Victoria Davey "Tori" Spelling (born May 16, 1973) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Spelling became an international household name in the early 1990s for starring in the
Beverly Hills, 90210Beverly Hills, 90210 is a prime time television drama series that aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
as
Donna MartinDonna Martin is a fictional character from the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, introduced in Beverly Hills, 90210 and portrayed by Tori Spelling from 1990 to 2000. In 2009, Spelling reprised the role in the spin-off 90210....
. The original
90210 series became a worldwide phenomenon after airing 1990, and earned several notable awards such as a
Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television...
. Spelling subsequently starred in a string of
made-for-televisionA television movie is a feature film that is produced for and originally distributed by a...
films, such as
A Friend to Die ForA Friend to Die For or Death of a Cheerleader is an American TV movie made in 1994 by William A. Graham. Written by Randall Sullivan and originally titled Death of a Cheerleader, the film is based on Graham's own Rolling Stone magazine article concerning the real-life murder of a high school girl...
and
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? is a 1996 television movie starring Tori Spelling and Ivan Sergei.-Plot:Laurel discovers that her new boyfriend Kevin is a serial killer, and must escape the mountain cabin in which he is holding her captive by paddling down a river in a canoe at dusk.-Cast:*Tori...
. She later starred in several
independent filmAn independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of any major film studio. Originally, this term denoted independence from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., RKO, Universal Pictures, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures, the 8 major studio entities...
s such as
TrickTrick is a 1999 American independent gay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999.- Plot summary :...
and
The House of YesThe House of Yes is a 1997 film starring Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Geneviève Bujold, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Tori Spelling. The movie is based on the play of the same name, which is written by Wendy MacLeod...
. She reprised her prominent role in the spinoff,
9021090210 is a teen drama developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but now produced by CBS Television Studios...
in 2009. Her autobiographical book
sTORI TellingsTORI Telling is a 2008 book by Tori Spelling and Hilary Liftin. In September it rose to #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover non-fiction books. In 2009, the book was awarded with a Bravo A-List Award as the best celebrity autobiography of the year. - External links :* at Simon &...
debuted on top of the
New York Times Best Seller listThe New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered to be the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in the The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is usually found inserted in the Sunday edition of The New York Times, or as a stand-alone...
and was named the best celebrity autobiography of 2009.
Early life
Spelling was born in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
and is the daughter of
Candy SpellingCarole Gene "Candy" Spelling is an American author. She is the widow of Aaron Spelling.-Biography:In 1968, Candy Spelling married producer/writer Aaron Spelling. Together they had two children, Victoria Davey Spelling and Randall Gene Spelling, both of whom became actors as teenagers, as Tori...
and famed TV producer
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's company holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits.-Early life:...
. Both of Spelling's parents were
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish, though her family celebrated both
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
and
HanukkahHanukkah , also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE...
while she was growing up. She attended
Beverly Hills High SchoolBeverly Hills High School is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. Beverly is part of the Beverly Hills Unified School District and located on on the west side of Beverly Hills, at the...
in
Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills is a city in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together entirely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles. The area's "Platinum Triangle" of wealthy neighborhoods is formed by Beverly Hills and...
but graduated from
Harvard-Westlake SchoolHarvard-Westlake School is an independent, co-educational university preparatory day school consisting of two campuses located in Los Angeles, California, United States with approximately 1,600 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12...
. Her brother,
Randy SpellingRandall Gene "Randy" Spelling is an American actor. He is the brother of Tori Spelling and the son of Candy Spelling and Aaron Spelling...
, is also an actor.
Career
As a child, Spelling had guest starred on such shows as
The Love BoatThe Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24, 1977 until May 24, 1986. The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain, who encourages his customers to find romance...
,
T.J. Hooker,
HotelHotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty....
,
Fantasy Island This article is about the television series. For the amusement park, see Martin's Fantasy Island or Fantasy Island UKFantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:Before it became a...
,
Vega$Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series, was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas...
, and
Saved by the BellSaved by the Bell is an American television sitcom. that aired between 1989 and 1993. The series is a retooled version of the 1988 series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was itself later retconned into the history of Saved by the Bell...
.
In 1990, she landed the role of
Donna MartinDonna Martin is a fictional character from the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, introduced in Beverly Hills, 90210 and portrayed by Tori Spelling from 1990 to 2000. In 2009, Spelling reprised the role in the spin-off 90210....
on
Beverly Hills 90210, a
seriesA television program , television programme , or television show is a segment of content broadcast on television...
co-produced by her father,
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's company holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits.-Early life:...
and
Spelling TelevisionFounded by the late television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969, Spelling Television, Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place.In 1988, Aaron Spelling Productions acquired Laurel...
. She played the role for its entire run, from 1990 to 2000, and was nominated for two Young Artist Awards for her role. Spelling's character remained a virgin until the finale of the seventh season and endured a
stalker-In media:* Stalker , a 1995 dark ambient album by Lustmord & Robert Rich, inspired by the film* Stalker , an episode of the American television series CSI...
, attempted
rapeRape, also referred to as sexual assault, is an assault by a person involving sexual intercourse with or without sexual penetration of another person without that person's consent....
, and
addictionThe term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction The...
.
In the 1990s, while starring on
90210, Spelling became well-known for starring in a string of
made-for-televisionA television movie is a feature film that is produced for and originally distributed by a...
films, such as
Co-Ed Call Girl,
A Friend to Die ForA Friend to Die For or Death of a Cheerleader is an American TV movie made in 1994 by William A. Graham. Written by Randall Sullivan and originally titled Death of a Cheerleader, the film is based on Graham's own Rolling Stone magazine article concerning the real-life murder of a high school girl...
and
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? is a 1996 television movie starring Tori Spelling and Ivan Sergei.-Plot:Laurel discovers that her new boyfriend Kevin is a serial killer, and must escape the mountain cabin in which he is holding her captive by paddling down a river in a canoe at dusk.-Cast:*Tori...
.
After Beverly Hills 90210
ended, Spelling starred in several independent filmAn independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of any major film studio. Originally, this term denoted independence from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., RKO, Universal Pictures, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures, the 8 major studio entities...
s including TrickTrick is a 1999 American independent gay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999.- Plot summary :...
and The House of YesThe House of Yes is a 1997 film starring Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Geneviève Bujold, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Tori Spelling. The movie is based on the play of the same name, which is written by Wendy MacLeod...
.
More recently, Spelling has been the star of two reality-based shows. In 2006, she starred as herself in the VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
sitcom So NoTORIousSo NoTORIous is a sitcom on VH1, loosely based on the life of Tori Spelling. The series debuted on April 2, 2006 and despite lasting only ten episodes, received substantial acclaim from critics.-Premise:...
, which parodiedA parody , in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
her public image. In January 2007, she and her second husband, the actor Dean McDermottDean McDermott is a Canadian actor best known for playing Constable Turnbull on the TV series Due South and for his marriage to Tori Spelling.-Career:...
, decided to buy and operate a bed & breakfast in Fallbrook, CaliforniaFallbrook is a census-designated place in northern San Diego County, California. The population was 29,100 at the 2000 census.Fallbrook's downtown is not on any major highway route. It is west of Interstate 15 or north of State Route 76. Fallbrook is situated immediately east of the U.S....
. This became the basis of a new reality show, Tori & Dean: Inn LoveTori & Dean is a reality show on the Oxygen Network starring actress Tori Spelling and her second husband, actor Dean McDermott. The first and second seasons of the show were titled Tori & Dean: Inn Love. The show was renamed Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood as of the third season...
, which premiered on the Oxygen networkOxygen is an American television channel with programming geared towards women, with a format similar to Lifetime.- History :The privately held company Oxygen Media was founded in 1998 by Geraldine Laybourne, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and producers Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach...
on March 20, 2007. In June 2008, the show returned for a third season under the new name Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood
. In the new season, Spelling and McDermott no longer run the inn, and they have returned to Los Angeles where they struggle to balance buying a new home, her second pregnancy, and her book tour. In May 2009 Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood
returned for a fourth season.
On January 7, 2009, it was reported that Spelling would reprise her role as Donna Martin on the new CWThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
show 90210
90210 is a teen drama developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but now produced by CBS Television Studios...
. She appeared in two episodes (19 and 20) as a special guest star.
Aside from her acting career, Spelling designs and markets her own line of fashion jewelry on HSN. She released an autobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
entitled sTori Telling
on March 11, 2008. Her second book titled MommywoodMommywood is a 2009 book by Tori Spelling, released on April 14, 2009.SynopsisActress Tori Spelling follows up her bestselling STORI TELLING with another revealing and entertaining look at her life in the spotlight. In MOMMYWOOD, Spelling describes her adventures rearing her two small children in...
was released on April 14, 2009.
Personal life
On July 3, 2004, Spelling married Charlie Shanian, an actor and playwright. They separated in December 2005, after Spelling fell in love with
Dean McDermottDean McDermott is a Canadian actor best known for playing Constable Turnbull on the TV series Due South and for his marriage to Tori Spelling.-Career:...
, and were legally divorced on April 20, 2006. Spelling married McDermott less than a month later, on May 7, 2006, in a private ceremony in Wakaya,
FijiFiji , officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands , is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country comprises an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited, and 522 islets...
. The two met when they co-starred in the TV movie Mind Over Murder
. McDermott was married at the time to Mary Jo EustaceMary Jo Eustace is a Canadian actress, singer and sous-chef best known as co-host of the Canadian cooking TV series What's for Dinner? and, more recently, as the former wife of Dean McDermott....
, whom he divorced to marry Spelling. Eustace has since written about the experience as part of the anthology The Other Woman. McDermott and Eustace have one child together, Jack Montgomery (b. October 10, 1998.)
After her father's death on June 23, 2006, Spelling was anticipated to inherit a sizable portion of her father's $500 million estate. The estate was to be divided primarily between Spelling, her brother Randy and her mother
CandyCarole Gene "Candy" Spelling is an American author. She is the widow of Aaron Spelling.-Biography:In 1968, Candy Spelling married producer/writer Aaron Spelling. Together they had two children, Victoria Davey Spelling and Randall Gene Spelling, both of whom became actors as teenagers, as Tori...
. Spelling's mother was the estate
executorAn executor, in the broadest sense, is one who carries something out .Executor is also a legal term referring to a person named by a maker of a will, or nominated by the testator, to carry out the directions of the will...
. At the time, Spelling and her mother were estranged and it was reported that Spelling inherited just $800,000. Her brother, who was not estranged from his mother, also received $800,000.
Spelling gave birth to her first child, Liam Aaron McDermott ("Aaron" after her late father) on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital via emergency
caesarean sectionA Caesarean section , also known as C-section or Caesar, is a surgical procedure in which incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies...
. Reportedly, her mother was in the delivery room when Spelling gave birth. It has been reported that Candy Spelling established a $10 million trust fund for her first grandchild. On Monday, June 9, 2008, Spelling and her husband welcomed their second child together, by caesarean section, a daughter named Stella Doreen McDermott ("Doreen" after Dean's late mother). Both children were delivered by Dr. Jason Rothbart.
In July 2007, Spelling became a minister to marry a gay couple at Chateau La Rue. A tape of the ceremony was shown on Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood
.
Television work
Shooting Stars
(1983)
The Three Kings
(1987)
Saved By The BellSaved by the Bell is an American television sitcom. that aired between 1989 and 1993. The series is a retooled version of the 1988 series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was itself later retconned into the history of Saved by the Bell...
(1990-1991)
Beverly Hills 90210
(1990-2000)
A Friend to Die ForA Friend to Die For or Death of a Cheerleader is an American TV movie made in 1994 by William A. Graham. Written by Randall Sullivan and originally titled Death of a Cheerleader, the film is based on Graham's own Rolling Stone magazine article concerning the real-life murder of a high school girl...
(1994)
Awake to Danger
(1995)
Deadly Pursuits
(1996)
Co-Ed Call Girl
(1996)
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? is a 1996 television movie starring Tori Spelling and Ivan Sergei.-Plot:Laurel discovers that her new boyfriend Kevin is a serial killer, and must escape the mountain cabin in which he is holding her captive by paddling down a river in a canoe at dusk.-Cast:*Tori...
(1996)
The AlibiThe Alibi is a 2006 American film directed by Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila. The film was released to DVD on December 5, 2006 under the title Lies and Alibis.-Plot:...
(1997)
So Downtown
(2003) (canceled after a few episodes)
A Carol ChristmasA Carol Christmas is a TV movie starring Tori Spelling. It premiered on the Hallmark Channel in 2003. The film is an adaptation of the Charles Dickens story of a similar name.-Plot:...
(2003)
Family Plan
(2005)
HushHush may refer to:In modern culture:*Hush , starring Gwyneth Paltrow*Hush! *Hush , starring Tori Spelling*Hush...
(2005)
Mind Over Murder
(2005)
So NoTORIousSo NoTORIous is a sitcom on VH1, loosely based on the life of Tori Spelling. The series debuted on April 2, 2006 and despite lasting only ten episodes, received substantial acclaim from critics.-Premise:...
(2006)
SmallvilleSmallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB, premiering on October 16, 2001...
(2007, 2009)
Tori & Dean: Inn LoveTori & Dean is a reality show on the Oxygen Network starring actress Tori Spelling and her second husband, actor Dean McDermott. The first and second seasons of the show were titled Tori & Dean: Inn Love. The show was renamed Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood as of the third season...
(2007-2008)
Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood
(June 2008-present)
90210
90210 is a teen drama developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but now produced by CBS Television Studios...
(2009)
Filmography
Troop Beverly HillsTroop Beverly Hills is a 1989 motion picture filmed in the United States by Weintraub Entertainment Group. It was directed by Jeff Kanew and starred Shelley Long, Craig T...
(1989)
A Friend to Die ForA Friend to Die For or Death of a Cheerleader is an American TV movie made in 1994 by William A. Graham. Written by Randall Sullivan and originally titled Death of a Cheerleader, the film is based on Graham's own Rolling Stone magazine article concerning the real-life murder of a high school girl...
(1994)
Deadly Pursuits
(1996)
The House of YesThe House of Yes is a 1997 film starring Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Geneviève Bujold, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Tori Spelling. The movie is based on the play of the same name, which is written by Wendy MacLeod...
(1997)
Scream 2Scream 2 is a 1997 horror thriller film, the second part of the Scream trilogy. This movie takes place one year after the original. As with the other films in the trilogy, Scream 2 combines straight-forward scares with dialogue that satirizes conventions of slasher films, especially slasher film...
(1997)
Perpetrators of the Crime
(1998)
TrickTrick is a 1999 American independent gay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999.- Plot summary :...
(1999)
Sol Goode
(2001)
Scary Movie 2Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American dark comedy which parodies the horror, slasher, and mystery genres. It is the second film of the Scary Movie franchise.- Plot :...
(2001)
Naked Movie
(2002)
Evil Alien ConquerorsEvil Alien Conquerors is a movie directed by Chris Matheson in 2003, and is a blend of science-fiction and comedy. The film follows two aliens who are sent to Earth to destroy mankind, but when they arrive they are unable to complete their mission...
(2002)
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. Backing vocals on the single were performed by Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.-Creation:...
(2004)
Hush
(2005)
Cthulhu
(2006)
Housesitter
(2007)
Kiss the BrideKiss the Bride is a romantic comedy, directed by C. Jay Cox, which had a limited release in April 2008. It stars Tori Spelling, Philipp Karner and James O'Shea.-Synopsis:...
(2008)
Multimedia
Soundtrack
- Trick
Trick is a 1999 American independent gay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999.- Plot summary :...
(January 27, 1999)
Publications
- sTORI Telling
sTORI Telling is a 2008 book by Tori Spelling and Hilary Liftin. In September it rose to #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover non-fiction books. In 2009, the book was awarded with a Bravo A-List Award as the best celebrity autobiography of the year. - External links :* at Simon &...
(March 11, 2008)
- Mommywood
Mommywood is a 2009 book by Tori Spelling, released on April 14, 2009.SynopsisActress Tori Spelling follows up her bestselling STORI TELLING with another revealing and entertaining look at her life in the spotlight. In MOMMYWOOD, Spelling describes her adventures rearing her two small children in...
(April 14, 2009)
Audiobook
External links