Spelling Television/Summary

This page is dedicated with love and affection to Aaron Spelling (1923-2006)

Logo descriptions by Jason Jones and Shadeed A. Kelly

Logo captures by Eric S., V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, Bob Fish, bmasters9, EnormousRat, snelfu, Logophile, and Gilblitz112

Editions by V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, and Bob Fish

Background
The late film and television producer Aaron Spelling established his own television production company first under the name of "Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc." in 1969. In 1986, Spelling took his company public after raising $80 million. On March 11,1989, Aaron Spelling Productions was reincorporated as "Spelling Entertainment Inc." after acquiring Laurel Entertainment, Inc. and Worldvision Enterprises Inc. The same year, Spelling launched a sub-division named "Torand Productions, Inc.", which was named after Spelling's two children: Tori and Randy Spelling. On April 6, 1991, Spelling Entertainment Inc. was acquired by The Charter Company, who then merged with Spelling Entertainment Inc., and The Charter Company was renamed to "Spelling Entertainment Group" on October 5, 1992. In 1992, Spelling Entertainment was renamed again as "Spelling Television". In 1993, Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation acquired a 67% stake in Spelling Entertainment Group and established "Big Ticket Television" (a.k.a. "Big Ticket Entertainment" and "Big Ticket Pictures") in 1994. The same year in 1994, Blockbuster merged with Viacom, Inc. (later renamed "CBS Corporation" in 2006). In 1999, Viacom acquired the rest of the Spelling Entertainment Group, but Spelling continued producing shows until his death on June 23, 2006, at the age of 83. On April 4, 2007, it was announced that 7th Heaven 's series finale on May 13, 2007 would be dedicated to Aaron Spelling. Every single episode from season 11, read these words at the beginning of the closing credits: "In memory of Aaron Spelling". Today, most of the Spelling Television library is owned by CBS Corporation (now ViacomCBS) through CBS Television Distribution, while the company still survives as an in-name-only unit of CBS Television Studios (formerly "CBS Paramount Network Television"), a division of CBS Corporation.

1st Logo (1970-1991)
 Logo:  In the ending credits of shows such as Dynasty and Hotel and TV movies, the text in the series type font would appear superimposed at the end:AN  AARON SPELLING  PRODUCTION 

Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved or AARON SPELLING  PRODUCTIONS 

Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">All Rights Reserved

 Variants:  <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">[COMPANY NAME] <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">In Association With <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">AARON SPELLING  <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">PRODUCTIONS 
 * On shows like The Love Boat, the company name was in a serif typeface with swashes (decorative touches to letters that were popular in the Seventies):

<p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. <p style="text-align:center;"><span style=" font-family: Arial, sans; font-size: medium">All Rights Reserved


 * Some series or TV movies would use a different copyright stamp mention instead of "Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc." saying either "Spelling Ventures Organization," "The Oil Company" (another one of Spelling's in-credit companies), or for the final season of The Love Boat, "The Love Boat Company."
 * On Matt Houston, the text reads as "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC." and would follow the text, "A LARGO PRODUCTION."
 * Some early TV movies at the beginning would have the text "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC. presents".
 * Nightingales has the logo with "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC." with a copyright stamp below.
 * On the 1991 TV movie Dynasty: The Reunion, the Richard and Esther Shapiro IAW Aaron Spelling card was in gold on a black screen.

 FX/SFX:  Seen on closing sequences with cut screens.

 Music/Sounds:  The closing theme of the show.

 Availability:  Uncommon, seeing as it's an in-credit text. Survives intact on DVD releases such as the first four seasons of The Love Boat, and the full runs of Vega$, Matt Houston, and Hotel.

2nd Logo (1989-1992)
 Nicknames:  "Abstract S", "Spiral S"

 Logo:  Just a black screen with "SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC." in a white Elephant font, and a stylized "S" that somewhat resembles the "S From Hell" Screen Gems logo. This "S", however, has three lines going upward, three lines going down, and a rounded rectangular structure behind it. "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">SPELLING " has the largest typeface, and "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">ENTERTAINMENT INC. " is progressively smaller, and appear below the Spelling name.

 Variant:  On Twin Peaks, the logo is shown on a blue background. Plus the words are in a different font.

 FX/SFX:  None really, except for the zoom in effect seen on 2nd season episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210.

 Music/Sounds:  Once again, the ending theme would usually play over.

 Availability:  Uncommon. It was seen on Twin Peaks, but DVD (and possibly Blu-ray) releases (save for the Artisan/Republic release of the first season), TV airings, and streaming prints remove this logo (though it might be on Warner Home Video releases too). Also seen on the first two seasons of Beverly Hills, 90210 on Pop TV and DVD.

3rd Logo (1991-1992)
 Nicknames:  "Abstract S II", "Spiral S II", "Sliding/Sparkling Name"

 Logo:  Against a teal blue/white gradient background, we see the same "S" from the previous logo, but without the rounded rectangular structure drawing. The name "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">SPELLING  <span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">ENTERTAINMENT INC. " in the same font as before sliding in. A registered trademark symbol fades in. The name sparkles.

 FX/SFX:  The drawing of the "S", the sliding of the name, the sparkling of the name.

 Music/Sounds:  The finishing of the ending theme from any show, or none.

 Availability:  Very rare. It's seen on Beverly Hills, 90210 on Pop TV. On DVD releases, it's plastered by the next logo.

4th Logo (July 15, 1992-November 2, 2010)
 Logo:  Against a teal blue background, two lines (one with streaks; the other with a filmstrip) roll out parallel to one another, then they connect with an arch at the right side, resembling the shape of a magnet. The word "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">SPELLING " in Century Schoolbook font, slides-in from that direction, with the word "TELEVISION" inside the lower line. The "S" in Spelling is a bit larger than the rest of the logo, which shines in with "pings". From 1994 onward, the respective company byline fades in below the logo.

 Bylines: 
 * 1994: "A UNIT OF BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT" (accompanied by the Blockbuster Video logo, a blue and yellow ticket stub)
 * 1994-1995: "A SUBSIDARY OF BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT" (accompanied by the Blockbuster Entertainment logo, like above)
 * 1995-1999: "a subsidiary of SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC."
 * September 1999-2000: "A Paramount/Viacom Company" (in Helvetica)
 * 1999-2006: "A PARAMOUNT/VIACOM COMPANY" (set in Viacom's "Wigga-Wigga" font, the text appears in a laser inscription effect under the logo)
 * January 22, 2006-2007: "A CBS COMPANY" (appears in a laser inscription effect right under the Spelling logo; the text is in Viacom's Wigga-Wigga font, but thinner)

 Variants: 
 * Was referred to as "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">SPELLING  <span style=" font-family: Arial, sans;"> TELEVISION INC. " starting in 1999.
 * Was referred to as "<span style=" font-family: Times, Arial, sans;">SPELLING  <span style=" font-family: Arial, sans;"> DAYTIME TELEVISION " on Sunset Beach from 1997-1999.
 * On a few episodes of the short-lived series Robin's Hoods, after the main logo is formed, the Blockbuster Video logo slides in from the left to its spot, making the byline appear as it moves.
 * A true 16:9 widescreen version exists.

 FX/SFX:  The sliding in of the "SPELLING" name.

 Music/Sounds:  The finishing of the ending theme from any show, or it is silent (as it was when ABC Family (now Freeform) reran 7th Heaven).

 Availability:  Common. It can be seen on reruns of 7th Heaven on UP and Charmed on TNT and WEtv, among others. Was last seen on Summerland on The N (now "TeenNick") and Beverly Hills, 90210 on Pop TV. The "Daytime Television" variant is long gone, as the first 12 episodes of Sunset Beach (the only show it was on) are so far the only part of the show to have seen the light of day in over a decade, having been released by Koch Media in Germany in 2008 (it is unknown if that release contains it). The 2006 variant is currently seen on DVD releases of Beverly Hills, 90210 as it plasters the older logos and appeared on the final season of 7th Heaven and later episodes of the final season of Charmed.

 Final Note:  For one of the most beloved shows by this now-defunct production company, Spelling himself has been remembered. The legacy of that beloved film and TV producer continues in the future.