Paul Pollak
The Miami Hotelier Who Hosted The Beatles
Paul Pollak, a Chicago-born hotel developer, moved to Miami Beach in the late 1920s after the 1926 hurricane.
He became a key figure in the city’s post-rebuilding tourism boom, developing properties like the Breakwater and Belmar hotels, plus the Driftwood and Thunderbird motels on Collins Avenue—classic mid-century spots that drew celebrities and vacationers.
In 1945, he married jazz singer Jerri Krueger (who had worked with Gene Krupa, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie). They raised four children—Linda, Rick, John, and William—in their North Bay Road home at 5750 North Bay Road, a social hub that hosted stars like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and even served as a Secret Service base during JFK’s Miami visit.
Pollak’s lasting fame came in February 1964, when The Beatles—fresh from their Ed Sullivan Show debut—visited Miami for a second performance. A planned Life magazine pool shoot at their hotel failed due to crowds, so through Jerri’s connection to comedian Myron Cohen, it moved to the Pollak home on February 14.
The Fab Four changed into swimsuits, splashed in the chilly pool, did cannonballs, and enjoyed a catered spread (including lox and bagels—Paul McCartney famously asked Jerri what “lox and bago” were).
John Lennon stayed dry with Cynthia, while George chatted spirituality with 15-year-old Linda. The Beatles returned the next day for more relaxed fun—dancing, jamming, and goofing off.
These classic photos capture the playful pool session and poolside lounging at the Pollak residence — rare candid moments amid Beatlemania.
The original house was demolished around 2014 and replaced by a modern waterfront mansion.
Pollak’s hotels helped define Miami Beach’s golden era, and his family’s brief brush with the Beatles remains one of the era’s most charming footnotes.
Linda later recalled the visit as “the biggest thing in history.”
Paul Pollack lived into at least his later years (surviving into the 2000s based on family records), though exact birth and death dates are not widely documented.
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