A native of
Milwaukee, he studied acting at
HB Studio in New York City. Hiken was nominated for the
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1980 for his performance in
Strider. He has performed in many other Broadway plays and has appeared in supporting and bit roles in various films including
The Candidate (1972),
Reds (1981), and
Fat Man and Little Boy (1989). On television, Gerald Hiken was a frequent guest star on
Car 54, Where Are You?, a show created by his cousin
Nat Hiken. In 1988, Gerald Hiken appeared in two consecutive
Cheers episodes. He played the character Dennis, father of executive Martin Teale in
season 7, episodes 3 and 4: "Executive Sweet" and "One Happy Chappy in a Snappy Serape". Hiken died on January 6, 2021, at the age of 93. ==Partial filmography==