Pollack, Jack Harrison

Jack Harrison Pollack was a prominent free-lance writer. Born Jack Hersh Pollack, he served as president of the Society of Magazine Writers in 1957. He authored three books, including Croiset the Clairvoyant; Dr. Sam: An American Tragedy; and Earl Warren: the Judge Who Changed America.

From the description of Jack Harrison Pollack papers, 1943-1982. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 122393368

Biography

Jack Harrison Pollack was born in Philadelphia on December 4, 1914. His first publication was a group of crossword puzzles that he sold to the Philadelphia Ledger for five dollars each.

He received his B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1936, and turned his talents to free-lance writing, reporting, and ghost-writing. Among his ghost-writing clients was then-Senator Harry Truman.

In 1942 Pollack was the press liaison officer on alien registration with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1943 he was an information specialist with the Office of Civilian Defense and an aide to Senator Kilgore, Chairman of the War Mobilization Committee.

After the war, Pollack began his writing career in earnest. His over 500 magazine articles have covered topics as diverse as law, the occult, travel, education, and medicine, and were published in periodicals such as Life, Look, Harper's, and the Saturday Evening Post. Pollack was a founder and past president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors; and he was the recipient of awards from the American Bar Association, UNICEF, and the National Education Association among others.

Pollack was the author of three books: Croiset the Clairvoyant (1964); Dr. Sam: An American Tragedy (1972); and Earl Warren: The Judge Who Changed America (1978). Dr. Sam: An American Tragedy was the basis of a 3-hour television film in 1975.

Pollack continued to write until his death from cancer on September 30, 1984, at the age of 69.

From the guide to the Jack Harrison Pollack papers, 1943-1982, (The Bancroft Library.)