James B. Sikking, a renowned actor, has passed away at the age of 90 after a prolonged battle with dementia. He died peacefully at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.

Sikking, best known for his role on the TV show Hill Street Blues, was praised for his unique acting style, which included expressive facial gestures. His publicist, Cynthia Snyder, told People, “He died peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family.”

Snyder also told Forbes, “In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy, and hilarious farce.”

Over his sixty-year career, Sikking earned an Emmy nomination in 1984 for his role as Dr. David Howser on the sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D., starring alongside Neil Patrick Harris.

He gained fame in the 1960s and 1970s with appearances in major TV shows like MAS*H, Mission: Impossible, and Charlie’s Angels, followed by notable roles in Brooklyn South and Little House on the Prairie.

Born in Los Angeles in 1934, Sikking later earned a degree in Theater Arts from UCLA. His brief stint in the Army during college influenced his portrayal of characters, particularly on Hill Street Blues.

He once told The Seattle Times, “The drill instructor looked like he had steel in his hair, and his uniform had so much starch in it that you knew it would sit in the corner when he took it off in the barracks.”

In addition to his acting career, Sikking was dedicated to charitable work, supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation and raising funds for cystic fibrosis research. For nearly twenty years, he was known as “Jim the Reader” for reading to third-graders in public schools.

Sikking is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Florine, their two children, and four grandchildren.