James McEachin was born on May 20, 1930 in Rennert, North Carolina. At the age of 18 he joined the US Armed Forces and served in the Korean War earning many medals of valor to include the Purple Heart and Silver Star. After leaving the military he spent time as a policeman and then fireman before moving to California and becoming a record producer. After a short stint in the music industry McEachin went into acting and spent many years in film and television. Not yet content he took time away from acting to become an award-winning author and maker of audio books. In 2005 McEachin was appointed as a US Army Reserve Ambassador and spends his free time speaking to soldiers, veterans and America. In late 2006 he produced the film-short Old Glory, a film short for the soldier, veteran and patriot in us all. In 2008 McEachin opened his one-man play, Above the Call; Beyond the Duty at the John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, DC and his since played Casa Manana, Ft. Worth, TX, Brentwood Theater, Los Angeles, CA, and Merle Reskin Theatre, Chicago, IL. McEachin is married with three grown children and resides in So Cal.
African-American actor signed to a Universal contract in the 1960s and for the most part played positive images. Crime drama seemed to be his forte, having his own 1970s series as a more-brains-than-brawn detective in "Tenafly" , then a steady, recurring role as dogged Lieutenant Brock in the "Perry Mason" TV-movie dramas of the 80s.
Daughter Felecia McEachin is the former personal assistant to to Ice Cube , film director Carl Franklin and multiple Emmy award winner Sam Simon. His son is a stock broker.
Once managed the doo-wop group, The Furys.
Known as "Jimmy Mack" in the music industry, McEachin was a producer, songwriter, talent manager, and eventual owner of the record label Mack IV best known for the doo-wop group, The Furys. He disappeared from the music scene to later show up on the lots of Universal Studios beginning his long career in film and television. Because of his rapid departure from music and his long-held moniker in the industry, some speculate James McEachin to be the Jimmy Mack Martha Vandella cried for in her hit song.
As an author he has written many books and recorded them as audio CDs. His works have garnered esteemed reviews in Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, San Francisco Chronicle, and Library Journal. His works have won The Benjamin Franklin Award (twice), ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award, and GI Film Festival Best Short Film award.
August 18, 2005 CA Congressman David Dreier awarded him medals of valor earned (but never issued by the government) to include the Purple Heart and Silver Star, some fifty-four years after he served in the Korean War. The Benjamin Franklin Award-winning Farewell to the Mockingbirds (written by McEachin in 1999) speaks to the issue of racism and service in the Armed Forces. McEachin was completely unaware of the Silver Star until "Team Dreier" presented the findings.
The film short Reveille began a wave of patriotism across the Internet. After posting on Google Video, word of mouth spread as did the viewers of this short film. in less than one year over 2 million views. All from an eleven minute film with not one spoke word.
Old Glory won the 2007 GI Film Festival Award for Best Short Film in Washington, DC at the Ronald Reagan International Building. Old Glory won against a film short whose budget was $5.5 million dollars and many times that of Old Glorys budget.
(May 2007) Walter Reed Hospital meeting wounded soldiers acting as US Army Reserve Ambassador and lifting spirits of patients, caregiver, and family members.
(November 2010) Dallas, TX, USA: American Airlines Benefit Performance.
(May 2007) Washington DC GI Film Festival where his film Old Glory won the 2007 GIFF Award for best short film (gifilmfestival.com).
(March 2011) Los Angeles, CA, USA: Rehearsing "Above the Call; Beyond the Duty".
(February 2007) Los Angeles premier of Old Glory, the film written, produced, and directed by James McEachin at Laemle Theatres, Beverly Hills.
Retired from acting to become a novelist
No veterans, no democracy, no democracy, no America.
