James B. Sikking

Biography: James B. Sikking (the "B" stands for Barrie, as in James M. Barrie, his parents' favorite author) was active in student theatricals at the University of California-Santa Barbara, UCLA and the University of Hawaii. Sikking's first film was 1963's The Strangler; his subsequent movie work found him alternating between punkish villains and steely authority types. His earliest regular TV stint was as Dr. James Hobart, one of Rachel Ames' many amours, on the daytime drama General Hospital. If we bypass his brief stint as cosmetics executive Geoffrey St. James in the mercifully short-lived 1979 sitcom Turnabout, we can regard Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues as Sikking's first recurring prime-time TV characterization. Looking like a cross between George C. Scott and Roy Scheider on both of their bad days, Lt. Hunter was Hill Street Station's gonzo SWAT team leader, eager to prove his worth by blowing a hole in anyone who looks at him cross-eyed. It is to Sikking's credit that heJames B. Sikking (the "B" stands for Barrie, as in James M. Barrie, his parents' favorite author) was active in student theatricals at the University of California-Santa Barbara, UCLA and the University of Hawaii. Sikking's first film was 1963's The Strangler; his subsequent movie work found him alternating between punkish villains and steely authority types. His earliest regular TV stint was as Dr. James Hobart, one of Rachel Ames' many amours, on the daytime drama General Hospital. If we bypass his brief stint as cosmetics executive Geoffrey St. James in the mercifully short-lived 1979 sitcom Turnabout, we can regard Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues as Sikking's first recurring prime-time TV characterization. Looking like a cross between George C. Scott and Roy Scheider on both of their bad days, Lt. Hunter was Hill Street Station's gonzo SWAT team leader, eager to prove his worth by blowing a hole in anyone who looks at him cross-eyed. It is to Sikking's credit that he invested this initially two-dimensional character with depth and humanity, so much so that Hunter caused viewers' hearts to skip a beat or two when he attempted suicide in a 1984 episode. Sikking remained with H.S.B. until its cancellation in 1987, moving on to such assignments as "The Old Man" in the Jean Shepherd-inspired cable flick Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1989). From 1989 to 1993, Sikking co-starred as Dr. David Howser, father of 16-year-old medical genius Neil Patrick Harris, on the weekly sitcom Doogie Howser MD. James B. Sikking's recent film credits include the pompous Captain Styles in Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock (1984) and FBI chief Denton Voglers in The Pelican Brief (1994). Expand

James B. Sikking's Scores

  • TV
Average career score: 72
Highest Metascore: 88 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4
Lowest Metascore: 55 The Guardian: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Negative: 0 out of 3
3 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd General Hospital: Season 43 Apr 1, 2005 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 42 Apr 1, 2004 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
88 Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4 Jan 4, 2004 WASPy Interviewer #2 8.9
tbd General Hospital: Season 41 Apr 1, 2003 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 40 Apr 1, 2002 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 39 Jan 2, 2002 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
55 The Guardian: Season 1 Sep 25, 2001 William McGee tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 38 Jan 2, 2001 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 37 Jan 3, 2000 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 36 Jan 4, 1999 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 35 Jan 2, 1998 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd Brooklyn South: Season 1 Sep 22, 1997 Lieutenant Stan Jonas / Lt. Stan Jonas tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 34 Mar 4, 1997 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 33 Jan 4, 1996 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 32 Nov 7, 1995 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 31 Apr 22, 1994 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd General Hospital: Season 30 Mar 31, 1993 Dr. James Hobart (1973-1976) tbd
tbd Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 4 Sep 23, 1992 Dr. David Howser / Dr. David Howser tbd
tbd Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 3 Sep 25, 1991 Dr. David Howser / Dr. David Howser / Dr. David Howser/Col. Billings tbd
tbd Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 2 Sep 12, 1990 Dr. David Howser / Dr. David Howser tbd
tbd Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 1 Sep 19, 1989 Dr. David Howser / Dr. David Howser tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 7 Oct 2, 1986 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Who's the Boss?: Season 3 Sep 23, 1986 Cornelius Rockwell tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 6 Sep 26, 1985 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 5 Sep 27, 1984 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 4 Oct 13, 1983 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 3 Sep 30, 1982 Lt. Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 2 Oct 29, 1981 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter tbd
tbd Hill Street Blues: Season 1 Jan 15, 1981 Lt. Howard Hunter / Howard Hunter 9.4
tbd The Rockford Files (1974): Season 5 Sep 22, 1978 Seals tbd