Jeffrey Ballard Dies: Veteran Hollywood Publicist For Charlie Sheen, Paula Abdul And Many Others Was 64
10.02.2023 - 20:37
/ deadline.com
Jeffrey Ballard, the veteran Hollywood publicist who founded Jeff Ballard Public Relations and represented many of the industry’s top talents, has died after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 64.
His death on January 30 at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center was confirmed by Brad Bessey, spokesperson for Project Angel Food, an organization Ballard supported throughout his life.
Over the course of a four-decade career, he would represent Charlie Sheen (during both of Sheen’s Academy Award campaigns for Platoon and Wall Street), Johnny Depp, Rob Lowe, Zac Efron, Martin Sheen, Paula Abdul, Matthew Perry, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jared Leto, Betty Buckley, Cary Elwes, Rob Gronkowski, Kristy McNichol, Christopher Atkins, Willie Aames, and numerous others.
In a statement to Deadline, Sheen said, “As my publicist of 37 years, it’s no secret that he had his work cut out for him. He met every challenge head on with class and patience. As my dear friend of 40 years, he was equally loyal and generous to a fault. Safe travels JB, you are sorely missed, now and forever.”
Ballard began his career as a teenager when, as a high school journalism student, he “crashed the set” of the television classic Eight is Enough, signing his first two clients on the spot — Adam Rich and Dick Van Patten. Ballard remained involved with the company he founded until his death, working with two dozen active clients.
Once dubbed “Boy Publicist to the Stars” by veteran L.A. newsman Steve Edwards, Ballard opened Jeff Ballard PR in 1982 shortly after graduating high school. He would later say that among his fondest memories were the many hours he spent in the White House with Nancy Regan, actively involved in her defining “Just Say No” anti-drug initiative of