Jeffrey Ian Pollack (November 15, 1959 – December 23, 2013) was an American film director, screenwriter, television producer and writer.

Jeff Pollack
Born
Jeffrey Ian Pollack

(1959-11-15)November 15, 1959
DiedDecember 23, 2013(2013-12-23) (aged 54)
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, television producer, writer, entrepreneur
Years active1990–2013
SpouseSolange White Pollack (divorced)
Children2

As a film director he directed the films Above the Rim (1994),[1] Booty Call (1997) and Lost & Found (1999).

Pollack served as executive consultant on The Tyra Banks Show. He was a frequent collaborator with Benny Medina.[2] He was an alumnus of University of Southern California film school.[2]

Career

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Following graduation from University of Southern California's Film School in the early 1980s, Pollack traveled through Asia both as a tourist and documentarian. After three years on the road — and in the rice fields and jungle— Pollack returned to the U.S., dabbling in real estate development before devoting himself to an entertainment career.[citation needed]

Pollack was a co-creator, writer, and producer on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Pollack and Benny Medina launched and ran a management/production company together, Medina/Pollack Entertainment (later becoming Handprint), with clients that included Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and Tyra Banks. Pollack produced two Billboard Music Awards ceremonies in 1992 and 1993, produced the TV documentary Jennifer Lopez in Concert, and worked with Banks on her talk show.[citation needed]

In 1994, under the banner of Medina/Pollack Entertainment, Pollack wrote, produced and directed the urban feature film Above the Rim starring Tupac Shakur, Leon, Duane Martin and Marlon Wayans.[1]

In 1995, Pollack and Medina renamed their company Handprint Entertainment, which has grown into one of Hollywood's most successful[citation needed] full-service management and production companies. Since that time Pollack took a production role on the Fox sitcom Getting Personal and remained behind the camera as director of the 1997 film Booty Call.

His spec screenplay, Gifted[3] was one of Spec Scout's top 2013 submitted scripts, scoring above 90% of the scripts circulating by A-list agents and managers.[citation needed]

Death

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Pollack was found dead after jogging on the Greenbelt in Hermosa Beach, California, on December 23, 2013. It was assumed he died of natural causes; he was 54.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Maslin, Janet (March 23, 1994). "Above the Rim (1994) Review/Film; A Young Man Torn by Good and Bad". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b "Jeff Pollack at FilmBug". FilmBug. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  3. ^ Specscout.com
  4. ^ Lewis, Andy (December 25, 2013). "'Booty Call' Director Jeffrey Pollack Dies at 54". Hollywood Reporter. PMC. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  5. ^ Spear, Liz (December 24, 2013). "Local Identified as Deceased Man Found on Greenbelt in Hermosa Beach". Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
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