James Sikking, who starred in shows like “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and “Hill Street Blues” has died at age 90.
In a statement Sunday evening, Sikking’s publicist Cynthia Snyder said the actor died of complications from dementia.
Snyder also released a statement to Deadline, stating, “In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage.”
She added, “His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.”
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On “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” Sikking played Dr. David Howser, father to the title character of the series, played by Neil Patrick Harris.
Before that, he starred as Lt. Howard Hunter on “Hill Street Blues,” a clean-cut Vietnam War veteran who headed the Emergency Action Team of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Sikiking based his character’s uptight and quirky nature on a drill instructor he’d had at basic training when military service cut through his time at the University of California, Los Angeles, from which he graduated in 1959.
“The drill instructor looked like he had steel for hair and his uniform had so much starch in it, you knew it would sit in the corner when he took it off in the barracks,” he told The Fresno Bee in 2014.
He earned an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama in 1984.
Apart from his work in “Hill Street Blues” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” Sikking also appeared in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”
In his later career, he had guest spots on shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Closer,” as well as parts in films like “Fever Pitch” and “Made of Honor.”
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Sikking was born the youngest of five in 1934 in Los Angeles. Some of his early work includes an uncredited part in Roger Corman’s “Five Guns West” and a small part in an episode of “Perry Mason.”
He also had guest starring roles on several series like “Mission: Impossible,” “M*A*S*H,” “The F.B.I.,” “The Rockford Files,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Charlie’s Angels” before landing his role on “Hill Street Blues.”
Sikking married Florine Caplan, with whom he had two children and four grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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