James Sikking, who has appeared in shows such as “Doggy Howser” and “Doctor Who,” “Hill Street Blues” He died at the age of 90.
Cynthia Snyder, a spokeswoman for Mr. Sicking, said in a statement Sunday night that he died from complications from dementia.
“Mr. Sicking’s incredible career gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farce. His career spanned more than 60 years on television, film and stage,” Snyder told Fox News Digital.
She added, “His talent, sincerity and imagination captivated and delighted audiences.”
James Sikking, known for his roles in TV shows such as “Doogie Howser” and “Hill Street Blues,” has died at the age of 90. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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In “Dr. Doogie Howser,” Sicking played Dr. David Howser, the father of the series’ title character, Dr. David Howser. Neil Patrick Harris.
Previously, he played Lt. Howard Hunter, a clean-cut Vietnam War veteran who heads the Metropolitan Police’s emergency response team, in “Hill Street Blues.”
Sikiking based the character’s uptight, eccentric personality on the instructors he taught in basic training when his time at University of California, Los Angeles was cut short by military service, though he graduated in 1959.
“The drill instructor had hair like steel and his uniform had so much starch on it that I knew if I took it off in the barracks I’d be put in a corner,” he told the Fresno Bee in 2014.
Sicking was nominated for an Oscar for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama in 1984. (Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images, via Getty Images)
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He was nominated for an Oscar for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama in 1984.
Sikking appeared in “Hill Street Blues,” “Doogie Howser,” and “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”
His career continued with guest appearances on shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “The Closer,” as well as films like “Fever Pitch” and “Made of Honor.”
Sicking played Neil Patrick Harris’ father on Doogie Howser. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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Sicking was born in Los Angeles in 1934, the youngest of five children, and appeared in several uncredited roles in his early films. Roger Corman’s He had small roles in episodes of “Five Guns West” and “Perry Mason.”
He also had guest roles in several series prior to his appearance in Hill Street Blues, including Mission: Impossible, M*A*S*H, FBI, The Rockford Files, Hawaii Five-O and Charlie’s Angels.
Sicking is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren. (Mark Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Sicking is married to Florine Kaplan and has two children and four grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
