James McEachin obit

James McEachin, Star of ‘Tenafly’ and Perry Mason Telefilms, Dies at 94

A war hero who worked with Otis Redding and The Furys, he appeared in four Clint Eastwood movies and portrayed lots of cops during his career. 

 He was not on the list.

James McEachin, who wrote and produced songs for Otis Redding before turning to acting to portray cops on his own NBC Mystery Movie series and in 18 of the popular Perry Mason telefilms, has died. He was 94.

McEachin died Jan. 11 and was interred last month at Los Angeles National Cemetery.

The familiar character actor also appeared in four films opposite Clint Eastwood: Coogan’s Bluff (1968), Play Misty for Me (1971) — as the deejay Sweet Al Monte — Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and Sudden Impact (1983).

All in the Family aficionados know him for his turns as the IRS tax examiner who won’t be bribed on the 1972 episode “Archie’s Fraud” and as Solomon Jackson, a Black Jew whom Carroll O’Connor’s character invites into his lodge to check off some diversity boxes, on the 1977 installment “Archie the Liberal.”

A onetime contract player at Universal, McEachin starred as family man Harry Tenafly, a Los Angeles cop turned private detective, in Tenafly, created by Richard Levinson and William Link of Columbo and Mannix fame.

One of the rotating, once-a-month NBC Mystery Movie shows that in 1973-74 included Dan Dailey’s Faraday & Company and The Snoop Sisters, starring Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick, Tenafly was the rare TV series back then to star a Black actor, but it lasted just five episodes.

Later, McEachin played Lt. Ed Brock on the NBC Perry Mason telefilms that starred Raymond Burr (and, after his 1993 death, Hal Holbrook) from 1986-95. And he portrayed another police lieutenant, Frank Daniels, on the first season (1986-87) of NBC’s Matlock, starring Andy Griffith.

James McEachin was born on May 20, 1930, in Rennert, North Carolina, and raised in Hackensack, New Jersey. At 17, he joined the U.S. Army in August 1947.

“When I saw those signs saying ‘Uncle Sam Wants You,’ I swear I thought that bony index finger of his was pointing right at me,” McEachin told the Los Angeles Daily News in November 2021.

McEachin spent more than two years in Japan as part of his first three-year term, then re-enlisted for another three years. As a member of the 2nd Infantry Division, he was wounded in an ambush and left for dead before being rescued. (He was awarded both the Purple Heart and Silver Star in 2005.)

After the service, McEachin worked as a firefighter and a cop in Hackensack, then left for Southern California. Known as Jimmy Mack, he became a songwriter, composer, record producer, talent manager and label owner who worked with the doo-wop group The Furys (“Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart”) and Redding, whom he “brought into the business,” he said in a 2014 interview.

He didn’t think he was the “Jimmy Mack” in the hit 1967 song from Martha and the Vandellas. “I couldn’t have been,” he said, “even though there are people who say to this day, ‘He’s just trying to hide from it.’ What is there to hide from?” (Songwriter Ronnie Mack was said to have been the inspiration for the tune.)

McEachin was walking along Melrose Avenue one day when someone asked him if he wanted to be in a movie. He asked his wife if she thought he should do it. “She said, ‘Well, you might as well. You’ve bombed out on everything else you’ve ever done,'” he recalled with a laugh.

That movie, shot in Bakersfield, California (not in the Deep South, as the poster said), was I Crossed the Color Line (1966), also known as The Black Klansman, produced and directed by Ted V. Mikels.

“I didn’t know you had to memorize dialogue,” he said. “I didn’t know that you didn’t have to just pose and do things naturally. It took me forever to learn that. Even though I didn’t know anything about acting, I knew what bad acting was. I think I had a patent on bad acting.”

However, before the decade was done, McEachin had signed with Universal and appeared in films including Uptight (1968), If He Hollers, Let Him Go! (1968), True Grit (1969) and Hello, Dolly! (1969) and on such TV shows as Dragnet, It Takes a Thief, Adam-12, The Name of the Game, Mannix, The Wild Wild West, Hawaii Five-O and Burr’s Ironside.

McEachin worked in the 1972 films Fuzz, Buck and the Preacher and The Groundstar Conspiracy before starring on Tenafly.

After showing up on Insight, The Rockford Files, Police Story, Emergency!, Columbo, T.J. Hooker, St. Elsewhere, Murder, She Wrote and Hill Street Blues, McEachin signed up for his first Perry Mason movie, 1986’s The Case of the Notorious Nun. He stuck around through 1995’s The Case of the Jealous Jokester.

He said he turned down a role in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985) because he was offended at how his character was written.

In 2002, McEachin played a liberal Supreme Court justice on First Monday, a short-lived CBS drama from Donald P. Bellisario that starred James Garner and Joe Mantegna.

McEachin was appointed a U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador in 2005 to spend time speaking with soldiers and veterans. A year later, he wrote, produced and starred (with David Huddleston, a castmate on Tenafly) in a 23-minute video called Old Glory that the military community embraced.

His one-man play, Above the Call; Beyond the Duty, opened at the Kennedy Center in Washington in 2008 and played L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum three years later. He portrayed Old Soldier, a character who “pries open tough issues left in the wake of battle, boldly confronting challenges that are facing those serving in our military today while reconciling the spirit of one who has killed in war.”

McEachin also wrote several books, including 1996’s Tell Me a Tale: A Novel of the Old South, 1997’s Farewell to the Mockingbirds, 1999’s The Heroin Factor, 2000’s Say Goodnight to the Boys in Blue and 2021’s Swing Low My Sweet Chariot: The Ballad of Jimmy Mack, a memoir.

His wife, Lois, whom he married in 1960, died in July 2017.

Writer

Old Glory

7.1

Video

Writer

2007

 

Actor

Old Glory

7.1

Video

2007

 

Reveille (2004)

Reveille

9.1

Short

Army Man

2004

 

First Monday (2002)

First Monday

7.1

TV Series

Justice Jerome Morris

2002

13 episodes

 

Blair Underwood in City of Angels (2000)

City of Angels

6.6

TV Series

2000

3 episodes

 

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester (1995)

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester

6.5

TV Movie

Lt. Brock

1995

 

Andy Griffith in Matlock (1986)

Matlock

7.1

TV Series

Hollis GreeleyPolice Lt. Frank Daniels

1986–1995

8 episodes

 

Hal Holbrook in A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (1994)

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle

6.9

TV Movie

Lt Brock (as James Mc Eachin)

1994

 

Double Exposure (1994)

Double Exposure

4.3

Detective Becker

1994

 

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder (1993)

Diagnosis Murder

6.9

TV Series

Lewis Lomax

1994

1 episode

 

Paul Sorvino, Kathy Ireland, Kim Alexis, Shelley Hack, and Beverly Johnson in A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives (1993)

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives

6.6

TV Movie

Lt Brock (as James Mc Eachin)

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss

7.3

TV Movie

Lt Brock

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host

6.9

TV Movie

Lt Ed Brock

1993

 

Sworn to Vengeance (1993)

Sworn to Vengeance

5.1

TV Movie

Willie

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal (1993)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal

6.9

TV Movie

Lt Brock

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride (1992)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride

6.8

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1992

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo (1992)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo

7.0

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1992

 

Sam Waterston, John Aaron Bennett, Ashlee Levitch, Jeremy London, and Regina Taylor in I'll Fly Away (1991)

I'll Fly Away

8.6

TV Series

Reverend James

1992

2 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing (1992)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing

6.9

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1992

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

Ray Warren

1992

2 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin (1991)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin

7.1

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1991

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter (1991)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter

7.1

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1991

 

Guess Who's Coming for Christmas? (1990)

Guess Who's Coming for Christmas?

5.2

TV Movie

Frank

1990

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer

7.0

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1990

 

Max Monroe (1990)

Max Monroe

6.4

TV Series

Sam Frank

1990

1 episode

 

Elvis (1990)

Elvis

8.0

TV Series

Mose Clark

1990

1 episode

 

Tim Reid and Daphne Reid in Snoops (1989)

Snoops

7.0

TV Series

Del Morris

1990

1 episode

 

Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson in Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987)

Father Dowling Mysteries

6.9

TV Series

Michael Moore

1990

1 episode

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen (1990)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen

7.0

TV Movie

Lt Brock

1990

 

Another Time, Another Place (1989)

Another Time, Another Place

4.1

Frank Morris

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin

6.7

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

7.0

TV Movie

Lt Ed Brock

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace (1988)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace

7.0

TV Movie

Police Sergeant Clifford Brock

1988

 

Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer in Hunter (1984)

Hunter

6.9

TV Series

Frank Garriman

1988

1 episode

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel

7.0

TV Movie

Harry Forbes (as James Mc Eachin)

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun

7.2

TV Movie

Lt. Ed Brock

1986

 

Pernell Roberts in Trapper John, M.D. (1979)

Trapper John, M.D.

6.6

TV Series

Judge Jackson

1986

1 episode

 

Robert Clohessy, Michael Warren, and Bruce Weitz in Hill Street Blues (1981)

Hill Street Blues

8.2

TV Series

Reggie Hill

1982–1986

3 episodes

 

John Rubinstein and Jack Warden in Crazy Like a Fox (1984)

Crazy Like a Fox

7.0

TV Series

Briggs

1986

1 episode

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

Grover Dillon

1985

1 episode

 

Poison Ivy (1985)

Poison Ivy

6.0

TV Movie

The Cook (uncredited)

1985

 

2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

2010: The Year We Make Contact

6.7

Victor Milson

1984

 

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)

St. Elsewhere

8.0

TV Series

Harris Jeffries

1984

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood in Sudden Impact (1983)

Sudden Impact

6.6

Detective Barnes

1983

 

Katy Kurtzman in Allison Sidney Harrison (1983)

Allison Sidney Harrison

6.0

TV Movie

Lt. Jesse Herman

1983

 

T.J. Hooker (1982)

T.J. Hooker

6.1

TV Series

Lt. Franks

1983

1 episode

 

Honeyboy (1982)

Honeyboy

6.3

TV Movie

Nate Walker

1982

 

James Arness and Marshall Colt in McClain's Law (1981)

McClain's Law

7.5

TV Series

Sam Collins

1981

1 episode

 

Gridlock (1980)

Gridlock

5.9

TV Movie

Speed-O

1980

 

The White Shadow (1978)

The White Shadow

8.0

TV Series

Jake Owens

1980

1 episode

 

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979)

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo

6.5

TV Series

Reporter Barnes

1979

1 episode

 

Gil Gerard and Erin Gray in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

6.9

TV Series

Richard Selvan

1979

1 episode

 

Samurai (1979)

Samurai

6.6

TV Movie

Richardson

1979

 

Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Dr. Maxwell

1979

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood in Every Which Way But Loose (1978)

Every Which Way But Loose

6.3

Herb

1978

 

Vincent Baggetta in The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978)

The Eddie Capra Mysteries

7.1

TV Series

Marshal Sam Tully

1978

1 episode

 

Louis Gossett Jr. in Lawman Without a Gun (1978)

Lawman Without a Gun

5.9

TV Movie

Harris McIntyre

1978

 

Grandpa Goes to Washington (1978)

Grandpa Goes to Washington

6.8

TV Series

Flynn

1978

1 episode

 

Peter Falk in Columbo (1971)

Columbo

8.3

TV Series

Walter MearheadBilly Jones

1972–1978

2 episodes

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

GarthMaj. Cromwell

1974–1977

2 episodes

 

Westside Medical (1977)

Westside Medical

6.1

TV Series

Blanchard

1977

1 episode

 

Harold Gould and Stefanie Powers in The Feather and Father Gang (1976)

The Feather and Father Gang

6.8

TV Series

Eli Bowman

1977

1 episode

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

Julius ClarkLt Ron CrockettLt. Crockett ...

1973–1977

4 episodes

 

Raymond Burr in Kingston: Confidential (1976)

Kingston: Confidential

6.0

TV Series

Captain Sheldon

1977

1 episode

 

Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Carroll O'Connor, and Jean Stapleton in All in the Family (1971)

All in the Family

8.4

TV Series

Solomon JacksonMr. Turner

1972–1977

2 episodes

 

The Bionic Woman (1976)

The Bionic Woman

6.7

TV Series

Capt. Godfrey

1976

1 episode

 

Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)

Police Story

7.5

TV Series

Det. Roy HackerDewey Gibson

1975–1976

2 episodes

 

David McCallum in The Invisible Man (1975)

The Invisible Man

6.6

TV Series

Leland McCallisterJames Smith

1975

1 episode

 

Harry O (1973)

Harry O

7.5

TV Series

Jimmy DornTeaser Strock

1974–1975

2 episodes

 

Insight (1960)

Insight

7.4

TV Series

C.C.Dr. Peter GatesDaggett ...

1971–1975

4 episodes

 

McMillan & Wife (1971)

McMillan & Wife

7.2

TV Series

Sgt. Sam Dugan

1975

1 episode

 

Reggie Nalder in The Dead Don't Die (1975)

The Dead Don't Die

5.4

TV Movie

Frankie Specht

1975

 

Noah Beery Jr. and James Garner in The Rockford Files (1974)

The Rockford Files

8.2

TV Series

FBI Agent David Shore

1974

1 episode

 

Susan Howard, Barry Newman, and Albert Salmi in Petrocelli (1974)

Petrocelli

7.2

TV Series

Dr. Herb Shoate

1974

1 episode

 

Brian Fong, Michael Richardson, Mitchell Ryan, and Reid Smith in Chase (1973)

Chase

7.2

TV Series

Clem

1974

1 episode

 

Christina (1974)

Christina

6.5

Donovan

1974

 

Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy in Griff (1973)

Griff

6.2

TV Series

Josh Campbell

1974

1 episode

 

Tenafly (1973)

Tenafly

7.2

TV Series

Harry Tenafly

1973–1974

5 episodes

 

The Alpha Caper (1973)

The Alpha Caper

6.6

TV Movie

Scat

1973

 

Escape

7.7

TV Series

1973

1 episode

 

The Judge and Jake Wyler (1972)

The Judge and Jake Wyler

6.5

TV Movie

Quint

1972

 

Jigsaw

6.5

TV Series

1972

1 episode

 

That Certain Summer (1972)

That Certain Summer

7.6

TV Movie

Mr. Early, the Conductor

1972

 

James Brolin, Brooke Bundy, Suzanne Charny, and Don Mitchell in Short Walk to Daylight (1972)

Short Walk to Daylight

6.8

TV Movie

Ed

1972

 

Fuzz (1972)

Fuzz

5.5

Det. Arthur Brown

1972

 

The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

The Groundstar Conspiracy

6.0

Bender

1972

 

Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier in Buck and the Preacher (1972)

Buck and the Preacher

6.6

Kingston

1972

 

Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol (1972)

Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol

7.8

TV Movie

Loughton

1972

 

The Sixth Sense (1972)

The Sixth Sense

7.1

TV Series

Ritchie Blair

1972

1 episode

 

Kent McCord and Martin Milner in Adam-12 (1968)

Adam-12

7.7

TV Series

Lt. MooreDewey RandolphFreddy Rivers ...

1968–1972

6 episodes

 

McCloud (1970)

McCloud

6.9

TV Series

Richard Thatcher

1971

1 episode

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

6.9

TV Series

Jerry MaxonFirst Desk OfficerDr. Ring ...

1969–1971

4 episodes

 

The D.A. (1971)

The D.A.

6.5

TV Series

Defense Attorney

1971

1 episode

 

Crosscurrent (1971)

Crosscurrent

5.9

TV Movie

Don Cope

1971

 

Clint Eastwood and Jessica Walter in Play Misty for Me (1971)

Play Misty for Me

6.9

Al Monte

1971

 

The Neon Ceiling (1971)

The Neon Ceiling

7.8

TV Movie

Highway Patrolman

1971

 

D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill

7.2

TV Movie

Eddie Jewell

1971

 

Men at Law (1970)

Men at Law

6.3

TV Series

Melton Ames

1970

1 episode

 

The F.B.I. (1965)

The F.B.I.

7.4

TV Series

Les Cutts

1970

1 episode

 

The Bold Ones: The Senator (1970)

The Bold Ones: The Senator

7.7

TV Series

Hamilton

1970

1 episode

 

The Name of the Game (1968)

The Name of the Game

7.6

TV Series

StuartJacksonHenderson ...

1968–1970

4 episodes

 

The Brotherhood of the Bell (1970)

The Brotherhood of the Bell

7.1

TV Movie

Police Detective

1970

 

Harry Morgan and Jack Webb in Dragnet 1967 (1967)

Dragnet 1967

7.7

TV Series

2nd OfficerOff. Tim MilesDr. Collins ...

1969–1970

4 episodes

 

Mary Charlotte Wilcox in The Lawyer (1970)

The Lawyer

6.7

Striker

1970

 

It Takes a Thief (1968)

It Takes a Thief

7.5

TV Series

WillsEarl DantonGate Guard ...

1968–1970

4 episodes

 

Walter Matthau and Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly! (1969)

Hello, Dolly!

7.0

Laborer (uncredited)

1969

 

Then Came Bronson (1969)

Then Came Bronson

7.9

TV Series

Spud

1969

1 episode

 

John Wayne, Rock Hudson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Antonio Aguilar, Bruce Cabot, Roman Gabriel, Big John Hamilton, Ben Johnson, Lee Meriwether, Melissa Newman, and Merlin Olsen in The Undefeated (1969)

The Undefeated

6.6

Jimmy Collins

1969

 

John Wayne, Glen Campbell, and Kim Darby in True Grit (1969)

True Grit

7.4

Judge Parker's Bailiff (uncredited)

1969

 

The Bold Ones: The Protectors (1969)

The Bold Ones: The Protectors

7.0

TV Series

Noah

1969

1 episode

 

Robert Conrad and Ross Martin in The Wild Wild West (1965)

The Wild Wild West

8.1

TV Series

Agent #2

1969

1 episode

 

Darren McGavin in The Outsider (1968)

The Outsider

7.9

TV Series

John Arnold

1969

1 episode

 

Uptight (1968)

Uptight

7.3

Mello

1968

 

Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

Captain John Anderson

1968

1 episode

 

Bob Denver and Herb Edelman in The Good Guys (1968)

The Good Guys

7.0

TV Series

Leon

1968

1 episode

 

Mannix (1967)

Mannix

7.4

TV Series

Benjy (uncredited)

1968

1 episode

 

If He Hollers, Let Him Go! (1968)

If He Hollers, Let Him Go!

6.0

Defense Counsel

1968

 

Clint Eastwood in Coogan's Bluff (1968)

Coogan's Bluff

6.4

Man (uncredited)

1968

 

The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968)

The Legend of Lylah Clare

5.7

Reporter (uncredited)

1968

 

Doris Day, Lola Albright, Robert Morse, Patrick O'Neal, and Terry-Thomas in Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968)

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

5.8

Policeman (uncredited)

1968

 

Chuck Connors, Gerald Edwards, Ronald Howard, and Tom Nardini in Cowboy in Africa (1967)

Cowboy in Africa

7.1

TV Series

Dr. Lee Matsis

1967

1 episode

 

Richard Gilden, Kirk Kirksey, and Rima Kutner in The Black Klansman (1966)

The Black Klansman

6.1

Lonnie (as Jimmy Mack)

1966

 

Producer

Old Glory

7.1

Video

producer

2007

 

Self

Six Two Five

Self

Post-production

 

American Veteran (2021)

American Veteran

7.9

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Richard Rossi Live

TV Series

Self (2018)

1991

 

The Paul Ryan Show (1977)

The Paul Ryan Show

5.8

TV Series

Self

1977–1992

1 episode

 

The Bob Braun Show (1967)

The Bob Braun Show

2.6

TV Series

Self - Actor

1973

1 episode

 

Merv Griffin in The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

The Merv Griffin Show

6.6

TV Series

Self

1973

1 episode

 

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

Self

1973

1 episode