'58th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS' TO SALUTE LATE TELEVISION INDUSTRY LEADER AARON SPELLING DURING LIVE TELECAST ON NBC, SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

Joan Collins ("Dynasty"), Steven Collins ("7th Heaven") and Heather Locklear ("Melrose Place") To Appear as Part of Tribute

BURBANK, Calif. -- August 23, 2006 -- Late television industry leader Aaron Spelling will be honored as part of this year's "58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards," hosted by Conan O'Brien, airing live Sunday, August 27 (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET) on NBC. Stars from some of Spelling's numerous hit series, including Joan Collins ("Dynasty"), Steven Collins ("7th Heaven") and Heather Locklear ("Melrose Place") will take part in a tribute to his illustrious career as one of television's most prolific and successful producers of dramatic series and made-for-television films. The announcement was made today by Jeff Ross and Ken Ehrlich, the executive producers of the telecast.

Born in a one room house to poor Jewish immigrant parents in Dallas, Spelling went on to become the most successful and recognized producer in the history of the television medium. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, he was "the most prolific TV producer of all time." As of this year, Spelling had produced a record of more than 5,000 hours of television programming including over 300 hours of movie for television and more than a dozen feature films.

Spelling was the name behind countless hit television shows, from "The Mod Squad," "Starsky and Hutch," "Charlie's Angels," "Hart to Hart," "The Rookies," "Fantasy Island," "Vegas," "The Love Boat," and "Dynasty," to "Beverly Hills 90210," "Melrose Place," "7th Heaven," and "Charmed," among literally hundreds of other popular series and shows.

In the late 1970's, the ABC Network was referred to as "Aaron's Broadcasting Co," as Spelling had produced nearly 30 series for the network over a 25-year span, including six mini-series and dozens of movies-of-the-week. During the 1984 season, Spelling had shows on four of seven nights and programmed the network's entire Saturday schedule, while "Dynasty" ranked as the most-watch show in television history.

Spelling had amassed a number of awards and honors throughout his career, including two Emmy Awards for his critically acclaimed television movie, "Day One," about the atom bomb, and for the HBO movie "And the Band Played On," the first film to address the AIDS crisis. Spelling was the first producer to be honored by the Museum of Broadcasting and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the People's Choice Awards. He has been honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. He also received the NATPE Lifetime Achievement Award as well as similar honors from The Writers Guild of America, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and The Producers Guild. He also received the 1st Excellence in Television Award from the British Academy of Film & Television, GLAAD's Appreciation Award and Soap Opera Digest's Editor's Choice Award. Spelling also received six NAACP Image Awards, including the organization's Humanitarian of the Year. In 1988, Spelling received the coveted Winston Churchill Medal of Wisdom.

Produced by NBC Universal Television Studio, the "58th Annual Primetime Emmy� Awards" on NBC will originate from the historical Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. NBC will kick off television's biggest night with the "2006 Emmy� Red Carpet Special," a live one-hour event hosted by Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell ("Access Hollywood") on Sunday, August 27 (7-8 p.m. ET / PT tape delayed).

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry. In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy� Awards, the Television Academy publishes emmy magazine and through its Foundation, is responsible for the Archive of American Television, College Television Awards, acclaimed student internships and other educational outreach programs. For more information on the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and its many industry-related programs and services, including year-round Academy events staged for the community, please visit www.emmys.tv.