James B. Sikking was born on March 5, 1934, in Los Angeles, California, to Unity ministers, whose favorite author was J.M. Barrie, inspiring his middle name. He graduated from El Segundo High School and developed an interest in acting through college plays at the University of California-Santa Barbara, UCLA, and the University of Hawaii.
Sikking's professional stage debut was in "Damn Yankees," and he broke into films with unbilled work in "Five Guns West" (1955) and "The Revolt of Mamie Stover" (1956). He received billing in the 1960s, playing minor villains and authority figures in films like "Point Blank" (1967),"The New Centurions" (1972),and "Scorpio" (1973).
Sikking's first steady television job was as Dr. James Hobart on the daytime soap opera "General Hospital" (1963) from 1973 to 1976. In the early 1980s, he moved into higher-profile films, including "Ordinary People" (1980),but remained largely in the background.
It was his Emmy-nominated role as Lt. Howard Hunter on "Hill Street Blues" (1981) that brought him recognition. Following the series' end, Sikking continued to work in television, playing Dr. David Howser on "Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989) and in mini-movies like "Doing Time on Maple Drive" (1992).
He appeared in films like "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984),"Narrow Margin" (1990),and "The Pelican Brief" (1993),often playing authority figures. Sikking received his first major movie co-lead in "Final Approach" (1991) and ended the decade with the ensemble series "Brooklyn South" (1997).
In the 2000s, Sikking had featured roles in the romantic comedies "Fever Pitch" (2005),"Made of Honor" (2008),and "Wild About Harry" (2009),as well as the drama "Just an American" (2012). He also made guest appearances on TV series like "The Guardian," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and "The Closer."
Sikking has been married to his wife Florine since meeting her at UCLA, and their son Andrew occasionally appeared on his father's series "Brooklyn South" (1997).
