Aaron Spelling

Overview

Born
April 22, 1923 · Dallas, Texas, USA
Died
June 23, 2006 · Los Angeles, California, USA (complications following a stroke)
Height
5′ 5″ (1.65 m)

Aaron Spelling graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Before that, he attended Forest Avenue High. He started as a writer and sold his first script to Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre (1955). He wrote for various television shows, including Playhouse 90 (1956). After he wrote his first pilot he became a producer for Four Star Productions. He partnered with Danny Thomas and formed Thomas-Spelling Productions. In 1972 he formed Aaron Spelling Productions, and then joined with Leonard Goldberg for Spelling-Goldberg Productions. In 1986 his company went public and formed Spelling Entertainment, Inc. In 1995, he became vice-chairman of Spelling Entertainment, Inc., and chairman of Spelling Television, a subsidiary. Spelling Entertainment owns World Vision (syndication), Hamilton Projects and Republic Pictures. It also owns a software company called Virgin Interactive. Hamilton Projects handles merchandising for Spelling's shows. The main office is located at 5700 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous

Television shows have tough female characters (Charlies Angels, Charmed, Julie Barnes from Mod Squad)
Redemption is a common trait in his characters, e.g. the crew of the Mod Squad, 7th Heaven & Phoebe Halliwell from Charmed too name a few
Known for making escapist television shows

His 4.6-acre estate "The Manor" at 594 Mapleton Drive in Bel Air, California, has 123 rooms (totalling 1.3 acres), a bowling alley, swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court, screening room and four 2-car garages. Spelling bought the property in 1983, including a house that had belonged to Bing Crosby. He demolished the Crosby house and built the largest single-family home in California.
Had so many shows on ABC in the 1970s, people in the business joked that ABC stood for "Aaron's Broadcasting Company".
At some point during the run of Degrassi High (1987), Spelling made an attempt to buy the rights and produce the show in America. Shortly after his request was declined, he produced Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990).
Holds Guinness World Record for most prolific television producer.
Appeared uncredited as a beggar in MGM's Kismet (1955). Spelling wrote in his memoirs that this role made him decide to give up acting. Director Vincente Minnelli always said he was responsible for Spelling's career as a successful TV producer and told him: "Had I not put you in Kismet (1955), you'd still be an actor somewhere.".