Tom Alter dies at 67 after losing battle to skin cancer

Few days ago it came to everyone’s attention that actor Tom Alter has been battling stage 4 skin cancer. Today, the actor, 67, passed away, in Mumbai. He was admitted to Saifee hospital earlier this month, but was taken back home just this Thurday. On Friday he breathed his last. The actor’s family has released a statement that reads, “It is with sadness we announce the death of Tom Alter, actor, writer, director, Padma Shri, and our dear husband and father.”

Tom was an American-origin actor settled in India, and has worked in over 300 movies in the span of his career and also played iconic roles on TV. We will forever remember him for many of his iconic roles. He played the maha guru in the children’s favourite Shaktimaan and the Vishwapramukh  in Captain Vyom. He has been part of many movies including Veer Zara, Gandhi, The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey, Bheja Fry. Tom was the first person in India to have interviewed the cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on screen. In 2008, he was recognised with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of India.

Tom is survived by his wife Carol, son Jamie and daughter Afshaan. Earlier this month, in an interview with a news portal, Jaimie had revealed that Tom’s cancer has relapsed. It was reported that the actor was suffering from bone cancer, which Jaimie clarified to be untrue. “It is what is called a squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). It is a relapse of the same thing which had happened last year and unfortunately, for various reasons, it was not detected at that time and has come back.” the actor’s son revealed in the interview. Last year, Tom Alter had to get his thumb amputated due to the condition.