Jeffrey Pollack, a producer of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air“ and director of “Booty Call,” died on Monday, at the age of 54, from what police believe is natural causes while exercising in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
The Manhattan Beach Patch reported that Pollack’s body was found by a woman jogging. He was found wearing exercise clothes and with an iPod that was still playing music.
“It’s still unknown how he died, we’re not sure if it was a heart attack. But there were no signs of foul play,” Hermosa Beach Police Department Capt. Tommy Thompson told EasyReaderNews.com. He added that the iPod was playing Eagles music and that when police arrived, Pollack was already deceased.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Pollack directed three movies: “Above the Rim” (1994), the story of a rising basketball star and his troubled brothers starring Duane Martin and Tupac Shakur; “Booty Call” (1997) with Jamie Foxx, Vivica Fox and Tommy Davidson; and the 1999 David Spade vehicle “Lost & Found.”
Born in Los Angeles, Pollack graduated from the film school at the University of Southern California in the early 1980s and spent three years in Asia as a tourist and documentarian.
Upon returning to the United States, he embarked upon a film career and founded a production company with Benny Medina. In 1990, the two helped create “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,“ which was inspired by Medina’s experiences living with Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. while attending Beverly Hills High School.
He also served as an executive consultant on “The Tyra Banks Show”.
Pollack is survived by a son and a daughter.
