Aaron Spelling Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Aaron Spelling
OCCUPATION: Actor, Television Producer, Screenwriter
BIRTH DATE: April 22, 1923
DEATH DATE: June 23, 2006
EDUCATION: Southern Methodist University
PLACE OF BIRTH: Dallas, Texas
PLACE OF DEATH: Los Angeles, California

Best Known For

Aaron Spelling remains television’s most prolific producer, primarily known for escapist entertainment.

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Aaron Spelling

APA Style

Aaron Spelling. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 10:49, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147.

Harvard Style

Aaron Spelling. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147 [Accessed 25 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Aaron Spelling." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 10:49 http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147.

MHRA Style

"Aaron Spelling," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147 [accessed May 25, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Aaron Spelling," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147 (accessed May 25, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Aaron Spelling [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147.

Bluebook Style

Aaron Spelling, http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147 (last visited May 25, 2013).

AMA Style

Aaron Spelling. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/aaron-spelling-9490147. Accessed May 25, 2013.

Synopsis

Television producer Aaron Spelling was born on April 22, 1923, in Dallas, Texas. After forming Thomas-Spelling Productions with Danny Thomas, he produced several successful television shows. In 1976, he released a hit ABC movie, The Boy in the Pastic Bubble. In 1972, he created Aaron Spelling Productions, which went public in 1986 as Spelling Entertainment. He died in 2006, but remains television’s most prolific producer.

Early Life and Career

Television producer, writer and actor Aarom Spelling was Born on April 22, 1923, in Dallas, Texas. The son of Polish Jewish immigrants, Spelling served in the United States Army Air Force as a war correspondent during World War II and graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1949. He entered Hollywood as a script writer and actor, working for Dick Powell's FourStar Productions during the 1950s.

Production Career

After forming Thomas-Spelling Productions with Danny Thomas, Spelling produced several successful television shows, including The Mod Squad, The Rookies and Charlie's Angels. In 1976, he released the hit ABC movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble starring a young John Travolta. In 1972, he created Aaron Spelling Productions, which went public in 1986 as Spelling Entertainment.

Spelling remains television's most prolific producer primarily known for escapist entertainment. Among his many successes are some of television's most seminal series, including Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, Starsky and Hutch, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Dynasty, Twin Peaks and 7th Heaven. He also produced the HBO miniseries And the Band Played On, which won Spelling his first Emmy Award. He won his second for another TV movie, Day One.

Personal Life

Spelling was married to actress Carolyn Jones from 1953 to 1965. In 1968, he married Carol Jean Marer with whom he had two children, Victoria Davey, better known as Tori Spelling, and Randall Gene, both actors. Spelling was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2001 and died on June 23, 2006 after suffering a severe stroke.