Jim Boyd, who spent nearly four decades bringing the news to Boston-area viewers on WCVB-TV Channel 5, died Oct. 27 at the age of 84. Colleagues remembered him for his kindness, dignity and gentle nature, according to the Needham Observer.
He died after five difficult months with multiple myeloma, surrounded by his wife and daughters, the Observer reported.
From the mailroom to the anchor desk
Born and raised in Harlem, Boyd began his television career in 1961 in the mailroom of public station WNET in New York. He rose to associate producer and then producer of the station’s Emmy Award-winning program “News in Perspective,” a job that took him to places including Egypt and Vietnam.
That work led to an offer from WCVB. He joined the station in 1972 as a general assignment reporter before moving to the anchor desk, where he became a familiar presence on weekend newscasts and “EyeOpener” and co-anchored the midday newscast with Susan Wornick.
“He covered the stories that shaped the city, from the turmoil surrounding school busing to the first arrival of the Tall Ships,” said his wife, Linda Polach.
Honors and a second degree
Boyd received the Golden Circle award from the New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2011 and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2023 he was recognized as one of Get Konnected!’s 50 most influential men of color in Boston.
He retired from WCVB in 2008. Five years later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tufts University.
Family, Needham and a life well lived
Boyd married Polach, who had been his weekend producer, and the couple settled in Needham in 1984. Polach said his greatest joy was his family. A sports fan and proud “girl dad,” he helped coach his daughters, Alyssa and Olivia, in track, softball and basketball as they came up through the Needham public schools, and he volunteered with the Needham Track Club.
In his late 70s, he stepped in front of the camera in a new way, working as a background actor in films shot around Boston. “He loved learning about how movies are made and enjoyed talking with his co-actors while they waited for hours to film a scene,” Polach said. “He was once the understudy for Morgan Freeman in ‘Ted 2’ and made appearances in ‘Manchester by the Sea’ and ‘Spotlight’.”
At home, he built raised garden beds in his Needham backyard, growing tomatoes, herbs and zucchini, which he turned into sought-after pickles with a special recipe.
“The warmth and authenticity that defined him at home also made him a beloved newscaster,” Polach said.
Boyd is survived by his wife of 42 years and his daughters. A celebration of his life is being planned for a future date.