What was Aaron Spelling’s Net Worth and Salary?

Aaron Spelling, an American TV and film producer, had a net worth of $600 million at the time of his death in 2006. He had an extensive list of credits, with 218 Producer and Executive Producer credits to his name. Some of his most famous shows include “Charlie’s Angels,” “Dynasty,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” and “Melrose Place.” Besides producing, Spelling was also a writer and actor, having 21 writing credits and appearing in over 30 movies and TV shows. His television empire is still thriving, making him one of the highest earning dead celebrities.

Aaron Spelling’s Early Life and Education

Aaron Spelling was born on April 22, 1925, in Dallas, Texas, to Russian-Jewish immigrants. He grew up with his parents, sister, and brothers and suffered anti-Semitic bullying at school, leading to a nervous breakdown at 8 years old. After recovering, he attended Forest Avenue High School and then served as an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II, earning a Purple Heart. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a journalism degree in 1949, where he was active in the drama club, served as head cheerleader, and won two Harvard Awards for his writing.

Aaron Spelling’s Early Career

Aaron Spelling made his acting debut in 1953 and appeared in “Vicki,” “Dragnet,” and “I Led Three Lives.” He sold his first script in 1954 and appeared on “I Love Lucy” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” the following year. Spelling worked as a writer for “Zane Grey Theatre” from 1956 to 1961 and eventually became one of the show’s producers in 1960.

Aaron Spelling’s Career Highlights

Aaron Spelling created Spelling Entertainment in 1965 and collaborated with Danny Thomas and Leonard Goldberg on various productions until the 2000s. He took Spelling Entertainment public in 1986, raising $80 million.

As an executive producer, Spelling worked on several TV series such as “The Lloyd Bridges Show,” “Burke’s Law,” “The Smothers Brothers Show,” and “The Mod Squad.” He went on to produce long-running shows like “Charlie’s Angels,” “Fantasy Island,” “Dynasty,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Melrose Place,” “7th Heaven,” and “Charmed.”

Although Spelling stopped focusing on acting by the early 1960s, he made uncredited appearances on some of the shows he produced, including “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Sunset Beach,” and “Charmed.”

Aaron Spelling’s Marriages and Children

Aaron Spelling married Carolyn Jones in 1953, known for her role as Morticia Addams on “The Addams Family”. They divorced in 1964. He later wed Carole “Candy” Marer in 1968, who would be later known as Candy Spelling. They had two children, Tori Spelling born on May 16, 1973, and Randy Spelling born on October 9, 1978. Spelling often cast his children in his projects, and Tori gained international fame for her role as Donna Martin on “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

Aaron Spelling’s Death and Legacy

Aaron Spelling died on June 23, 2006, at the age of 83, at his home in Los Angeles, five days after suffering a stroke. He had been suffering from oral cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Spelling’s family held a private funeral a few days after his death, and he was buried in a mausoleum at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery.

Two months after his death, Spelling was posthumously honored at the Primetime Emmy Awards by stars of some of his beloved shows, including Joan Collins of “Dynasty,” Heather Locklear of “Melrose Place,” and Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, and Kate Jackson of “Charlie’s Angels.”

Spelling left behind an estate worth $600 million, but he changed his will two months before his death, leaving just $800,000 each to Tori and Randy. The will included a No-Contest Clause, which meant that Aaron’s children could not contest the will without potentially losing their entire inheritance.

Aaron Spelling’s Awards and Honors

Aaron Spelling won several awards for his work, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for “Day One” and “And the Band Played On.” He also received a Britannia Award for Excellence in Television and the Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television from the Producers Guild of America. Spelling was honored by various organizations, including the Costume Designers Guild Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, Golden Apple Awards, Online Film & Television Association, Publicists Guild of America, Soap Opera Digest Awards, and TV Land Awards.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978 and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1983, he received the NAACP Humanitarian Award for donating $100,000 to pay for 21-year-old Derrick Gordon’s heart transplant operation.

Aaron Spelling’s Holmby Hills Mansion

At the time of his death, Aaron Spelling owned a Holmby Hills mansion known as “The Manor,” which he bought in 1988 from Bing Crosby. The original home was demolished, and a 123-room, $47 million estate was built in its place.

“The Manor” is recognized as the largest single-family home in California, spanning 56,500 square feet. In 2008, Spelling’s widow put the property on the market for $150 million, and it was eventually sold to Petra Ecclestone in 2011 for $85 million.

Recently, the mansion was sold to an anonymous buyer for $119.7 million, making it one of the most expensive residential properties in the United States.

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