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Tom Pollock | |
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| Born | Thomas Philip Pollock (1943-04-10)April 10, 1943 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 1, 2020(2020-08-01) (aged 77) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1968–2020 |
| Children | 3 |
Thomas Philip Pollock (April 10, 1943 – August 1, 2020) was an American film producer and studio executive. He started his career as an entertainment lawyer, before transitioning to a studio executive and film producer. He was the chairman of the board of trustees of theAmerican Film Institute, an adjunct professor of film at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara, a trustee of theLos Angeles Music Center and a member of theCalifornia Bar Association. He was also co-owner ofThe Montecito Picture Company.
Thomas Philip Pollock was born on April 10, 1943, inLos Angeles,California, the son of Helene (née Zalk) and Dr. Joseph Pollock.[1] He has two siblings: Ken Pollock and Margo Pollock Sinclair.[1] His family isJewish.[2] He attended The Happy Valley School, now namedBesant Hill School,[3] inOjai, California, which his maternal grandfather Louis Zalk helped establish.[4] Pollock graduated with a B.A. with distinction fromStanford University in 1964. He went on to theColumbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone scholar, served as editor of the Law Review and received a J.D. in 1967.
Pollock started his career in 1968 as an assistant toGeorge Stevens, founding director of theAmerican Film Institute (AFI). In 1969, Pollock became manager of business affairs for AFI's new film school, the Center for Advanced Film Studies. In 1970, he started the entertainment law firm Pollock, Rigrod, and Bloom which later became Pollock, Bloom and Dekom (now Bloom Hergott).[5] Having started the firm with no established clients, Pollock recruited film students from both AFI and elsewhere. Among his first clients wasGeorge Lucas. At the time, Lucas was working onTHX 1138, and Pollock negotiated the famous deal that secured Lucas the merchandising and sequel rights toStar Wars.[6] In addition to theStar Wars' franchise, Pollock was instrumental in initiating production of theIndiana Jones andSuperman franchises. By the 1980s, Pollock, Bloom and Dekom was one of the premier entertainment firms in Los Angeles.
In September 1986, Pollock left his firm to serve as executive vice president ofMCA Inc. and chairman of its motion picture group,Universal Pictures.[7] During his tenure, Universal released over 200 films that grossed in excess of $10 billion worldwide, includingJurassic Park (the then highest-grossing film of all time), theBack to the Future trilogy,Do the Right Thing,Fried Green Tomatoes,Backdraft,Twins,Cape Fear,Parenthood,The Flintstones,Kindergarten Cop,Beethoven andBeethoven's 2nd,Casper,Waterworld,Sneakers,Lorenzo's Oil, andCasino.
While Pollock was at the helm of Universal, the studio earned sevenAcademy Award Best Picture Nominations, includingSchindler's List, which won theAcademy Award for Best Picture in 1993. Other Best Picture nominees includedField of Dreams,Born on the Fourth of July,Scent of a Woman,In the Name of the Father,Apollo 13 andBabe. Pollock was responsible for bringing numerous creative talents to the studio includingRon Howard andBrian Grazer,Ivan Reitman,Martin Scorsese,Spike Lee,George Miller,Jon Avnet,Martin Brest,Rob Cohen,Phil Alden Robinson,Jim Sheridan,Larry Gordon andJames Cameron.
Pollock was a member of the board of directors of MCA INC. and its affiliateCineplex-Odeon Corporation. He played a key role in the creation ofUnited Cinemas International (UCI), a joint venture withParamount Pictures, which has become the largest exhibitor outside North America, with nearly 700 multiplex screens. He also formedGramercy Pictures, now known asFocus Features, withPolyGram in 1992. During his tenure as vice chairman, Pollock also forged MCA's alliance withDreamWorks SKG and the interactive arcade ventureGameWorks amongSega,DreamWorks andMCA.
In 1995, following the sale of MCA to the Seagram Co, Pollock became vice chairman of MCA/Universal Studios. He resigned from this position in March 1996, after serving as the entertainment company's top film executive for nine years.[8] Following his resignation, Pollock taught in the Film Studies Program at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara; and the Pollock family endorsed the Pollock Theater at UCSB, a state-of-the-art screening venue that moderates discussions with filmmakers, critics, and scholars.[9]
In the meantime, Pollock also returned to AFI as a member of its board of trustees. He became chairman of the board in 1996; and during his tenure, AFI produced its100 Years...100 Movies TV show and started the AFI Awards. He served as vice chairman of the AFI Board of directors and as chair of theAFI Awards film jury.
In 1998, Pollock – together with director/producer Ivan Reitman – foundedThe Montecito Picture Company, which has produced – among others –Road Trip;Old School;Disturbia; the Academy Award Best Picture NomineeUp in the Air;I Love You, Man;Chloe;No Strings Attached;Hitchcock;Draft Day;Baywatch; andFather Figures. He was also an executive producer on Sony'sGhostbusters: Answer the Call andGhostbusters: Afterlife.
Pollock lived inMalibu, California with his dog, Wednesday. He has three children, Alexandra Pollock Gagerman, Allegra Pollock Brandano, and Luke Pollock, and four grandchildren: Haley Gagerman, Ben Gagerman, Amelia Brandano, and Owen Brandano.[1]
Pollock died from a heart attack atCedars-Sinai Medical Center on August 1, 2020, at age 77.[10]
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Road Trip | Executive Producer |
| 2002 | Killing Me Softly | Executive Producer |
| 2003 | Old School | Executive Producer |
| 2004 | EuroTrip | Executive Producer |
| 2006 | Trailer Park Boys: The Movie | Executive Producer |
| 2007 | Disturbia | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Hotel for Dogs | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | The Uninvited | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | I Love You, Man | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Post Grad | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Up in the Air | Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Chloe | Executive Producer |
| 2011 | No Strings Attached | Executive Producer |
| 2012 | Hitchcock | Producer |
| 2014 | Draft Day | Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Ghostbusters: Answer the Call | Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Baywatch | Executive Producer |
| 2017 | Father Figures | Executive Producer |
| 2020 | A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting | Executive Producer |
| 2021 | Ghostbusters: Afterlife | Executive Producer |
| International | |
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| National | |
