‘Tenafly’ & ‘Perry Mason’ Actor James McEachin Dies at 94
Actor James McEachin, best known for the Perry Mason TV movies and the 1973 police drama series Tenafly, passed away on January 11, 2025, at the age of 94. No cause of death has been given. Born on May 20, 1930, McEachin joined the U.S. Army when he was only 17 years old, spending several years in the military. Ultimately, he was wounded in an ambush and left for dead before being rescued. When he returned home, he worked as a firefighter and a police officer in New Jersey before moving to Southern California.
In California, he first turned to music, where he was known as Jimmy Mack. In this time, McEachin served as a songwriter, composer, talent manager, record producer and label owner, working with stars such as Otis Redding and the group The Furys. McEachin recalled walking down Melrose Avenue one day and being approached and asked to do a movie. It led to his first role in I Crossed the Color Line (1966), also known as The Black Klansman.
Everett Collection
In the 1960s, he signed with Universal and appeared in several films, including True Grit, Hello, Dolly! and television shows such as Dragnet, Adam-12 and Hawaii Five-O. Eventually, he became known for the Perry Mason movies.
In 1973, he got the lead in a show called Tenafly, which harkened back to his days as a police officer. He also appeared in four films with Clint Eastwood: Coogan’s Bluff, Play Misty for Me, Every Which Way But Loose and Sudden Impact. When he wasn’t acting, McEachin spent time speaking with soldiers and veterans, and wrote a one-man play called Above the Call; Beyond the Duty. McEachin also wrote several books, including Tell Me a Tale: A Novel of the Old South, Farewell to the Mockingbirds, Swing Low My Sweet Chariot: The Ballad of Jimmy Mack and more.
Curt Gunther/TV Guide/Everett Collection
In 2001, McEachin received the Distinguished Achievement Award from Morgan State University and was appointed an Army Reserve Ambassador in 2005, a role with the protocol rank of a two-star general. He has also supported military and veterans’ causes, including participating in Purple Hearts Reunited ceremonies to help return lost or stolen military awards to their rightful recipients or families.
He is survived by three children. His wife Lois Emma Davis, passed away in 2017; they wed in 1960.
Classic TV Shows of the ’50s & ’60s
September 2020
Test your knowledge, from Bonanza and Gunsmoke to I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek and more fun TV of the 1950s and 1960s.
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