‘Doogie Howser’ and ‘Hill Road Blues’ Star Was 90

James B. Sikking has died on the age of 90, PEOPLE confirms.

In response to his publicist, Cynthia Synder, the Hill Road Blues actor died “peacefully at his Los Angeles house surrounded by household.” The reason for dying was dementia.

Identified for his expressive face, Sikking’s profession spanned six many years. He was finest acknowledged for taking part in Lt. Howard Hunter, the chief of the precinct’s Emergency Motion Crew, on Hill Road Blues from 1981 to 1987. The Emmy nominee additionally had a lead position as Dr. David Howser, the daddy to boy genius Doogie (performed by Neil Patrick Harris) on Doogie Howser, M.D.

Each exhibits have been created by Steve Bochco, who died in 2018.

James Barrie Sikking was born in Los Angeles in 1934. He attended El Segundo Excessive College and earned a Bachelor’s diploma in Theatre Arts from UCLA, the place he first fell in love with appearing.

Throughout faculty, he hung out within the Military — and his drill teacher throughout primary coaching in the end impressed his strategy to his Hill Road Blues character.

“The drill teacher appeared like he had metal for hair, and his uniform had a lot starch in it, you knew it will sit within the nook when he took it off within the barracks,” he informed The Seattle Instances in 2014. “So after I began to play Howard, I picked out the best way he ought to be dressed. It needed to be a really navy look. He needed to have these leap boots.”

He added, “When folks requested me the place I bought the thought for his look, I informed them it was the identical look I had within the Military.”

Sikking carried out in stage productions at Michigan’s Barn Theatre College earlier than leaping to motion pictures with 1955’s 5 Weapons West and 1956’s The Revolt of Mamie Stover. He made dozens of TV appearances, on exhibits together with Perry Mason, The Fugitive, Gomer Pyle. U.S.M.C., Hogan’s Heroes, Mission: Unattainable, Columbo, Little Home on the Prairie and Hawaii 5-O. From 1973 to 1976, he appeared on Basic Hospital as Dr. James Hobart.

In 1981, he joined the solid of Hill Road Blues, an ensemble present, a few police station in a fictional metropolis. ”The beauty of Hill Road Blues was that nobody character was extra essential than every other,” Sikking informed The New York Instances in 1988.

The collection had poor rankings in his first season, however acquired a whopping 21 Emmy nominations (and would win eight of these awards). NBC renewed it, making it, on the time, the lowest-rated drama that was ever renewed for an additional season. 

The collection was not solely a essential darling, however the present turned extremely influential for the many years of police dramas that will comply with.

“It was a variety of laborious work, however everyone cherished it and that exhibits,” Sikking informed Parade in 2014. “When you may have the people who find themselves concerned within the creation, manufacture — no matter you wish to name it — who’re actually into it and luxuriate in doing it, you’re going to get a very good product.”

PEOPLE described Sikking’s character in 1987 as “a thug’s worst enemy and a canine’s finest good friend.” He acquired one Emmy nomination for the position.

“I’d completed acres of crap,” he informed the Los Angeles Instances in 2006. “This was particular.” There have been no filler episodes; each hour was simply as significant as those that got here earlier than. “We did 148 hours, and there’s no bagel dough in it,” he defined. 

Sikking additionally appeared within the 1984 movie Star Trek III: The Seek for Spock. He was solid when producer Harve Bennett requested him to step into the position of Captain Types.

“I used to be not into that type of outer-space enterprise,” he admitted to StarTrek.com in 2014. “I had an smug perspective in these days. I needed to do actual theater. I needed to do severe exhibits, not one thing about any individual’s creativeness of what outer area was going to be like.” He referred to as that prejudice “foolish” and mentioned that he was acknowledged extra by followers for his Star Trek position than for “all the opposite work I’ve completed.”

When Hill Road Blues resulted in 1987, after seven seasons, he continued to work. Most notably, he joined Doogie Howser, M.D. in 1989, alongside Neil Patrick Harris because the titular prodigy. The collection ran till 1993. Different roles for the actor included The Pelican Transient, Fever Pitch, Manufactured from Honor and The Nearer. 

Sikking married spouse Florine in 1962, and so they shared three youngsters. 

He had largely retired by the top of the 2000s. “I have to say that, prior to now few years through which I haven’t labored, the obscurity has been fairly enticing,” he admitted to StarTrek.com. “The beauty of obscurity is it provides you an opportunity to be who you’re and never some character. It additionally retains you from being so self-conscious. . . . I nonetheless do my charity occasions, however I’m pleased to be with my household.” 

Hill Road Blues was in the end the a part of his lengthy appearing profession of which he was most proud. He informed The Seattle Instances, “I’ve been an actor for 50 years, and after I look again on the present, I feel it was the very best present I used to be ever on.”

Sikking is survived by his spouse of 61 years, Florine, his son Andrew, daughter Dr. Emily Sikking (Mallory ‘Chip’ Milam), and 4 grandchildren.