Aaron Spelling Biography (1923?-)

Born April 22, 1923 (some sources cite 1928), in Oak Cliff (some sources citeDallas), TX; son of David (a tailor) and Pearl (maiden name, Wall) Spelling;married Carolyn Jones (an actress), 1953 (divorced, c. 1964); married CaroleGene "Candy" Marer (an interior decorator), November 23, 1968; children: (second marriage) Victoria Davey (an actress, as Tori Spelling), Randall Gene (an actor, as Randy Spelling). Addresses: Office: Spelling Television, 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 575, Los Angeles, CA 90036-3659.; Publicist: WarrenCowan and Associates Public Relations, 8899 Beverly Blvd., Suite 919, Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Producer, director, writer, actor
Birth Details: April 22, 1923?; Oak Cliff, Texas, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Executive Producer
Series
Zane Grey Theatre (also known as Dick Powell's "Zane Grey Theatre"), CBS, 1960-1962
The Dick Powell Show (also known as The Dick Powell Theatre), NBC, 1961-1963
The Lloyd Bridges Show, CBS, 1962-1963
Burke's Law (also known as Amos Burke, Secret Agent), ABC,1963-1966
Daniel Boone, NBC, 1964-1970
Honey West, ABC, 1965-1966
Smothers Brothers Show, CBS, 1965-1966
Danny Thomas Hour, NBC, 1967-1968
The Mod Squad, ABC, 1968-1973
Young Rebels, ABC, 1970-1971
The Most Deadly Game, ABC, 1970-1971
The Rookies, ABC, 1972-1976
Firehouse, ABC, 1974
Chopper One, ABC, 1974
Starsky and Hutch, ABC, 1975-1979
S.W.A.T., ABC, 1975-1977
Family, ABC, 1976-1980
Charlie's Angels (also known as The Alley Cats), ABC, 1976-1981
The San Pedro Beach Bums, ABC, 1977
The Love Boat, ABC, 1977-1986
Vega$, ABC, 1978-1981
Fantasy Island, ABC, 1978-1984
Friends, ABC, 1979
Hart to Hart, ABC, 1979-1984
The B.A.D. Cats, ABC, 1980
Aloha Paradise, ABC, 1981-1983
Dynasty (also known as Oil), ABC, 1981-1989
Strike Force, ABC, 1981-1982
T. J. Hooker, ABC, 1982-1985, then CBS, 1985-1987
Matt Houston, ABC, 1982-1985
Hotel (also known as Arthur Hailey's "Hotel"), ABC, 1983-1988
At Ease, ABC, 1983
Glitter, ABC, 1984
Finder of Lost Loves, ABC, 1984-1985
MacGruder and Loud, ABC, 1985
Hollywood Wives, ABC, 1985
Hollywood Beat, ABC, 1985
(With Richard Shapiro and Esther Shapiro), Dynasty II: The Colbys(also known as The Colbys), ABC, 1985
HeartBeat, ABC, 1988
Nightingales, NBC, 1989
Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox, 1990-2000
The Round Table, NBC, 1992
Melrose Place, Fox, 1992-1999
The Heights, Fox, 1992
Hearts Are Wild, CBS, 1992
(With Joel Schumacher) 2000 Malibu Road, CBS, 1992
Heaven Help Us, 1994
(With E. Duke Vincent), Burke's Law, CBS, 1994-1995
(With John Byrum and Vincent), Winnetka Road, NBC, 1994
Models, Inc., Fox, 1994
Madman of the People, NBC, 1994
Kindred: The Embraced, 1996
7th Heaven (also known as Seventh Heaven and 7th Heaven:Beginnings), The WB, 1996-
Savannah, The WB, 1996
(With others) Malibu Shores (also known as Kanan Road), NBC, 1996
Pacific Palisades, 1997
The Love Boat: The Next Wave, UPN, 1998
Buddy Faro, CBS, 1998
Charmed, The WB, 1998-
Rescue 77, The WB, 1999
Safe Harbor, The WB, 1999
Titans, NBC, 2000
All Souls, UPN, 2001
The Deep, 2001
Home of the Brave, 2002
Television Producer
Series
(And creator) Johnny Ringo, CBS, 1959
(And creator) The Guns of Will Sonnett, 1967
(And creator) The New People, 1969
University Hospital, syndicated, 1994
(And creator) Robin's Hoods, syndicated, 1994
Sunset Beach, NBC, 1997
Stop at Nothing, 2001
Television Executive Producer
Movies
(With Danny Thomas), The Ballad of Andy Crocker, ABC, 1969
(With Thomas), Wake Me When the War Is Over, ABC, 1969
(With Thomas), The Over-the-Hill Gang, ABC, 1969
Wild Women, ABC, 1970
Crowhaven Farm, ABC, 1970
(With Thomas), The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again, ABC, 1970
How Awful about Allan, ABC, 1970
The Old Man Who Cried Wolf!, ABC, 1970
River of Gold, ABC, 1971
Five Desperate Women, ABC, 1971
If Tomorrow Comes (also known as The Glass Hammer), ABC, 1971
In Broad Daylight, ABC, 1971
The Last Child (also known as The Day They Took the Babies Away), ABC, 1971
Love, Hate, Love, ABC, 1971
The Reluctant Heroes (also known as The Egghead on Hill 656and The Reluctant Heroes of Hill 656), ABC, 1971
Two for the Money, ABC, 1972
(With Leonard Goldberg), Every Man Needs One, ABC, 1972
(With Goldberg), Home for the Holidays (also known as Deadly Desires), ABC, 1972
Rolling Man, ABC, 1972
The Letters, ABC, 1972
(With Goldberg), The Chill Factor (also known as A Cold Night'sDeath), ABC, 1972
(With Goldberg), The Affair (also known as Love Song), ABC,1973
(With Goldberg), The Bait, ABC, 1973
(With Goldberg), The Great American Beauty Contest, ABC, 1973
(With Goldberg), Hijack!, ABC, 1973
(With Goldberg), Satan's School for Girls, ABC, 1973
(With Goldberg) Snatched, ABC, 1973
(With Goldberg), The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped, ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), Only with Married Men, ABC, 1974
(And producer; with Goldberg) The Legend of Valentino, ABC, 1975
(With Goldberg), Murder on Flight 502, ABC, 1975
(With Goldberg), The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe, ABC, 1976
(With Goldberg), Death at Love House (also known as The Shrineof Lorna Love), ABC, 1976
(With Goldberg), One of My Wives Is Missing, ABC, 1976
(With Goldberg), Little Ladies of the Night (also known as Diamond Alley), ABC, 1977
(With Douglas S. Cramer) Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid, ABC,1978
(With Cramer), The Users, ABC, 1978
(With Cramer), Love's Savage Fury, ABC, 1979
(With Cramer), Casino, ABC, 1980
(With Cramer), Murder Can Hurt You!, ABC, 1980
(With Cramer), Sizzle, ABC, 1981
(With Cramer), The Best Little Girl in the World, ABC, 1981
(With Cramer), Don't Go to Sleep, ABC, 1982
(With Cramer), The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch, ABC, 1982
(With Cramer), Making of a Male Model, ABC, 1983
Dark Mirror, ABC, 1984
(With Cramer), Dark Mansions, ABC, 1986
T. J. Hooker: Blood Sport (also known as Blood Sport), CBS,1986
The Love Boat: Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?, 1986
The Love Boat: The Shipshape Cruise, 1986
The Love Boat: The Christmas Cruise, 1986
The Three Kings, ABC, 1987
Harry's Hong Kong, ABC, 1987
Cracked Up, ABC, 1987
Day One, CBS, 1989

(With Cramer), Rich Men, Single Women, ABC, 1990
(With Cramer), The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage (also known as The Love Boat: A Summer Cruise and Valentine's Day Love Boat Reunion), ABC, 1990
Jailbirds, CBS, 1991
Terror on Track 9, CBS, 1992
Sexual Advances, ABC, 1992
Back to the Streets of San Francisco, NBC, 1992
(With E. Duke Vincent) And the Band Played On, HBO, 1993
(With Vincent and John Slan), A Stranger in the Mirror (also knownas Sidney Sheldon's "A Stranger in the Mirror"), ABC, 1993
Hart to Hart Returns (also known as Hart to Hart: Hart to HartReturns), 1993
(With Vincent and Michael Phillips), Jane's House, CBS, 1994
Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is, 1994
Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart, 1994
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die, 1994
Love on the Run, 1994
Green Dolphin Beat (also known as Green Dolphin Street), Fox, 1994
Hart to Hart: Two Harts in Three-Quarters Time, 1995
Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart, 1995
Hart to Hart: Till Death Do Us Hart, 1996
Hart to Hart: Harts in High Season, 1996
After Jimmy, CBS, 1996
Satan's School for Girls, ABC, 2000
Television Producer
Movies
(With Jerry Paris), But I Don't Want to Get Married!, ABC, 1970
(With Danny Thomas), Carter's Army (also known as Black Brigade), ABC, 1970
The House That Would Not Die, ABC, 1970
The Love War, ABC, 1970
Run Simon Run (also known as Savage Run and The Tradition of Simon Zuniga), ABC, 1970
Congratulations, It's a Boy! (also known as So's Your Old Man!), ABC, 1971
The Death of Me Yet, ABC, 1971
A Taste of Evil, ABC, 1971
(With Leonard Goldberg), The Bounty Man, ABC, 1972
No Place to Run, ABC, 1972
(With Goldberg), Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole, ABC, 1972
Hit Lady, ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), Death Sentence (also known as Murder One),ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), The Death Squad, ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), Cry Panic, ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), Death Cruise, ABC, 1974
(With Goldberg), Savages, ABC, 1974
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, ABC, 1976
(With Douglas S. Cramer), Cruise into Terror (also known as Voyage into Evil), ABC, 1978
Television Executive Producer
Miniseries
The French Atlantic Affair, ABC, 1979
(With Douglas S. Cramer), Hollywood Wives, ABC, 1985
(With Cramer; and producer) Crossings, ABC, 1986
Dynasty: The Reunion, ABC, 1991
Grass Roots, NBC, 1992
James A. Michener's Texas, 1995
(With others) A Season in Purgatory, 1996
Pilots
(With Danny Thomas; and producer), The Monk, ABC, 1969
(With Thomas), The Pigeon, ABC, 1969
(With Sammy Davis, Jr.), The Trackers (also known as No Trumpets, No Drums), ABC, 1971
(With Leonard Goldberg), The Daughters of Joshua Cabe, ABC, 1972
(With Goldberg), Starsky and Hutch, ABC, 1975
(With Goldberg), The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return, ABC, 1975
(With Goldberg), Charlie's Angels, ABC, 1976
(with Douglas S. Cramer), The San Pedro Bums (also known as TheSan Pedro Beach Bums), ABC, 1977
(With Cramer), The Love Boat (also known as The Love Boat II), ABC, 1977
(With Cramer), The New Love Boat (third series pilot), ABC, 1977
(With Goldberg), Fantasy Island, ABC, 1977
(With Goldberg), The Return to Fantasy Island (also known as Fantasy Island II), ABC, 1978
(With Cramer), Wild and Wooly, ABC, 1978
(With Cramer), Vega$ (also known as High Roller), ABC, 1978
(With Thomas), The Return of the Mod Squad, ABC, 1979
(With Cramer), The Power Within, ABC, 1979
(With Goldberg), Beach Patrol, ABC, 1979
(With Goldberg), Hart to Hart, ABC, 1979
(With Cramer), Waikiki, ABC, 1980
(With Cramer), Massarati and the Brain, ABC, 1982
T. J. Hooker, ABC, 1982
Scared Silly, ABC, 1982
Venice Medical, ABC, 1983
(With Cramer), Shooting Stars, ABC, 1983
Hotel (also known as Arthur Hailey's "Hotel"), ABC, 1983
(With Cramer), Velvet, ABC, 1984
(With Cramer), International Airport, ABC, 1985
Hollywood Starr, ABC, 1985
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan, ABC, c. 1985
Hope Division (also known as Shades of Blue), ABC, 1987
The Pretenders, CBS, 1988
The Loner, ABC, 1988
Nightingales, ABC, 1988
San Berdoo, ABC, 1989
Just Temporary, NBC, 1989
Just Life, ABC, 1990
Kindred: The Embraced, 1994
Wolf Pack, CBS, 1996
Bullet Hearts, Fox, 1996
Pier 66, ABC, 1996
Odd Jobs, NBC, 1998
Glory, Glory, CBS, 1998
Forbidden Island, UPN, 1999
Titans, 2000
Television Producer
Pilots
Yuma, ABC, 1971
The Rookies, ABC, 1972
(With Leonard Goldberg) Letters from Three Lovers, ABC, 1973
The Oath: The Sad and Lonely Sundays, ABC, 1976
The Oath: 33 Hours in the Life of God, ABC, 1976
Television Executive Producer
Specials
(With Lucille Ball), Life with Lucy (also known as One Good Grandparent Deserves Another), ABC, 1986
Divided We Stand, ABC, 1988
Partners, ABC, 1993
The Best Moments of 90210, Fox, 1996
Television Work
Episodic
Director, Smothers Brothers Show, CBS, between 1965 and 1966
Producer of episodes for Four Star programs, including The Dick PowellShow, The June Alyson Show, and The Lloyd Bridges Show, 1960-67.
Other
Executive producer, Gulf City, 1993
Also executive producer of Kingpin and Queens Supreme.
Television Appearances
Specials
2 Years ... Later, NBC, 1990
TV Guide: 40th Anniversary Special (also known as TV Guide's 40th Anniversary), 1993
A Day in the Lives of Melrose Place, Fox, 1994
Love Thy Neighbor: The Baddest and the Best of Melrose Place, Fox,1995
Joan Collins: A Personal Dynasty, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
The 13th Annual Soap Opera Awards, NBC, 1997
The King of Primetime--Aaron Spelling, E! Entertainment Television, 1998
Intimate Portrait: Heather Locklear, Lifetime, 1998
An All Star Party for Aaron Spelling (also known as Tribute toAaron Spelling), ABC, 1998
Beverly Hills 90210: Our Favorite Moments, Fox, 1998
Kristy McNichol: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
Assignment E! with Leeza Gibbons: Hollywood's Youth Obsession, E!Entertainment Television, 1999
The Mod Squad: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000
The Women of Charmed, 2000
Intimate Portrait: Linda Evans, Lifetime, 2000
Beverly Hills 90210: The Final Goodbye, Fox, 2000
The 70s: The Decade That Changed Television, ABC, 2000
Beverly Hills 90210: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! EntertainmentTelevision, 2001
Dynasty: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television,2001
Dominick Dunne: Murder He Wrote, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television, TV Land, 2002
Intimate Portrait: Jennie Garth, Lifetime, 2002
Episodic
Charles Boyd, "The Big Safe," Dragnet, 1953
Ollie, "The Big Fire," Dragnet, 1953
Charlie Coleman, "The Big Pug," Dragnet, 1954
Donaldson, "The Big New Year," Dragnet, 1954
Gas station man, "Tennessee Bound," I Love Lucy, CBS, 1955
Bruce Marcus, "The Big Confession," Dragnet, 1955
Road worker, "Breakdown," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 1955
Florida Pindle (some sources cite Weed Pindle), "The Guitar," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1956
Harry Penn, "Who Killed Julian Buck?" Burke's Law, ABC, 1963
Himself, "Oh, Mack," The Powers That Be, 1992
(Uncredited) Executive in limousine, "You Gotta Have Heart," Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox, 1995
Vincent Duke, Sunset Beach, NBC, 1998
"Joan Collins," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
Film Work
Executive Producer
A Pair of Boots, 1962
My Daddy Can Lick Your Daddy, 1962
(With Leonard Goldberg), California Split (also known as Jackpot!), Columbia, 1974
Mr. Mom (also known as Mr. Mum), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
Cross My Heart, Universal, 1987
Three O'Clock High, Universal, 1987
The Mod Squad, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1999
Charlie's Angels: The Movie (also known as 3 Engel fuer Charlie), Columbia, 2000
Producer
Guns of the Timberland, 1959
(With Leonard Goldberg), Baby Blue Marine, Columbia, 1976
(With Alan Greisman), 'Night Mother, Universal, 1986
Surrender, Warner Bros., 1987
(With Greisman), Satisfaction (also known as Girls of Summer), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
(With Greisman), Loose Cannons, TriStar, 1990
(With Greisman), Soapdish, Paramount, 1991
Film Appearances
Harry Williams, Vicki, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953
Catur, Three Young Texans, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
(Uncredited) Mr. Oliver, Black Widow, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
The knifer, Alaska Seas, Paramount, 1954
Wyoming Renegades, 1954
Mad at the World, Filmmakers, 1955
Strangler, Target Zero, 1955
(Uncredited) Mr. Fearless, The Spirit of St. Louis, 1957
RECORDINGS
Audio Books
A Prime Time Life (autobiography), Dove, 1996
WRITINGS
Television Movies
(With David H. Kidd) Carter's Army (also known as Black Brigade), ABC, 1970
Television Episodes
"Unrelenting Sky," Dick Powell's "Zane Grey Theatre," c. 1956
(With Christopher Knopf) "Death in a Village," The Dick Powell Show, NBC, c. 1962
"Blue Christmas," The Rookies, ABC, c. 1974
Writer for episodes of other television series, including additional episodes for Dick Powell's "Zane Grey Theatre," as well as material for The Jane Wyman Show, Johnny Ringo, CBS, Playhouse 90, Wagon Train (also known as Major Adams, Trail Master), and Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (also known as Desilu Playhouse), c. 1956-59.
Screenplays
Guns of the Timberland, 1959
One Foot in Hell (also known as The Last Man; based on a story by Spelling), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
Stage Plays
Author of several plays, including Thorns in the Road, produced inLos Angeles.
Books
(With Jefferson Graham) Aaron Spelling: A Prime Time Life (autobiography), St. Martin's Press (New York City), 1996

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

The 1994 syndicated series Robin's Hoods was based on a story by Spelling; the television movies The Three Kings and The Trackerswere also based on stories by Spelling.

OTHER SOURCES

Books

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000
Spelling, Aaron, and Jefferson Graham, Aaron Spelling: A Prime Time Life, St. Martin's Press (New York City), 1996

Periodicals

Broadcasting & Cable, January 23, 1995, pp. 11-15
Entertainment Weekly, December 18, 1998, p. 36; November 1, 1999,p. 125
Mediaweek, November 4, 1996, pp. 17-19
New York Times Biographical Service, August, 1980, p. 1191; October, 1991, p. 1086
Soap Opera Digest, October 7, 1997
Texas Monthly, September, 1994, pp. 114-116
Time, August 13, 2001, p. 62
TV Guide, January 5, 1985
Us, December, 1996
Variety, January 5, 1998, pp. 54-55

Other

The King of Primetime--Aaron Spelling (television special), E! Entertainment Television, 1998

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