Aaron Spelling

Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923 – June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the television series Family (1976–1980); Charlie's Angels (1976–1981); The Love Boat (1977–1986); Hart to Hart (1979–1984); Dynasty (1981–1989); Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000); Melrose Place (1992–1999); 7th Heaven (1996–2007); and Charmed (1998–2006). He also served as producer of The Mod Squad (1968–1973), The Rookies (1972–1976) and Sunset Beach (1997–1999).

Through his production company Spelling Television, Spelling holds the record as the most prolific television producer in American television history, with 218 producer and executive producer credits. Forbes ranked him the 11th-highest-earning deceased celebrity in 2009.

Spelling was born in Dallas, Texas. He was the son of David Spelling and Pearl Spelling (née Wald), Russian Jewish immigrants. His father worked as a tailor and changed his surname from Sperling (German for Sparrow) to Spelling after emigrating to the United States. His mother had previously been married to Sam Seltzer, who was murdered in 1911, the year before she married Spelling's father. Spelling was the youngest of five children. He had two older brothers, Sam (1916–2001) and Daniel Spelling (1921–2009), and two older half-siblings, Max Seltzer (1907–1975) and Becky Seltzer Giller (1910–1978).

At the age of eight, Spelling psychosomatically lost the use of his legs due to trauma caused by constant anti-semitic bullying from his schoolmates, and was confined to bed for a year. He made a full recovery.

Spelling attended Forest Avenue High School in Dallas. During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Corps as an entertainer on a troop ship and a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. In 1949 he graduated from Southern Methodist University, where he was a cheerleader.

Spelling made his first appearance as an actor in a film as Harry Williams in Vicki, directed by Harry Horner, in 1953. That same year, he appeared in the TV series I Led Three Lives and Dragnet (six episodes, 1953–55). Spelling appeared in episode 112 of I Love Lucy ("Tennessee Bound", season 4, 1955); in Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Breakdown", 1955); and as Weed Pindle in Gunsmoke's season one, episode 35, "The Guitar" (1956). He continued to appear in films and TV (often uncredited) over 25 times by 1957, appearing briefly as an actor in 1963, 1995 and 1998 (all uncredited.)

He guest-starred in 1954 as a dogcatcher in the premiere episode of the CBS situation comedy, Willy, starring June Havoc as a young lawyer in New Hampshire, who later relocates to New York City to represent a vaudeville troupe.

Spelling sold his first script "Twenty Dollar Bride" to The Jane Wyman Show in 1956. He gained experience as a producer and additional credits as a script writer working for Four Star Television on the series Zane Grey Theater, which aired between 1956 and 1961. Of the 149 episodes in that series, he wrote 20 of the teleplays and produced many others. Spelling produced Burke's Law while at Four Star. The show was the first success for Spelling and pioneered the multiple guest star format, later seen on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. In 1965, he quit Four Star to set up his own production company with a two-year agreement with United Artists Television to produce television shows and movies.