Aaron Spelling: A Prime-Time Life (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jefferson Graham (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For a man who's tapped into the world's TV-viewing habits like no one else, mega-producer Spelling comes across as a surprisingly ordinary fellow in his autobiography. He makes producing "a smash hit a decade"?The Mod Squad, Dynasty and Melrose Place among them?look like happy and very lucrative accidents. The son of poor Eastern European Jews who settled in Dallas, Spelling grew up spinning yarns to fight redneck taunts, honing story skills that eventually led him through the early days of TV production and, in time, to realize his own Fantasy Island (another Spelling production) lifestyle. He portrays himself here with down-home graciousness?even if he jokes that he can't find his bedroom in his palatial mansion. He respectfully spares us the TV-star gossip and gives close friends and family members, like his loving wife, Candy, paragraphs for their own celebrity roast anecdotes. Such passages come off as padding, however, as do the lengthy excerpts from produced scripts Spelling wrote early in his career. If Spelling's writing works on the tube, it doesn't fly on the printed page. This tame memoir offers little in the way of character shading or social insight. The author answers critics who called Charlie's Angels "jiggle" with: "Haven't reporters ever been to the beach before?" Spelling has enjoyed a prime-time life, but his memoir is anything but. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Spelling, who has produced more TV hits than anyone in the business-from the classic The Love Boat to today's Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place-recalls his 35 "prime-time" years.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312313446
• ISBN-13: 978-0312313449
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,136,647 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but not particularly insightful, July 31, 2006

By	Consultant (Northeast United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aaron Spelling: A Prime-Time Life (Hardcover)

Spelling gives a once-over-lightly review of his life and work. I have to admit I never watched his shows, at least not that I could recall - so I only had the book's description to rely on. After a while, it appears to be something of a stream of name-dropping. But then again - Spelling made most of the actors the household names that they and that their characters became, so I guess he's entitled.

Spelling was basically a feel-good guy, at least that's the way he came across in the book. Nothing wrong with that, but because he really won't criticize or make any harsh observations about anyone he encountered (including types like Eisner and Orvitz) - that limits the depth of his observations and insights. Spelling obliquely observes that Hollywood is a tough town, but really doesn't tell us how tough it can be. Rather interestingly, he remarks that when one of his shows was cancelled - he would go home and spend a few days in bed with a bout of depression.

The book is a worthwhile read if you want to get a sense of some of the history of television programming - Spelling produced something like 3,500 hours - by comparison, Dick Wolf's Law & Order, which seems to be everywhere - is only about 600 hours.

I would have liked Spelling to be a bit more philosophical about what's involved in producing serial television, and his insights as to why his programs were such hits. But you won't find such insights in this book. About all he said in that regard is:
> television is teamwork
> hire the best writers you can and give them credit
> look into the actor's eyes when you audition them - that will tell you who's good

Since Spelling recently passed away, no telling if there is an update or additional biography in the works. I would hope so, and one that would give us more insights into the man, his times and his work.

2.0 out of 5 stars Dull, Self-Congratulatory Autobiography with Few Juicy Details, June 14, 2008

By	Mediaman "TVviewer" (USA) - See all my reviews

Aaron Spelling claims he is a creative writer, but you wouldn't know it by reading this book. He quickly glides through his hit shows, bragging along the way about being the "first" to do many of the things in Hollywood (though often he is not correct about his claims). He uses superlatives throughout about his shows and claims 3 or 4 of them as his favorite or the one his is most proud of.

Most distracting is that he includes in the book scripts from some of the shows--which feel like padding. He doesn't spill enough inside information on his life so he needs to make the book long enough to buy by including pages and pages of actual scripts from 90210, Dynasty, Charlie's Angels and others. Some film students may enjoy that, but for the average reader it is meaningless.

He does tell a couple surprising stories of how he cheated others when he didn't have much money--but he never says he repaid those people once he got rich. He also doesn't go into his own wealth, other than to brag that he gives his wife lots of jewelry because he loves her so much.

One thing that the reader does discover is that Spelling himself does not deserve the credit for many of his most famous shows--he merely helped get the show on the air or took someone else's idea and headed the company that produced it. The conclusion that the reader comes to is that this guy made a lot of money on shows that others created.

There just isn't enough meaty material in this book. He is positive about everything he has done, everyone he has met and every show he has produced. Namely, the book is dull. And if he is such a great writer (which he brags about throughout the book), then why did he need a co-author for his own autobiography?????

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, insightful, and innovative!, January 13, 2006

By	Bookreader79424 "I love Casa Ole!" (Earth) - See all my reviews

Hi,

I found Mr. Spelling's book entertaining, insightful and innovative because he candidly talks about his humble beginnings growing up in a poor neighborhood in Dallas, being taunted and teased mercilessly, and then discusses how hard he worked to get where he is today!

As Candy Spelling, Mr. Spelling's wife and mother of Tori and Randy Spelling, argues in his book, they worked hard and deserve to live in a palatial estate. I couldn't agree more with her commentary. When you work hard, and do the right thing with the right attitude as Mr. Spelling has done, then you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor, so kudos goes to Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Spelling and their children for working hard and maintaining a strong work ethic.

Anyone who is a fan of Mr. Spelling's work, will thoroughly enjoy this informative, entertaining and down-to-earth memoir.

It's almost as if Mr. Spelling is in the room with you talking to you about his life.

Very enjoyable! I give his autobiography the highest rating, which is 5 stars!

Buy it, read it, and enjoy it because it's truly an excellent book to add to your library!