What was Aaron Spelling's Net Worth and Salary?
Aaron Spelling was a prolific American television and film producer who had a net worth of $600 million at the time of his death in 2006. Aaaron Spelling had one of the longest lists of credits in Hollywood history with a total of 218 Producer and Executive Producer credits. Some of his most well-known shows include "Charlie's Angels," "Dynasty," "Beverly Hills, 90210," and "Melrose Place." Aaron was also a writer and an actor. He had 21 writing credits to his name and appeared in more than 30 movies and TV shows. Thanks to a vast television empire that is still thriving, at various points he has been ranked as one the highest earning dead celebrities.
Aaron is also notable for being the father of Tori Spelling and Randy Spelling. Upon his death, Aaron's will – which was adjusted just two months prior – revealed that he left the bulk of his fortune to widow Candy Spelling. Aaron left just $800,000 to each of his two kids. His will also included a no-contest clause which would automatically disinherit anyone who contested his will.
Finally, Aaron was known for building the largest private residence in Southern California, a mansion which became known as "Spelling Manor." More info about Spelling Manor in the next paragraph.
Aaron Spelling-Created TV Shows:
- "Charlie's Angels"
- "The Love Boat"
- "Fantasy Island"
- "Beverly Hills, 90210"
- "Melrose Place"
- "Dynasty"
- "Sunset Beach"
- "7th Heaven"
- "Family"
- "T.J. Hooker"
- "The Mod Squad"
- "The Rookies"
- "Starsky & Hutch"
- "S.W.A.T"
- "Hart to Hart"
- "The Colbys"
- "Hotel"
- "Nightingales"
- "Matt Houston"
- "Vega$"
Spelling Manor
At the time of his death, Spelling owned a Holmby Hills mansion known as "The Manor," and "The Spelling Manor." Aaron bought the property (which belonged to Bing Crosby) in 1988, and he demolished the home and built a 123-room, $47 million estate. "The Manor" is the largest single-family home in California, and Spelling's widow put the 56,500 square foot mansion on the market for $150 million in 2008. Heiress Petra Ecclestone bought the property for $85 million in 2011, and it was sold to an anonymous buyer for $119.7 million in 2019. It was listed again in 2022 for $165 million. Here is a video tour and an aerial photo:
Aaron Spelling's former luxury home in Beverly Hills, LA. via Alamy
Early Life
Aaron Spelling was born on April 22, 1925, in Dallas, Texas. He grew up with mother Pearl, father David (a tailor), sister Becky, and brothers Sam, Max, and Daniel. His parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants, and David changed his last name from Spurling to Spelling after he emigrated to America. Aaron was the victim of anti-Semitic bullying by his classmates, leading to a nervous breakdown at 8 years old, where he psychosomatically lost the ability to use his legs; he stayed in bed for a year, passing his time with books, and fully recovered. Spelling attended Forest Avenue High School, then served as an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II, earning a Purple Heart after being shot in the hand by a sniper.
After his military service was over, Aaron attended Southern Methodist University, graduating with a journalism degree in 1949. As an SMU student, he joined the drama club and showed his school spirit as head cheerleader; he was also the first student to direct a senior class play at the school. Spelling earned a Harvard Award in 1947 for a play he wrote about racial prejudice and won the award again in 1949. In 1998, SMU honored Aaron with their Distinguished Alumni Award.
Early Career
In 1953, Spelling made his acting debut in the film noir "Vicki" and appeared on "Dragnet" and "I Led Three Lives." He sold his first script in 1954, to anthology series "Jane Wyman Presents," and he appeared on "I Love Lucy" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" the following year. Aaron worked as a writer for Western anthology series "Zane Grey Theatre" from 1956 to 1961 and became one of the show's producers in 1960.
Spelling Entertainment
In 1965, Spelling created Spelling Entertainment, and he also collaborated with comedian Danny Thomas on Thomas-Spelling Productions from 1966 to 1972 and producer Leonard Goldberg on Spelling-Goldberg productions from 1972 to 1986. He took Spelling Entertainment public in 1986, and the public offering raised $80 million, allowing Spelling to pump out many more productions into the 2000s.
In the first decade of his producing career, Aaron served as an executive producer on several TV series, including "The Lloyd Bridges Show" (1962-1963), "Burke's Law" (1963-1966), "The Smothers Brothers Show" (1965-1966), and "The Mod Squad" (1968-1973). He went on to produce long-running shows "Charlie's Angels" (1976−1981), "Fantasy Island" (1977−1984), "Dynasty" (1981–1989), "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990−2000), "Melrose Place" (1992−1999), "7th Heaven" (1996−2006), and "Charmed" (1998-2006). Though Spelling had stopped focusing on acting by the early 1960s, he did make uncredited appearances on some of the shows he produced, including "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Sunset Beach," and "Charmed."
Getty
Personal Life
Aaron married actress Carolyn Jones (best known as Morticia Addams on "The Addams Family") in 1953, and they divorced in 1964. He wed Carole "Candy" Marer in 1968, later known as Candy Spelling. They welcomed daughter Tori Spelling on May 16, 1973, and son Randy 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."
Death and Estate
Spelling died at the age of 83 on June 23, 2006, at his home in Los Angeles five days after suffering a stroke. Before his death, he had suffered from oral cancer (which he was diagnosed with in 2001) and Alzheimer's disease. A few days after his death, Spelling's family held a private funeral, and he was buried in a mausoleum at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery. Two months later, Aaron 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, and he changed his will two months before his death, leaving just $800,000 each to Tori and Randy. Since the will included a No-Contest Clause, Aaron's children could not contest the will without potentially losing their entire inheritance.
Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
Awards and Honors
Aaron won several awards for his work, including a 1989 Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special Primetime Emmy for "Day One" and a 1994 Outstanding Made for Television Movie Primetime Emmy for "And the Band Played On." In 1999, he earned a Britannia Award for Excellence in Television, and the Producers Guild of America awarded him the Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television the following year. Spelling was also honored by the Costume Designers Guild Awards, the GLAAD Media Awards, the Golden Apple Awards, the Online Film & Television Association, the Publicists Guild of America, the Soap Opera Digest Awards, and the TV Land Awards. Aaron received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978, and in 1996, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. In 1983, the NAACP gave Spelling their Humanitarian Award after he donated $100,000 to pay for 21-year-old Derrick Gordon's heart transplant operation.
