10/24/2026
Tom, along with his wife was the original Innkeeper at The Edenwild. So thankful they created such a beautiful property for folks to enjoy for many generations!
“Nothing could have prepared me for the grandeur of those waters.”
Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor best known to generations of moviegoers for roles in “M*A*S*H,” “Alien,” “Top Gun,” and “Picket Fences,” has died at 93. For anglers, one of his most memorable performances was Reverend John Maclean in Robert Redford’s 1992 film “A River Runs Through It.” Filming brought Skerritt to Montana’s Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Boulder Rivers, and the experience stayed with him long after production ended. Thirty years later, he returned to the Gallatin for “Reflections of the River,” a documentary project directed by Joe Thomas. This time, the focus was on the rivers themselves and the challenges facing them.
The Gallatin had come under increasing pressure from development and water-quality problems, including excessive algae growth. Skerritt, who served on the board of American Rivers, also supported Montana’s 2023 Wildlands Festival, which raised more than $513,000 for American Rivers and the Gallatin River Task Force. His involvement helped bring attention to the conservation work underway in a place he had known for three decades. “Few things are as majestic or pulsing with life as a river, and we are as much its stewards as its beneficiaries,” he said.
Rest in peace, Tom Skerritt. 1933–2026.
