James McEachin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James McEachin
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McEachin reads a narrative on the conflict at a Department of Defense salute to the Korean War in 2003.
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| Born | May 20, 1930 Rennert, North Carolina, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–2007 |
| Spouse(s) |
Lois Emma Davis McEachin
(m. 1960; |
| Children | 3 |
James McEachin (born May 20, 1930) is an American author and a retired actor. He is also a brave veteran of the Korean War.
Contents
Military Service
James McEachin served in the United States Army. He was a soldier before and during the Korean War. He was part of King Company, which was in the 9th Infantry Regiment (United States) of the 2nd Infantry Division.
During the war, he was badly hurt in an ambush. He was one of only two soldiers who survived this attack.
In 2005, James McEachin received two very important medals: the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. These medals are given to soldiers for bravery and for being wounded in battle. He received them from California Congressman David Dreier. This happened after McEachin shared his war stories for a special project about veterans.
A helper for Congressman Dreier found McEachin's old military records. This is how they discovered he was supposed to receive the Silver Star. Fifty years after his service, McEachin was finally given all seven of his military medals.
Life After the Military
After his time in the Army, James McEachin tried a few different jobs. First, he worked as a fireman. Then, he became a police officer in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Later, he moved to California and started working in the music business. People knew him as Jimmy Mack. He helped young musicians like Otis Redding. He also produced music for a group called The Furys.
Becoming an Actor
Soon after his music career, James McEachin began acting. In the 1960s, he signed a contract with Universal. This meant he would act in their movies and TV shows.
He often played roles like lawyers or police commanders. He appeared in many popular TV shows. These include Hawaii Five-O, The Rockford Files, Mannix, Matlock, and Emergency!. He also acted in movies like Buck and the Preacher (1972) and Fuzz (1972).
In 1973, McEachin starred in his own detective TV series called Tenafly. He played Harry Tenafly, a private detective who used his smarts instead of fighting. He also played Detective Barnes in Sudden Impact (1983), which was a Dirty Harry movie.
Most Famous Role and Writing
James McEachin's most well-known role was Police Lieutenant Brock. He played this character in many Perry Mason TV movies from 1986 to 1995. He acted alongside Raymond Burr in these films.
In the 1990s, he started to act less and focused on writing. His first book was about a historical event during World War I. It was called Farewell to the Mockingbirds (1995). This book won an award in 1998.
He also wrote Pebbles in the Roadway in 2003. This book is a collection of short stories and essays. He described it as his thoughts on America and its people. In 2005, he produced an audio book called Voices: A Tribute to the American Veteran. This audio book also won an award.
Later Work and Honors
In 2006, James McEachin starred in a short film called Reveille. This film was shown to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many people wanted copies of the film. It became very popular online.
This inspired McEachin to create another short film called Old Glory. He directed, produced, and starred in it. Old Glory won an award at the 2007 GI Film Festival. It was his first time directing a film.
In 2001, McEachin received a special award from Morgan State University. In 2005, he became an Army Reserve Ambassador. This is a very high honor. He also helps a group called Purple Hearts Reunited. This group helps return lost military medals to soldiers or their families.
Personal Life
James McEachin married Lois Emma Davis in 1960. They had three children named Alainia, Lyle, and Felecia. Lois McEachin passed away in 2017.
The name "McEachin" rhymes with "beach in."
Filmography
- 1966: The Black Klansman as Lonnie
- 1968: Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? as Policeman (uncredited)
- 1968: The Legend of Lylah Clare as Reporter (uncredited)
- 1968: Coogan's Bluff as Man (uncredited)
- 1968: If He Hollers, Let Him Go! as Defense Counsel
- 1968: Uptight as Mello
- 1968: Adam-12 as Officer Wood
- 1968: Hawaii Five-O as Captain John Anderson
- 1969: True Grit as Judge Parker's Bailiff (uncredited)
- 1969: The Undefeated as Jimmy Collins
- 1969: Hello, Dolly! as Laborer (uncredited)
- 1970: The Lawyer as Striker
- 1970: Dragnet Season 12 episode 13 as Officer Tim
- 1971: Play Misty for Me as Al Monte
- 1972: Buck and the Preacher as Kingston
- 1972: The Groundstar Conspiracy as Bender
- 1972: Fuzz as Det. Arthur Brown
- 1972: Columbo "Etude in Black" S2Ep2 as Billy Jones
- 1973: Emergency! S2Ep21 as Construction Worker Milt
- 1974: Christina as Donovan
- 1974: Emergency! S4Ep5 as Police Detective Lt. Crockett
- 1975: Emergency! S5Ep9 as Police Detective Lt. Crockett
- 1977: Emergency! S6Ep24 as a musician.
- 1978: Every Which Way but Loose as Herb
- 1978: Columbo "Make Me a Perfect Murder" S7E3 as Projectionist Walter Mearhead
- 1978: The Eddie Capra Mysteries "The Two Million Dollar Stowaway" as Sam Tully
- 1980: The White Shadow S2Ep19 as baseball coach Jake Owens
- 1983: Sudden Impact as Detective Barnes
- 1984: 2010 as Victor Milson
- 1986-95 Matlock as Police Lt. Frank Daniels (8 episodes)
- 1987: Hunter S4EP12
- 1994: Double Exposure as Detective Becker
