James B. Sikking, ‘Hill Street Blues’ and ‘Doogie Howser, M.D.’ star, dead at 90
Sikking died of complications from dementia, according to a statement from his publicist, Cynthia Snyder, sent to Variety magazine on Sunday.
“Hill Street Blues” was a serialized mixture of drama and comedy that is said to be one of the most influential TV shows of all time. It featured diverse, colorful and three-dimensional characters – the policemen and policewomen of the rundown Hill Street Station.
It was produced by Steven Bochco, who had worked with Sikking on a number of previous projects.
Sikking played Howard Hunter, head of the SWAT-like Emergency Action Team, over 144 episodes of the show, from 1981 to 1987.
Hunter was often the show’s comic relief. Sikking, however, saw his humanity.
“I thought there was great depth to the character because he was a very lonely guy,” Sikking told CNN in a 2014 interview.
“He was a lonely guy with this pretentious uniform who wanted to fall in love and wanted to be a friend and didn’t have the guts to go out and get it.”
Sikking would work with Bochco again on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” which ran for 97 episodes from 1989 to 1993. He played Dr. David Howser, father of teenage genius Doogie, played by Neil Patrick Harris.
CNN’s Todd Leopold contributed to this story.
Sikking's portrayal of Hunter in "Hill Street Blues" provided a unique blend of comedy and drama, often serving as entertainment for the audience.
Despite his character's comedic role, Sikking found depth in Hunter's loneliness and longing for connection, making his performance a compelling form of entertainment.
