US Actor Gone at 90

(RepublicanView.org) – Actor James B. Sikking has died at age 90. His publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told reporters he died surrounded by family at his Los Angeles home. In a published statement, Snyder said Sikking had enjoyed a remarkable career that included “comedy, tragedy, and hilarious farce.” The actor was best known for portraying Lieutenant Howard Hunter in the 1980s cop drama “Hill Street Blues.”

Born in Los Angeles in 1934, Sikking grew up in a religious household with his mother, Rev. Sue Sikking, who founded the Unity by the Sea church in Santa Monica in 1944. Sikking graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1959 and served in the US Army during the Korean War. He once stated that he based his “Hill Street Blues” character on an officer he knew during his military service.

The actor’s TV break came in 1971 when he won the part of an alcoholic doctor in the soap opera “General Hospital” and stayed in the role for five years. An Emmy nomination came in 1984 for his “Hill Street Blues” role, which he played from 1981 to 1987, followed by another high-profile part as the main character’s father in “Doogie Howser, MD.” Sikking also made guest appearances on television staples such as “Bonanza,” “The Incredible Hulk,” and “The Rockford Files.”

The LA native’s film credits include “The Competition,” “Star Trek III – The Search for Spock,” and “Point Blank.”

While studying theater arts at UCLA, Sikking met Florine Caplan, whom he dated for eight months before they married in 1962. They remained married until his death and had two children. Sikking was known in Los Angeles for his charity work, including raising funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which works with breast cancer patients, and various organizations connected to the genetic illness cystic fibrosis. He also read to disadvantaged school kids in the city and was affectionately known as “Jim the Reader.”

Reports indicate that he died from dementia-related complications.