Lame Cherry: The Hidden Histories of Hollyweird

As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.

All of us are familiar with thee worst actor in history, Tom Skerritt who seemed to find a way to get cast in numbers of pictures and ruin them, but there is a hidden history of an event which took place on the number one television program in the world, Gunsmoke, in the last appearance Skerritt made on that show.

It all started out innocent enough. Skerritt appeared with rather longish hair which was not questioned as it was the Beatles era and men were wearing their hair longer, which looked odd in old west programs.

In the episode, Skerritt plays a deranged son, who comes to hang Doc Adams, which makes no sense. It was a rather boring show as all Tom Skerritt appearances are. Some people though that Skerritt being so boring actually helped other actors like the Alien appear more interesting. I know the horse in that episode almost won an Emmy after appearing with Skerritt.

It was when the production was wrapping up that things went south.

Skerritt pulled a gun, and put Miss Kitty and Festus into jail in Old Dodge Town.

Amanda, you know if you had a mustache, you would look like Tom Skerritt.

It was then he showed up in Dodge City as James Arness was about to get into his car and drive home. Skerritt offered him a drink at the Long Branch.

Skerritt served up a bottle of Old Panther and said he would be right back, and soon enough appeared in a saloon girl costume, professing his love for Matt Dillon.

James Arness then fills in part of the story.

Well I was drinking my Old Panther and this weird actor showed up, saying he loved Matt Dillon. He said that he had taken care of Miss Kitty in she would not be back, and that he would be taking over the role. Then he asked if I wanted to have a bath and unwind with him up in the bedroom.

Skerritt then changed costumes and assured Mr. Arness that he could cook, clean and was going to star in a Star Trek reboot, called Skerritt Trek.

Arness then takes up the narrative again.

Well I told this odd ball, " Look there can not be anything between us. Lot's of Star Trek actors appeared on Gunsmoke, in fact the starring cast had and many extras but I was not into science fiction as my heart belonged to Newly O'Brien.

Skerritt then changed costumes again and demanded to know what Miss Kitty had that he did not.

James Arness replied, "It is not what Kitty Russell has, but what Newly O'Brien has.

With that Tom Skerritt started throwing whiskey bottles around, threw chairs through the window of the Long Branch, snapped Sam the Bartender with his garter belts and the ran out, stole Matt Dillon's horse, Buck, and rode off, which found him in the next studio over, filming Cannon with William Conrad, the original Matt Dillon, where Skerritt is uncredited in the role of, "Crazy Whore on a Horse"

That was Skerritt? I remember it like it was yesterday. It was terrifying.
The set smelled like horse shit for the rest of the season.

After this Gunsmoke incident, word got around in Hollywood that Skerritt was nuts. He would show up for auditions and be simply given the part as people were terrified he was going to go crazy again. That is why the cast of Alien all looks so terrified as Skerritt kept snapping his garter belt in each scene and whispering Matt Dillion I love you.