Carole Gene "Candy" Spelling (née Marer; born September 20, 1945) is an American author, theater producer, and philanthropist.[1][2] She was married to Aaron Spelling from 1968 until his death in 2006.[3]
Early life and education
Carole Gene Marer was born in Beverly Hills, California, to Augusta (née Rosen) and Merritt Marer, and grew up in a Jewish home. She has an elder brother, Anthony Marer (born July 24, 1942).[4][5] Her father was a salesman who founded a chain of furniture stores. Although initially successful, the chain failed as a result of overexpansion.[1][6] She attended Beverly Hills High School and Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.[7]
Books and television
Spelling's autobiography, Stories from Candyland, released in March 2009, hit The New York Times best seller list two weeks after publication.[8] Her memoir, Candy at Last, was published by Wiley in May 2014.[9] She has written for TMZ and the Huffington Post, among others.
In December 2011 and January 2012, Spelling produced and starred in Selling Spelling Manor, a two-episode special for HGTV that documented the process of moving from and selling her 123-room, 56,500 square foot home. In 2013, she produced and starred in Beyond Spelling Manor, a three-episode series about the construction of her subsequent residence, a $35 million condominium, and her search for an apartment in New York City. The series also aired on HGTV.[10][11]
Spelling went on to produce The Color Purple, the winner of the 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed the character Celie, won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.[12] In 2018, her production credits included The Iceman Cometh, which starred Denzel Washington and received eight Tony Award nominations; the revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel, which received Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Lindsay Mendez) and Best Choreography (Justin Peck); and Three Tall Women by Edward Albee, which earned Tony Awards for Laurie Metcalf (Featured Actress) and Glenda Jackson (Lead Actress).[13]
Philanthropy
In 2012 Spelling was named to the board of directors of American Humane, an animal welfare organization. She was named vice chair of the board in 2015.[14] She is a member of the UCLA Health System Board,[15] a member of the board of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, and a founding board member of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation.[16] She helped to expand Centro De Niños, downtown Los Angeles daycare center for underprivileged families, and served for 10 years as a Board of Governors Member of LA's Best, an after-school enrichment program for children in need.[17] She was honored for her public service by the President's Council of Service and Civic Participation.[18][19]
Personal life
She married producer and screenwriter Aaron Spelling in 1968. The couple had two children: daughter Victoria Davey ("Tori") (born 1973) and son Randy Gene Spelling (born 1978). They appeared in several of Aaron's productions, most notably in Beverly Hills, 90210.[20] She has seven grandchildren, two from Randy and five from Tori.
In 2009, three years after her husband's death, Spelling put their Holmby Hills mansion on the market for $150 million. It was the most expensive residential listing in the United States at the time.[21] It was sold to Petra Ecclestone for $85 million in 2011.[22]
