby Jones; S.W.A.T.; Sara; and Baretta. He appeared in the mini-series Origins of the Mafia. 

In the Eighties, Tom Skerritt had the recurring role of Evan Drake on Cheers and starred in the short-lived show Ryan's Four. He guest starred on the shows The Hitchhiker, The Twilight Zone, Danger Bay, and ABC Afternoon Specials. He appeared in the movies Savage Harvest (1981), Silence of the North (1981), Fighting Back (1982), A Dangerous Summer (1982), The Dead Zone (1983), Top Gun (1986), Spacecamp (1986), Opposing Force (1986), Wisdom (1986), Maid to Order (1987), The Big Town (1987), Poltergeist III (1988), Honor Bound (1988), Big Man on Campus (1989), Steel Magnolias (1989), and The Rookie (1990). 

In the Nineties, he starred as Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences. He guest starred on the TV shows Chicago Hope and Hallmark Hall of Fame. He appeared in the movies Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue (1991), Knight Movies (1992), Poison Ivy (1992), Singles (1992), A River Runs Through It (1992), Contact (1997), Smoke Signals (1998), and The Other Sister (1999).

In the Naughts, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies Texas Rangers (2001), Tuscaloosa (2001), Changing Hearts (2002), Tears of the Sun (2003), Swing (2003), Bonneville (2006), Beer for My Horses (2008), Whiteout (2009), For Sale by Owner (2009), and Redemption Road (2010). On television, he guest starred on the shows Will & Grace, The West Wing, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Huff, The Dead Zone, Brothers & Sisters, and The Closer. He appeared in the mini-series Category 7: The End of the World, Fallen, Killer Wave, and The Trojan Horse. He made the first two guest appearance on Leverage as Jimmy Ford, father of lead character Nate Ford.

In the Teens, he made a second guest appearance as Jimmy Ford on Leverage and also guest starred on the shows White Collar, The Good Wife, and Madame Secretary. He appeared in the movies Soda Springs (2012), Ted (2012), Redwood Highway (2013), At Middleton (2013), Field of Lost Shoes (2015), A Hologram for the King (2016), Lucy (2017), and Day of Days (2017). In the 2020s, he appeared in the movies East of the Mountains (2021), Catch the Bullet (2021), and Broke (2025).

Tom Skerritt was a remarkable actor. so much so it's hard to remember what role he will be best remembered for. He played many memorable roles in both movies and on television. In MASH, he played the laid-back, amiable surgeon Duke. As dancer Wayne Rodgers in The Turning Point, he was the supportive and grounded anchor in his family. As Captain Dallas in Alien he was world-weary and somewhat detached. Drum in Steel Magnolias was far from Dallas in Alien, displaying a sense of humour and warmth. In A River Runs Through It, he played the strict Reverend McLean, who nonetheless loves fly fishing. His television roles were diverse as well. He is probably best remembered as Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences, but he also played the villainous and vengeful Fred Garth in the Gunsmoke episode "The Noose" and appeared as villains on other shows (especially Westerns). Tom Skerritt had a good deal of talent and a great deal of range, and gave many good performances throughout his career. 

"You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes

It was sixty years ago today, on October 22, 1966, that the album The Supremes A Go-Go hit no. 1 on the Billboard album chart. It was historic as the first album by a girl group to hit no. 1 on the chart. Included on the album was the no. 1 single "You Can't Hurry Love." It was written and produced by the team  Holland–Dozier–Holland, who wrote hits for several Motown acts as well as The Supremes. 

Godspeed Michael Forest

Actor Michael Forest, who played Apollo in the Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" and guest starred on shows from The Twilight Zone to The Dick Van Dyke Show. died on October 14, 2026, at the age of 97. He also appeared in several Roger Coman movies and dubbed voices on several anime projects (including Alex Rosewater on The Big O).

Michael Forest was born Gerald Michael Charlebois on April 27, 1929, in Harvey, North Dakota. He moved with his family to Seattle while very young. He decided to become an actor after he saw a friend in a play at the Seattle Rep Playhouse. He attended the University of Washington and then San Jose State, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama.

In 1955, he moved to Los Angeles. He made his television debut in episodes of Lux Video Theatre, being credited under his given name Gerald Charlebois. In the Fifties, he guest starred on the shows Highway Patrol; Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre; Cheyenne; Tombstone Territory; The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin; Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok; Zorro; Have Gun-Will Travel; Zane Grey Theatre; Yancy Derringer; Lawman; The Texan; The Rifleman; Bronco; Death Valley Days; The Dennis O'Keefe Show; One Step Beyond; Bat Masterson; The Alaskans; First Person; General Motors Presents; and The Westerner. He appeared in the movies The Deadly Mantis (1957), Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957), The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent (1958), Beast from Haunted Cave (1959), Ski Troop Attack (1960), and Valley of the Redwoods (1960).

In the Sixties, Michael Forest guest starred on the shows Adventures in Paradise; Michael Shayne; Maverick; The Tall Man; Bachelor Father; Cheyenne' Festival; The Detectives; 87th Precinct; Frontier Circus; Tales of Wells Fargo; Wagon Train; Room for One More; Laramie; Ben Casey; Dr. Kildare; The Outer Limits; The Dick Van Dyke Show; The Twilight Zone; Perry Mason; The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; Rawhide; Gunsmoke; Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.; 12 O' Clock High; I Spy; Branded; Combat!; The Virginian; Mission: Impossible; Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color; Laredo; Gilligan's Island'; Mr. Terrific; Star Trek; Bonanza; Ironside; Daniel Boone; Get Smart; Garrison's Gorillas; It Takes a Thief; The Doris Day Show; Here Comes the Brides; and Lassie. He appeared in the movies Atlas (1961), A House is Not a Home (1964), The Glory Guys (1965), Deathwatch (1965), Mosby's Marauders (1967), The Money Jungle (1967), The Sweet Ride (1968), and 100 Rifles (1969).

In the Seventies, Michael Forest guest starred on the TV shows The Rookies; As the World Turns; and The Young and the Restless. He was a guest voice on the anime series Lupin the III Part II and Back to the Forest. He appeared in the movies The Last Rebel (1971), Lo ammazzò come un cane... ma lui rideva ancora (1972), Hector the Mighty (1972), The Assassination of Trotsky (1972), Racconti proibiti... di niente vestiti (1972), The Dirt Gang (1972), Now They Call Him Sacramento (1972), Cotter (1973), The Magnificent Dare Devil (1973), Elena sì... ma di Troia (1973), The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976), The Message (1976), and Icacciatore di squali (1979). He provided voices for the English versions of the animated movie The Adventures of Manxmouse (1979).

In the Eighties, Michael Forest appeared in the television mini-series Mussolini: The Untold Story. He guest starred on the TV shows Simon & Simon; Who's the Boss; and Days of Our Lives. He provided voices for the English version of the anime series Red Spark Zillion, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: A War in the Pocket, Crying Freeman, and Gundam 0083. He appeared in the movies King Kong Lives (1986), Deep Space (19988), and Border Shootout (1990). He provided voices for the English versions of the anime movies Fist of the North Star (1986), The Story of Fifteen Boys (1987), and Doomed Megalopolis: The Last Megalopolis (1988).

In the Nineties, he was the voice of villain Alex Rainwater on the anime series The Big O. He also provided voices for the English versions of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Orguss 02, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Armitage III, Street Fighter II V, Space Knight Tekkaman Blade, Tokyo Revelation, El Hazard: The Magnificent World 2, Saber Marionette J Again, Giant Robo: The Animation: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Trigun, Black Jack, Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure, and Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran. He provided voices for the English version of the Italian anime Detective Extralarge, Casshan, He also provided voices in the English versions of the live-action Power Rangers shows. He guest starred on the shows Silk Stalkings and Seven Days. He provided voices for the English versions of the Jackie Chan movie Operation Condor (1991) and the Chinese TV movies Romance of the Three Kingdoms Part 1. He appeared in the movies Body of Evidence (1993) and Cast Away (2000).

In the Naughts Michael Forest provided voices for the anime movies Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001) and Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006). He provided voices for the English version of the movie Izo (2004). He provided voices for the English versions of the anime series Witch Hunter Robin, Overman King Gainer, Heat Guy J, The Twelve Kingdoms, I'll/CKBC, Someday's Dreamers, Last Exile, Rumic Theatre, R.O.D. the TV, Scrapped Princess, Texhnolyze, Gungrave, Paanoia Agent, Mars Daybreak, Planetes, Samurai Champloo, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Otogi Zoshi, IPGX: Immortal Grand Prix, Gun X Sword, Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Aika R-16: Virgin Mission, and Nyoron Churuya-san. He guest starred on Cold Case and Alias,. He provided voices for the English version of the French film Replay (2001) and the anime movie Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006).

In the Teens,he appeared in the movies The Scarlet Worm (2011) and Unbelievable!!! (2020). He reprised his role as Apollo in the fan TV series Star Trek Continues. He provided a voice for the anime series The Disapperance of Nagato Yuki-chan.

Michael Forest was a remarkable actor. He had a voice perfect for both live-action and animation. It was deep and resonant, and also versatile. Between his height (he was 6 foot 3) and his voice, he was the perfect actor to play the god Apollo on Star Trek. And while he played the role of the haughty Apollo well, he was adept at other roles as well. He did a fine job as Joe Coogan, the former flame of Laura who has become a priest, in the Dick Van Dyke Show episode "The Live and Love of Joe Coogan." With regards to anime, he did a great job as the voice of Alex Rosewater, the ruthless and power-hungry chairman of the Paradigm Corporation, in the English dub of The Big O. Throughout his career he played a number of diverse roles and played all of them well.

"Day Tripper" by The Beatles

Today in 1965, at  EMI Studios (now known as Abbey Road Studios), The Beatles recorded "Day Tripper." It has always been one of my favourite Beatles songs. John Lennon wrote the music and the majority of lyrics, with Paul McCartney contributing some of them. As to the topic of the song, in 1970 John Lennon described it as "a drug song," while in 2004 Paul McCartney said it was "about acid." "Day Tripper" is then a play on words. "Day tripper" is generally used of people who take day trips, short recreational trips made in one day. In "Day Tripper," it's apparently being used about acid trips. 

"Day Tripper" was released in the United Kingdom on December 3, 1965 as a double A-side with "We Can Work It Out." It hit no. 1 on the UK singles chart and "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out" was the Christmas single for 1965. Surprisingly, it only went to no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, even though "We Can Work It Out" went to no. 1. Regardless, I think "Day Tripper" may be the more important of the two songs. Indeed, I think it is an early example of power pop.. It has been covered multiple times by such artists as Otis Redding, José Feliciano, and Cheap Trick. 

The Original Opening of I Love Lucy

It was 75 years ago on this date that I Love Lucy debuted on CBS. Most of us are familiar with the "heart on satin" opening we saw in syndicated reruns of the show, but that wasn't its original opening. The original opening included animation that referenced the show's sponsor (Philip Morris was its first sponsor). 

The animation was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who refused credit as they were still under contract to MGM. The bellhop at the beginning was Johnny Roventini, who represented Philip Morris for decades. Several variations of the animated opening were made, each one referencing one of  I Love Lucy's sponsors. Besides Philip Morris, these included Proctor & Gamble (for Cheer laundry detergent and Lit Home Permanent), General Foods (for Sanka), and Ford Motor Company. 

The "the heart on satin" opening was created for the reruns CBS started airing in the daytime in the 1959-1960 season and was then subsequently used in syndication.  The reason for this was that the reruns on CBS and later in syndication would naturally have different sponsors, making references to the original sponsors irrelevant. The heat design and its typography were created by Verdun Philip Cook, who was a typographer and animator who did work for Desilu Productions. The post-production on the "heart on satin" opening was done by Howard Anderson Jr.'s studio. Howard Anderson Jr. was a visual effects artist who later worked on another Desilu show, Star Trek.

I Love Lucy was one of the earliest TV shows to have animated opening credits and possibly the first sitcom to do so. In that respect, it was yet another way in which I Love Lucy would prove influential. Animated openings to shows would prove popular during the Fifties and well into the Sixties, with such shows as Dobie Gillis (during its first season), Bachelor Father, My Three Sons, Bewitched, The Wild West West, and I Dream of Jeannie among those with animated credit sequences. 

Below is a video of the original opening from the debut episode of I Love Lucy  and the "heart on satin" opening used in reruns.

The 75th Anniversary of Goodyear Television Playhouse

It was 75 years ago on this date, October 14, 1951, that the anthology series Goodyear Television Playhouse debuted on NBC. The series was critically acclaimed. It was also nominated for its share of Emmy Awards. Goodyear Television Playhouse was also relatively popular with audiences. It ranked at no. 16 in the 1951-1952 season, no 15 in the 1952-1953 season, and no 22 in th 1953-1954.

Of course, in some ways The Goodyear Television Playhouse could simply be considered the same show as The Philco Television Playhouse give they shared the same producer (Fred Coe) and the same crew. Indeed, The Goodyear Television Playhouse and The Philco Television Playhouse are often referred to collectively as The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, even that was never the actual name of either program. The Philco Television Playhouse came about when Philco entered into a partnership with Actors Equity Association to produce adaptations of Broadway plays for television. It debuted on October 3, 1948. The show would shift to adaptations of popular novels in its second season and then its third season to original teleplays. 

It was in 1951 that Philco started sharing sponsorship with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The two sponsors alternated weeks, so that one week The Philco Television Playhouse would air and the next week The Goodyear Television Playhouse would air. It was in 1955 that Philco dropped its sponsorship, so The Philco Television Playhouse came to an end. The Goodyear Television Playhouse then alternated weeks with The Alcoa Hour, sponsored by the Alcoa Corporation. Unlike The Philco Television Playhouse, it truly was a different show from The Goodyear Television Playhouse, with its own production team. 

Over the years, several well-known actors guest-starred on The Goodyear Television Playhouse, including Eddie Albert, Ernest Borgnine, Melvyn Douglas, John Forsythe, June Lockhart, Roddy McDowall, Tony Randall, and many more. Some of the young actors appearing on Goodyear Television Playhouse would go onto become major stars. These included Grace Kelly, Sal Mineo, and Tuesday Weld. It also produced teleplays that are remembered to this day, at least two of which were later adapted as movies ("Visit to a Small Planet" and "The Catered Affair").  The show also proved pivotal in the careers of several writers, including  Paddy Chayefsky, Horton Foote, Gore Vidal, and others. 

By 1957, live anthology shows had more or less run their course. Goodyear Television Playhouse ended its run and instead Goodyear sponsored a filmed, half-hour anthology series titled Goodyear Theatre. It ran for three seasons, ending in 1960. 

Sadly, as a live television show whose episodes were at best preserved on kinescopes, Goodyear Television Playhouse would not have a syndication run. Today it seems likely that not many beyond those alive at the time and television historians and classic television buffs know about it. But for a time, Goodyear Television Playhouse produced some of the best teleplays on American television. 

I Love Lucy and Its Place in Latino Television History

I Love Lucy debuted on CBS on October 15, 1951. That makes this Thursday the show's 75th anniversary. I Love Lucy numbers among the most influential shows of all time, from it being shot on 35 mm film in front of studio audience to Lucille Ball's real life pregnancy being written into the show's storylines. Among other things, I Love Lucy occupies a unique place in the history of Latinos on television.

For those few of you who are not familiar with I Love Lucy, it centred on Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) and her husband, Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo (Lucy's real life husband Desi Arnaz). They lived in an apartment in New York City that they rented from Ethel and Fred Mertz (Vivian Vance and William Frawley). Many of the show's plots centred on Lucy trying to break into show business or various other schemes.

Of course, in Lucy being married to Ricky, I Love Lucy was the first ever show to feature a multiethnic marriage. While Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married in real life and no states expressly forbade individuals of Northern European descent from marrying Cubans, this was still revolutionary for the time. Indeed, many states did forbid white and various other ethnicities from marrying. For instance, Texas anti-miscegenation laws were so strict that whites could not marry anyone who wasn't white.

Given the times, it should come as no surprise that when I Love Lucy was in development, CBS initially objected to Desi Arnaz, playing Lucy's husband on the show, despite the fact that they were married in real life. They were convinced that television audiences would not accept an "all-American" woman being married to a Cuban man. To prove to CBS this was not the case, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz developed their own stage act, written by Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr., who had written Lucille Ball's radio show My Favorite Husband. They took this act on the road and proved to be very successful. It was the success of this act that convinced CBS executive Harry Ackerman that a show starring both Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz could be a hit. OF course, it also helped that Lucille Balll's proposed new show was drawing interest from CBS's rival NBC. With the prospect of losing Miss Ball to NBC, Harry Ackerman eventually gave into Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's wishes.

No secret was every made of Ricky Ricardo's Cuban ancestry and, in fact, the character was largely based on Desi Arnaz himself. Ricky was an immigrant from Cuba to the United States, just as Des Arnaz had been. Both were bandleaders who played Cuban music. Of course, to a degree Ricky Ricardo was something of a stereotype. e was highly excitable and he had a bit of a temper. When upset it was not unusual for Ricky to erupt with a stream of rapidly spoken Spanish.

While there were aspects of Ricky Ricardo that were stereotypical, there was much else about Ricky that ran counter to common assumptions about Latinos in the United States at the time. Ricky Ricardo was college educated, having attended Havana University. Starting out as the bandleader at the Tropicana, he eventually bought the club and renamed it the Club Babalu. This was a sharp contrast to other Latino characters on American sitcoms in the Fifties. Frank the gardener on Father Knows Best was so naive that it seems likely he couldn't function in American society without the Anderson family. Pepino on The Real McCoys always deferred to the McCoys and was often the target of Amos McCoy's tirades. Regardless, I Love Lucy was not only historic in featuring the first multiethnic marriage, but in featuring the first Latino lead character on an American sitcom.

Beyond the fact that I Love Lucy was the first American show to feature a mixed marriage and the first sitcom to have a Latino as one of its leads, it also exposed American audiences to a good deal of Cuban music. Many episodes feature performances by Ricky Ricardo and his band. Among the songs included on the show were Desi Arnaz's signature song "Babalú," "El Cumbanchero," and "The Straw Hat song." The musical numbers on I Love Lucy drew heavily upon Desi Arnaz's act in real life and his orchestra.

While Ricky Ricardo was the only Latino to appear regularly on I Love Lucy, the show featured several Latin guest stars. In "Ricky's Old Girlfriend," Mexican American actress Rosa Turich played Cuban singer Carlota Romero, after Ricky had just fabricated a story about an old girlfriend by that name.Guatemalan actress Lillian Molieri was also in the same episode, appearing as Carlotta in a nightmare that Lucy has. Cuban born actress Rita Conde appeared in the episode "Cuban Pals." "The Ricardos Visit Cuba" featured some of Ricky's relatives played by Mexican American actor Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Mexican American actor Jorge Treviño, and Nicaraguan actress Lillian Molieri: At the time of I Love Lucy, Latinos appeared infrequently on American TV shows outside of Westerns (where they were often stereotypical Mexican bandidos).

Ultimately, I Love Lucy broke a good deal of new ground with regards to Latinos on American television. It was the first show ever to feature a multiethnic marriage. It was also the first American sitcom to feature a Latino as a lead character. It exposed American audiences to Cuban and Latin music on a somewhat regular basis. And it occasionally featured Latino guest stars in prominent roles.