‘Tenafly’ & ‘Perry Mason’ Actor James McEachin Dies at 94

James McEachin in Tenafly
Sherman Weisburd/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection
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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.