Neil Patrick Harris Remembers His TV Dad James Sikking: “One Of The Kindest, Wisest, Funniest, & Most Generous People”

Neil Patrick Harris is paying tribute to Emmy-nominated actor James B. Sikking, his former Doogie Howser, MD co-star, who died July 13 of complications of dementia at the age of 90.

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Sikking played Dr. David Howser, the dad of Harris’ Doogie Howser on the ABC sitcom from 1989 to 1993.

“Jim Sikking played my dad in Doogie Howser, MD, and was one of the kindest, wisest, funniest, and most generous people I’ve ever known,” Harris wrote in a post on Instagram. :A true professional. He treated everyone with respect, taught me countless lessons, yet always had a spark of mischief in his eyes. It was an absolute honor to be his son. My condolences to his actual family for their loss. #RIP “

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Sikking earned an Emmy nom in 1984 for playing S.W.A.T. leader Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues during the show’s 1981-1987 run. He also was a regular on Brooklyn South and appeared on such shows as Rawhide , Bonanza , Starsky & Hutch , The Rockford Files , Turnabout , General Hospital and Curb Your Enthusiasm .

His film work included the role of Captain Styles in 1984’s Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , directed by and starring Leonard Nimoy. He also played FBI director Denton Boyles in Alan J. Pakula’s 1993 legal thriller The Pelican Brief, among others.

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