Pickering was a friend of
Larry Shue, with whom he often worked. On stage, James Pickering played the Nerd in Shue's play entitled "The Nerd" - which has been adapted to film in German television as "Laus im Pelz (1987)" and in this case the part was played by
Dieter Hallervorden. Shue dedicated the published script of "The Nerd" to James Pickering.