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. 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), 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, 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.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Director
!Notes
!ref
|-
| 1955
| Five Guns West
| Union Sergeant
| Roger Corman
| Western film<br />Uncredited
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1964
| data-sort-value="Strangler, The" | The Strangler
| Police Sketch Artist
| Burt Topper
| Psychological thriller film
|
|-
| 1965–74
| The F.B.I.
| Various
| 11 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1984
| The Jesse Owens Story
| Avery Brundage
| Made-for-TV movie directed by Richard Irving
|
|-
| Battle of the Network Stars XVII
| Himself
| Aired December 20, 1984
|
|-
| 1985
| First Steps
| Jim Davis
| Made-for-TV movie biographical drama film directed by Sheldon Larry
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1986
| Dress Gray
| Major Clifford Bassett
| Miniseries – directed by Glenn Jordan
|
|-
| L.A. Law
| Party Guest
| Episode: "Pilot"; uncredited
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1987
| Police Story: The Freeway Killings
| Mayor Cameron
| Made-for-TV movie directed by William A. Graham
|
|-
| Who's the Boss?
| Cornelius
| Episode: "Mona"
|
|-
| Bay Cove
| Nicholas Kline
| Made-for-TV movie directed by Carl Schenkel
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1988
| Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss
| Old Man
| Made-for-TV movie directed by Dick Bartlett
|
|-
|CBS Summer Playhouse
| Lindsey
| Episode: "Mad Avenue"
|
|-
| Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Golden Land
| Ira Sternholt
| Made-for-TV movie directed by Gene Reynolds
|
|-
| Too Good to Be True
| Russell Quinton
| Made-for-TV movie directed by Christian I. Nyby II<br/>Remake of Leave Her to Heaven
|
|-
| 1997–98
| Brooklyn South
| Captain Stan Jonas
| Series regular; 20 episodes
|