We regret to announce that actor James B. Sikking has died at the age of 90. Fans of the genre will recognize him as Captain Styles, the overconfident captain of the U.S.S. Excelsior in Star Trek III: the Search for Spock, the one whom Scotty made a monkey of by stealing vital components of his ship’s brand new Transwarp Drive.
You might also have spotted him as Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues andas Dr. David Howser on Doogie Howser, MD.
James Barrie Sikking was born March 5, 1934 in Los Angeles, California. He died July 13, 2024, in Los Angeles, California, unfortunately from complications of dementia.
Naturally, in a theatrical career that stretched from 1955 to 2012, Sikking had multiple Sci-Fi roles
Science Fiction Roles
- Captain Lawrence H. Styles, Star Trek III: Search for Spock (1984)
- Sikking appeared on The Invaders twice, once in the same episode as William Shatner.
- He appeared on The Invaders once, and on My Favorite Martian once.
- He did voicework in two episodes of Batman Beyond.
- He starred in The Astronaut (1972)
- He had a supporting role in Morons from Outer Space (1985).
- Sikking played a Secret Service agent in In Like Flint (1967)
- He played a Control Room Officer in Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971).
- He appeared in The Terminal Man (1974).
- He was the pipe smoking Control Room Man in Capricorn One (1978).
- Sikking played Col. Jason Halsey in Final Approach (1991)
He married his second wife, cookbook author Florine Caplan Sikking in 1962. They had three children, Andrew and Emily, and one other, who prefers privacy. He and his first wife, Mary Roanne Blakeman, were married in 1953 and divorced in 1956. Sikking served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, but did not serve in Korea. In 1984 he was nominated for a primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role in Hill Street Blues. In 1998 he was co-winner of the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Television New Dramatic Series along with his co-stars in Brooklyn South.
Our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
