James Barrie Sikking (March 5, 1934 – July 13, 2024) was an American actor, best known for his roles as Lt. Howard Hunter on the 1980s television series Hill Street Blues and Dr. David Howser on Doogie Howser, M.D. His career spanned six decades.

Early life James Barrie Sikking was born in Los Angeles on March 5, 1934, to Arthur and Sue (née Paxton) Sikking. Sikking was the youngest of five children. His mother co-founded Santa Monica, California's Unity-by-the-Sea Church. He attended El Segundo High School. Sikking graduated from University of California, Los Angeles in 1959. During his time at UCLA, he worked at the Central Stage, the production program at UCLA and Los Angeles County lifeguard to pay for college.

While in college during the Korean War, Sikking served in the U.S. Army. He stated he based his approach to his Hill Street Blues character on one of his drill sergeants from basic training at Fort Bragg.

Career Films Sikking's first film was in Roger Corman's Five Guns West (1955) as a Union Sergeant uncredited. He was in The Strangler (1964), The Carpetbaggers (1964), Von Ryan's Express (1965), In Like Flint (1967), Point Blank (1967), the Elvis Presley film Charro! (1969), and Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969).

In the 1970s, Sikking was in Escape from the Planet of the Apes in an uncredited role (1971), Brother on the Run (1973), Capricorn One (1978), and The Electric Horseman (1979). In the 1980s, he was in The Star Chamber (1983), Up the Creek (1984), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), and Soul Man (1986).

In the 1990s, Sikking was in the remake Narrow Margin (1990) of 1956's The Narrow Margin, Final Approach (1991), The Pelican Brief (1993), and Whisper of the Heart (1995). In the 2000s he was in Made of Honor (2008).

Television In the 1960s, Sikking was in a number of television series such as Assignment: Underwater, Honey West, and Hogan's Heroes. From 1971–76, he played Jim Hobart, an alcoholic surgeon, on the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital. In the 1970s, Sikking was in M*A*S*H, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (1976) miniseries, and portrayed Geoffrey St. James on the NBC comedy series Turnabout.

Sikking appeared as Lieutenant (later demoted to Sergeant) Howard Hunter on the TV series Hill Street Blues from 1981 to 1987. Sikking's performance earned him his first Emmy nomination in 1984. In 1989, Hill Street Blues''' creator, Steven Bochco, cast Sikking in the ABC television series Doogie Howser, M.D. as Dr. David Howser, father of the title character. On the 1997 drama series Brooklyn South he portrayed Captain Stan Jonas, for which he won a People's Choice Award in 1998. Sikking was in quite a few made-for-TV movies such as Inside O.U.T. (1971), The Alpha Caper (1973), Calling Doctor Storm, M. D. (1977), Bay Cove (1987), Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988), and Doing Time on Maple Drive'' (1992).

Personal life and death Sikking married his second wife, cookbook author Florine Sikking ( Caplan), in 1962. They had two children and four grandchildren. He and Robert Wagner were friends. Sikking enjoyed fishing. In the 1990s, he traveled to the Florida Keys to fish in the Redbone series of fishing tournaments. Sikking lived in the 4500 block of Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Known affectionately as "Jim the Reader" at Los Angeles public schools, he read to public school third-grade classes for almost 20 years through the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Book Pals Program. Sikking did charity work for golf tournaments. He was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a health center in Washington, Iowa.

Sikking died of complications from dementia at his home in Los Angeles, on July 13, 2024, at age 90.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleDirectorNotesref 1955 Five Guns West Union Sergeant Roger Corman Western filmUncredited 1964 The Strangler Police Sketch Artist Burt Topper Psychological thriller film The Carpetbaggers Reporter Edward Dmytryk Drama filmUncredited 1965 Von Ryan's Express American Soldier Mark Robson World War II adventure filmUncredited 1967 In Like Flint Secret Service Member Gordon Douglas Spy fi comedy filmUncredited Point Blank Hired Gun John Boorman Crime film 1969 Charro! Gunner Charles Marquis Warren Western film Daddy's Gone A-Hunting Joe Menchell Mark Robson Thriller film 1971 Escape from the Planet of the Apes Control Room Officer Don Taylor Science fiction filmUncredited Chandler Bogardy Paul Magwood Neo-noir filmScenes deleted The Night God Screamed Deacon Paul Lee Madden Psychological thriller/horror film 1972 The Magnificent Seven Ride! Andy Hayes George McCowan Western filmAlso known as The Magnificent Seven 4 The New Centurions Sgt. Anders Richard Fleischer Neo-noir action Crime filmBased on the novel of the same name by Joseph Wambaugh 1973 Scorpio Harris Michael Winner Spy film Brother on the Run Lt. Summers Edward J. LaksoHerbert L. Strock Action filmAlso known as Man on the Run, Soul Brothers Die Hard, & Black Force II 1974 The Terminal Man Ralph Friedman Mike Hodges Horror science fiction filmBased novel of the same name by Michael Crichton On Guard - Bunco! Husband James Tartan Short film 1978 Capricorn One Control Room Man Peter Hyams Thriller film 1979 The Electric Horseman Dietrich Sydney Pollack Western film 1980 Ordinary People Ray Robert Redford Drama filmBased on the 1976 novel by Judith Guest The Competition Brudenell Joel Oliansky Drama/musical film 1981 Outland Sergeant Montone Peter Hyams Science fiction/thriller film 1983 The Star Chamber Harold Lewin Peter Hyams Crime thriller film 1984 Up the Creek Tozer Robert Butler Comedy film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Captain Styles Leonard Nimoy Science fiction film 1985 Morons from Outer Space Raymond Laribee Mike Hodges Comedy/Science fiction film 1986 Soul Man Bill Watson Steve Miner Comedy film 1990 Narrow Margin Nelson Peter Hyams Neo-noir action thriller filmRemake of The Narrow Margin 1991 Final Approach Jason Halsey Eric Steven Stahl Thriller film 1993 The Pelican Brief Denton Voyles Alan J. Pakula Legal thriller filmBased on the 1992 novel by John Grisham 1994 Dead Badge Wheeler, Aaron Feld Douglas Barr Action film 1995 Whisper of the Heart Seiya Tsukishima (voice) Yoshifumi Kondō Animated coming-of-age romantic drama filmEnglish dub 2005 Fever Pitch Doug Meeks Peter and Bobby Farrelly Romantic comedy-drama film Also known as The Perfect Catch 2008 Made of Honor Reverend Foote Paul Weiland Romantic comedy film 2009 Wild About Harry William Cauldicott Gwen Wynne Drama film Also known as American Primitive 2012 Just an American Dr. Hanover Fred Ashman Drama film

Television