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Title: TV Producer, Aaron Spelling Dies
Source:
CNN
URL Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/06/23/spelling.obit.ap/
Published: Jun 24, 2006
Author: Staff
Post Date: 2006-06-24 11:19:49 by noone222
Ping List: *Israeli Espionage*
Keywords: None
Views: 885
Comments: 35
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Aaron Spelling, a onetime movie bit player who created a massive number of hit series, from the vintage "Charlie's Angels" and "Dynasty" to "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place," died Friday, his publicist said. He was 83. Spelling died at his home in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke on June 18, according to publicist Kevin Sasaki. Spelling's other hit series included "Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," "Burke's Law," "The Mod Squad," "Starsky and Hutch," "T.J. Hooker," "Matt Houston," "Hart to Hart" and "Hotel." He kept his hand in 21st-century TV with series including "7th Heaven" and "Summerland." (Watch Spelling's journey from Angels to 7th Heaven via 90210 -- 3:26) He also produced more than 140 television movies. Among the most notable: "Death Sentence" (1974), Nick Nolte's first starring role; "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" (1976), John Travolta's first dramatic role; and "The Best Little Girl in the World" (1981), which starred Jennifer Jason Leigh. During the 1970s and 1980s, Spelling provided series and movies exclusively for ABC and is credited for the network's rise to major status. Jokesters referred to it as "The Aaron Broadcasting Company." Success was not without its thorns. TV critics denounced Spelling for fostering fluff and nighttime soap operas. He called his shows "mind candy"; critics referred to them as "mindless candy." "The knocks by the critics bother you," he admitted in a 1986 interview with The Associated Press. "But you have a choice of proving yourself to 300 critics or 30 million fans. You have to make a choice. I think you're also categorized by the critics. If you do something good they almost don't want to like it." He liked to cite some of his more creditable achievements, like "Family" (1976-80), a drama about a middle-class family, and "The Best Little Girl in the World." Among his prestige films for TV: "Day One" (1988), about an atomic blast in middle America; "And the Band Played On" (1992), based on Randy Shilts' book about the AIDS crisis. Spelling had arrived in Hollywood virtually penniless in the early 1950s. By the 1980s, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth at $300 million. He enjoyed his status, working in a Hollywood office larger than those of golden-era moguls ("I'm slightly claustrophpobic," he explained.) He gifted his second wife, Candy, with a 40-carat diamond ring. The Spellings' most publicized extravagance was their 56,500-square-foot French chateau in Holmby Hills. The couple bought the former Bing Crosby estate for $10 million. It was leveled to the ground, along with two other houses. Construction cost was estimated at $12 million. The two-story house reached a height of 51 feet. Among the features: an entire floor for closets, a one-lane bowling alley, plus the usual elements for the Hollywood rich -- pool, tennis court, gym, screening room. Built on rollers, it easily survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The mansion dwarfed nearby estates, and the neighbors were furious. One woman won an injunction during construction, calling the place "Look-at-me-I'm-rich architecture." Spelling grew up in a small frame house on Browder Street in Dallas "on the wrong side of the tracks," he wrote in his 1996 autobiography. He was the fourth son of immigrant Jews, his father from Poland, mother from Russia. The father's name, Spurling, was simplified to Spelling by an Ellis Island official. Spelling enlisted in the Army Air Corps after graduating from high school in 1942. "I grew up thinking 'Jew boy' was one word," the producer wrote in his memoir, "Aaron Spelling: A Prime-Time Life." He was considered strange by his Dallas schoolmates because his parents spoke Yiddish. He was subjected to anti-Semitic taunts and beatings on his way home from school. At 8, the boy suffered what he termed a nervous breakdown, and he spent a year in bed. He later considered that period the birth of his creative urge. He fell in love with great storytellers, especially O. Henry. Of his early TV series he said, "They are all O. Henry short stories." "I still have nightmares about being in a $6,000 house in Dallas, Texas," he remarked in a 1996 AP interview. "Wall-to-wall people, one bathroom. I was the one to go to the local bakery a block away on Saturday to get the day-old stuff." After combat and organizing entertainment in Europe during the war, Spelling returned to Texas and enrolled at Southern Methodist University, where he wrote and directed plays. He continued working in local theatrics after graduating. Finding no work in New York, Spelling moved to Los Angeles, where he staged plays and acted in more than 40 TV shows and 12 movies. His skinny frame suited him for the role of a ragged beggar in the MGM musical "Kismet." He worked for three weeks, repeating his one line: "Alms for the love of Allah." The "Kismet" experience resulted in two decisions: he abandoned acting for the typewriter; he married a young actress he had been courting, Carolyn Jones. She became well-known, especially as Morticia in "The Addams Family" series. They divorced after 13 years, and she died of cancer in 1983. Spelling's friendship with such actor-producers as Dick Powell, Jack Webb and Alan Ladd led to his rapid rise as a prolific writer and later producer of TV series. In 1960, Powell, head of Four Star Productions, hired him to produce shows for Powell himself, his wife June Allyson and Lloyd Bridges. "Burke's Law," with Gene Barry as a millionaire detective, became the first hit series Spelling created. After Powell's death, Spelling teamed with Danny Thomas in a production company, scoring a huge success with "The Mod Squad," about a trio of youthful undercover cops. In 1969, Spelling began an exclusive contract with ABC, helping the network to rise from a low third place to the top of the network ratings. Former ABC programming chief Leonard Goldberg joined him as partner in 1972. After ABC cancelled "Dynasty" in 1989 and his contract with the network had ended, Spelling found himself without a show on the air for the first time since 1960. "I was so depressed, I would have quit, but I like TV too much," Spelling wrote in his memoir. Besides, his company had started issuing stock in 1986, and he had an obligation to his investors. After a year's respite, he returned with "Beverly Hills 90210," which helped launch the fledgling Fox Network into the bigtime. "Melrose Place" gave Fox another hit. Throughout his career, Spelling maintained the same image: the skinny frame, slightly hawkish face. He usually posed with a pipe in his mouth, a custom he adopted early after seeing stars with pipes in fan magazine photos. Spelling and his second wife, Candy, had two children, Tori (for Victoria), who became a star on the two Fox serials ("Now I'm known as Tori Spelling's father," he said in mock lament), and Randy, who appeared in the short-lived "Malibu Shores." Spelling set a record of producing more than 3,000 TV shows. Besides the TV movies, he produced 10 theatrical films including "California Split," "Mr. Mom." "'night, Mother," "Loose Cannons" and "Soapdish."
Poster Comment: Spellings Estate should be sued for the mental cruelty he exposed Amerika to through the pure crap that he produced ... prolificly.
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#1. To: noone222 (#0)
I agree. he produced garbage and now we see the monopoly media celebrate garbage as a commemoration of his life.
Never cared for any of his programs or his daughter.
Took the words right out of my mouth, Red. He was a typical....[let's see what is the slur they use to define us non-jews?..wonder if there is one for him..]
"Freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in -- and the West in general -- into an unbearable hell and a choking life." among the jews they call non-jews goyim I believe. and it is meant to be a derogatory comment.
Perhaps Shannon Dougherty's trashing of daughter Tori and the Spelling family brought about his demise: http://www.perezhilton.com/topics/tori_spelling/much_more_drama_20060619.php Stupid ass whore, Tori-- Don't air your dirty laundry when there's kids involved! Keep your mouth shut! Didn't your rich parents teach you any class and modesty? Owe up to what you did, you twat. Posted by: Shannon Dougherty | June 19, 2006 11:56 AM
Life is a tragedy to those who feel, and a comedy to those who think.
Don't air your dirty laundry when there's kids involved! Keep your mouth shut! Didn't your rich parents teach you any class and modesty? Owe up to what you did, you twat. Posted by: Shannon Dougherty | June 19, 2006 11:56 AM ROTFLOL!
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
I thought he did a fine job as a producer... Naturally, I didn't like all of his shows but so what? Doesn't mean he didn't do a good job. Obviously they were popular with SOMEONE and made money, and after all, that WAS his job...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
He was lucky and did well during the golden years of television. He got his not so talented daughter into the business but she did improve somewhat with practice. Guess that is the best we can say. Some folks just fall into a bucket of crap and come up smelling like a rose no matter what. Wish I was a fraction as lucky.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
He did produce garbage. I must confess that I watched some of his garbage.
I wish you were twice as lucky why skimp on wishing?... but you sound like you're eating sour grapes? Tori Spelling wouldn't have made it into motion pictures WITHOUT daddy but that's not so unusual... It's pure nepotism, the way of the world everywhere... Who cares? It didn't cost us nuttin'...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
I must confess that I watched some of his garbage. didn't we all? LOL
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
Tori Spelling Reconciled with Dad" - People 06/24/2006 What's sad is that she is the only person that doesn't understand that her career is kapputz.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
I'm a Quinn Martin voter.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
Why should I be greedy? I don't need millions to get along. Sour grapes, maybe, but I'm just a victim of circumstances. And my tag says it all. I'll never stop until they kill me or I go down trying. I do hate the rotten, corrupt bastards.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
The real money is in merchandizing. Tori has the genes.
I work hard, every day of my life, just stayin' alive.
That was some high drama.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
Well, she's probably not really thinking about her career today????
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
You remind me of my pal Hunter/Vadasz... you'd have liked him...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
I could donate some genes to her. She may not want volunteers, though.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
At least I strike a chord somewhere. He isn't dead, is he?
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
I've got some extra jeans too... She could use some normal clothes
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
He sure as hell kept a cavalcade of loser, has-been tv stars off the street with shit like the love boat and fantasy island. The man must be responsible for lopping at least 10 IQ points off of the national average.
"I'm pretty sure that I have you out-gunned"
Gawd, I hope not... but I dunno? I've not heard from him in ages so I can't say for sure...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
No one around here issues press releases, I just don't know what to make of these people.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
Well, I guess she believes that someone gives a crap whether she reconciled with Daddy or not...?? And sadly, she's prolly right... LOL
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
That's for sure. I never did get to go on that dream cruise with all the love starved babes just hanging out by the pool.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
LOL...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
For $300 I'll certify her as an MD, and throw in a really nice frame for an additional $150.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
No, what we got was Congressman Gopher, instead.
"I'm pretty sure that I have you out-gunned"
How hard is it to take that man seriously? About as difficult as not saying "I'll be BACH" to Guvnah Ahhhhnie...
I don't know about you, but the present STATE OF THE UNION scares the crap outa me...
Start her out at the PhD level. The girl isn't bright.
I work hard, every day of my life, just stayin' alive.
I have to charge twice as much for a phoney PhD certificate, the police with 8 year degrees are reported to be especially harsh too.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
I've got at least thrice that in the School of Hard Knocks. They're a bunch of amateurs.
"To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever fight; and never stop fighting." E.E. Cummings
Then you'll be assigned to a street cop under TIA.
Quit bogarting that peace, Herbert!
Have you seen his daughter? All the plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills, not to mention all the acting lessons, and she's just a sad joke.
#2. To: Red Jones (#1)
garbage
#3. To: noone222, red jones (#0)
Spellings Estate should be sued for the mental cruelty he exposed Amerika to through the pure crap that he produced ... prolificly
--Osama bin Laden
"Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
--- Abraham Lincoln December, 1840
#4. To: IndieTX (#3)
#5. To: Soda Pop (#2)
Never cared for any of his programs or his daughter.
#6. To: Zoroaster (#5)
Stupid ass whore, Tori--
#7. To: BTP Holdings (#6)
#8. To: siagiah (#7)
I thought he did a fine job as a producer... Naturally, I didn't like all of his shows but so what?
#9. To: noone222 (#0)
#10. To: BTP Holdings (#8)
#11. To: Fred Mertz (#9)
He did produce garbage.
#12. To: Soda Pop, BTP Holdings, siagiah, Red Jones (#2)
#13. To: Fred Mertz (#9)
#14. To: siagiah (#10)
I wish you were twice as lucky why skimp on wishing?... but you sound like you're eating sour grapes?
#15. To: Dakmar (#12)
#16. To: Dakmar (#13)
I'm a Quinn Martin voter.
#17. To: Dakmar (#12)
#18. To: BTP Holdings (#14)
#19. To: Con Vallian (#15)
Tori has the genes.
#20. To: siagiah (#18)
You remind me of my pal Hunter/Vadasz... you'd have liked him...
#21. To: BTP Holdings (#19)
#22. To: noone222 (#0)
Spellings Estate should be sued for the mental cruelty he exposed Amerika to through the pure crap that he produced ... prolificly.
#23. To: BTP Holdings (#20)
At least I strike a chord somewhere. He isn't dead, is he?
#24. To: siagiah (#17)
Well, she's probably not really thinking about her career today????
#25. To: Dakmar (#24)
No one around here issues press releases, I just don't know what to make of these people.
#26. To: orangedog (#22)
He sure as hell kept a cavalcade of loser, has-been tv stars off the street with shit like the love boat and fantasy island. The man must be responsible for lopping at least 10 IQ points off of the national average.
#27. To: BTP Holdings (#26)
#28. To: Con Vallian (#15)
The real money is in merchandizing. Tori has the genes.
#29. To: BTP Holdings (#26)
I never did get to go on that dream cruise with all the love starved babes just hanging out by the pool.
#30. To: orangedog (#29)
No, what we got was Congressman Gopher, instead.
#31. To: Dakmar (#28)
#32. To: Con Vallian (#31)
#33. To: Dakmar (#32)
the police with 8 year degrees
#34. To: BTP Holdings (#33)
#35. To: noone222 (#0)
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