Spelling, Aaron

Spelling, Aaron
▪ 2007
 American television producer (b. April 22, 1923, Dallas, Texas—d. June 23, 2006, Los Angeles, Calif.), reigned as the top producer in television with a slew of blockbuster series in the 1960s,'70s, and '80s that included The Mod Squad, The Rookies, Family, Charlie's Angels, T.J. Hooker, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Hotel, and Hart to Hart. He later successfully appealed to younger audiences with such smash hits as Beverly Hills 90210 (1990–2000), which made a star of his daughter, Tori; Melrose Place (1992–99); and Charmed (1998–2006). Spelling also produced numerous made-for-TV films as well as a few feature films, notably Charlie's Angels (2000). Though most critics were unimpressed with Spelling's formula for success—gloss, glitz, and glamour—he amassed a fortune, built a 123-room mansion, and at one time had seven shows appearing on ABC television.

▪ 1997

      On Jan. 21, 1996, with the premier of "Savannah," a southern drama that earned channel WB its highest ratings, Aaron Spelling once again proved he was the most successful independent producer in television history. The show was his latest in a string of hits that included "Beverly Hills 90210," which began in 1992 as a high-school drama and costarred his daughter, Tori, and "Melrose Place," a prime-time soap opera popular with those in their 20s. While critics had long dismissed his shows as "cotton candy for the mind," Spelling, who had produced more than 45 programs, again found a recipe for success as millions of viewers continued to tune in.

      Spelling was born on April 22, 1923, in Dallas, Texas. He was the son of a Russian-Jewish immigrant tailor and grew up in a poor working-class neighbourhood. He attended Southern Methodist University (B.A., 1950), Dallas, where he began writing dramas and in 1947 and 1948 received the Eugene O'Neill Award for original one-act plays. Following graduation he directed in regional theatres before settling in Los Angeles. There he acted in bit parts on television and wrote in his spare time. In 1956 he sold his first script to "Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater," and in 1960 he was named the show's producer. Two years later he created and produced his first series, "The Lloyd Bridges Show," which lasted only one season. In 1963, however, he had his first hit with "Burke's Law" (1963-66), a popular detective series featuring plush settings, beautiful women, and guest appearances by Hollywood stars, elements that became Spelling's trademark. In 1967 he formed a production company with actor Danny Thomas, and the following year "Mod Squad" (1968-73), a police drama that appealed to youths, debuted and was a huge success.

      Spelling became partners with Leonard Goldberg in 1972, and the duo had a parade of hits, most notably "Charlie's Angels" (1976-81), a crime series that centred on three attractive female private detectives. Though critics charged that it was exploitive, the show was popular with viewers—in the mid-1990s it could still be found in syndication. The pair also created "Family" (1976-80), which was a departure from the action-packed and sometimes violent plots that characterized many of Spelling's earlier shows. The domestic drama, noted for its realism, won four Emmy awards. In 1977 Aaron Spelling Productions (later Spelling Entertainment Group) was formed. The company's first show, "The Love Boat" (1977-86), became one of the longest-running prime-time network series. Other Spelling programs included "Starsky and Hutch" (1975-79), "Fantasy Island" (1978-84), and "Dynasty" (1981-89). Spelling, whose estimated wealth was over $250 million, also produced numerous motion pictures and made-for-television movies.

      (AMY TIKKANEN)

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

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  • SPELLING, AARON — (1923–2006). U.S. television producer, writer, and actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Spelling enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 and served in Europe during World War II. He briefly worked as a reporter for the Army s newspaper, Stars and… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Aaron Spelling — (* 22. April 1923 in Dallas, Texas; † 23. Juni 2006 in Los Angeles) war ein US amerikanischer Film und Fernsehproduzent und Schauspieler. Er produzierte in seinem Leben über 200 Serien und Filme, z. B. Starsky und Hutch, Eine amerikanische… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Aaron Spelling — Aaron Spelling, né le 22 avril 1923 à Dallas, au Texas, et mort d une attaque cérébrale à Los Angeles (États Unis) le 23 juin 2006, était un producteur américain de films et de séries télévisées. Il est le père de Tori… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Spelling — ist der Familienname von: Aaron Spelling (1923–2006), US amerikanischer Film und Fernsehproduzent Margaret Spellings (* 1957), US amerikanische Politikerin Randy Spelling (* 1978), US amerikanischer Schauspieler, Sohn von Aaron Spelling Thomas… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Aaron Spelling — (22 de abril de 1923 – 23 de junio de 2006) fue un productor de películas y series de televisión norteamericano. Actualmente tiene el récord mundial del productor de televisión más prolífico. Nació en Dallas (Texas), sus padres eran inmigrantes… …   Wikipedia Español

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  • Aaron (prénom) — Aaron Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Aaron est un nom propre qui peut désigner : Sommaire 1 Nom et origine 1.1 Variantes linguistiques …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Aaron Walpole — was the third place finisher in the third season of Canadian Idol. Born in London, Ontario in March 7, 1979, Walpole currently resides in St. Thomas, Ontario. He makes a living as a singer and actor, being both the lead singer of his band and a… …   Wikipedia

  • Spelling (disambiguation) — Spelling is the writing of words with all necessary letters and diacritics present in an accepted, conventional order. See also orthography.Spelling or Spellings is the name of: * Aaron Spelling (1923 ndash;2006), American film and television… …   Wikipedia

  • Spelling Television — est une société de production télévisuelle créée par Aaron Spelling en 1981. Elle a été rachetée par Viacom en 1999. Portail de la télévision Catégorie : Société de production de télévi …   Wikipédia en Français

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