Aaron Spelling would have turned 100: we have him to thank for these cult series

He has secured his place of honor among the greatest television producers in the history of American television. Aaron Spelling (1923-2006), born on April 22, 1923 in Dallas, Texas, is credited with legendary high-gloss hit series such as “Beverly Hills, 90210”, “Melrose Place”, “The Denver Clan” or “Charmed – Magical witches”.

The mega producer, who incidentally also cast his daughter Tori Spelling (49) in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and thereby made her a star, . Spelling has acted as executive producer on television productions a total of 218 times in his decades-long career – an absolute record.

“Starsky & Hutch” and “Charlie’s Angels”: Aaron Spelling’s early world successes

As early as 1959, Spelling became a series creator for the first time with the western show “Johnny Ringo” (1959-1960), which was produced for CBS. After some rather forgotten successes such as “The Mod Squad” (1968-1973), the extremely busy Spelling produced the TV classics “Starsky & Hutch” (1975-1979) “Charlie’s Angels” in quick succession from the mid-1970s. (1976-1981), the US “Dream Ship” entitled “Love Boat” (1977-1987), “Fantasy Island” (1977-1984) and “Hard but Warm” (1979-1984).

All of the latter titles appeared on the US channel ABC, whose primetime filled almost two-thirds of Spelling in the early 1980s. “.

From “The Denver Clan” to “Beverly Hills, 90210”

However, the tireless Spelling did not rest on these laurels and produced one of the series of the decade in the 1980s with “Der Denver-Clan” (1981-1989). The glossy soap opera not only fueled the trend for the shoulder pads so characteristic of the eighties. The popularity of the series in Germany was probably only surpassed by the very similar hit import “Dallas” (1978-1991) about the villain JR Ewing played by Larry Hagman (1931-2012).

The “The Denver Clan” was then also a fairly blatant copy of “Dallas”, only that the series took place in the US state of Colorado instead of Texas, and Larry Hagman was replaced by the legendary Joan Collins (89). : “Every single person in ‘The Denver Family’ was good-looking. You wanted to see wealthy, attractive people fighting each other”.

“The audience wants escapism”

Towards the end of the 1980s, after the cancellation of “The Denver Clan”, “Love Boat” and “TJ Hooker” (1982-1986) starring William Shatner (92) and Heather Locklear (61), superproducer Spelling suddenly came out on top Since time immemorial without a successful primetime show on US television. But his greatest success at that time was still ahead of the TV maker.

“I don’t think the TV networks give audiences what they want,” to add, “They want escapism. That’s what ‘Love Boat’, ‘Fantasy Island’ and ‘The Denver Clan’ gave them – an escape from the harshness of everyday life”.

In 1990, the then still young Fox channel started with “Beverly Hills, 90210” (1990-2000), a legendary teen series that began at the beginning of the decade together with the lifeguard show “Baywatch” (1989 -2001) redefined the media image of Los Angeles and California – and was formative for later successful teen series such as “OC, California” (2003-2007).

With the series “Melrose Place” (1992-1999), Spelling soon produced something like a direct copy of his own mega hit “Beverly Hills, 90210” about the twins Brandon (Jason Priestley, 53) and Brenda (Shannen Doherty, 52), who relocate from Minnesota to the upscale suburb of Beverly Hills, California, where they meet characters like Dylan, played by Luke Perry (1966-2019).

“A Heavenly Family” and “Charmed – Enchanting Witches”

Even after this double success in the 1990s, Spelling did not retire. Around the turn of the millennium, the then mid-70-year-old produced the two popular series “A Heavenly Family” (1996-2006) and “Charmed – Magical Witches” (1998-2006).

that Spelling has produced an incredible 3,842 hours of TV – enough to fill prime time for three and a half years, seven days a week, without having to air a single repeat.

In addition, Spelling was awarded two Emmys in his long career – for the two television films “… and life goes on” (1993) and “The Bomb” (1989). Today, April 22nd, the most prolific producer in US TV history would have been 100 years old.