Dustin Diamond

Dustin Neil Diamond (January 7, 1977- February 1, 2021) was an American actor, musician, director and stand-up comedian who is best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers in the television shows Saved by the Bell, Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.

Biography[]

Diamond was born on January 7, 1977, in San Jose, California. His father taught digital electronics for a computer-processing firm and his mother was a computer operator for Pacific Bell. He attended Zion Lutheran School. He died in 2021 following a short-lived bout with stage-4 small cell carcinoma.^[1] He is of Jewish religion.

Career[]

Diamond began acting as a child. He became known for playing geeky Samuel "Screech" Powers on the NBC television show Saved by the Bell, a role he played for close to thirteen years from its beginning as Good Morning, Miss Bliss through its final incarnation, Saved by the Bell: The New Class. Continuing the series into college, the incarnation shows most of the cast transplanted into not only the same college, but also the same college dormitory, where Screech continued his typical misadventures. The show was canceled after one season. Diamond returned to Bayside High as Principal Belding's assistant in the show's episodes, remaining with the show until its cancellation.

Diamond began doing stand-up comedy after the end of Saved by the Bell, and has toured on and off ever since. He has also been featured on a several game and reality shows including The Weakest Link, and Celebrity Boxing 2. Diamond has also made several cameo appearances in films, including appearances in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star in 2003. In 2009, he also played the role of "Alumnus Guy #1" in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love. In 2010, he had a supporting role in the sports comedy Tetherball: The Movie. In it Dustin plays the Foul Mouths' down-on-his-luck coach.

In 2009, Dustin Diamond wrote a book that described his experiences in the entire course of the Saved by the Bell saga. This book was later adapted into The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story. The majority of the original cast, including Mark-Paul Gosselar, Mario Lopez, Tiffani Thiesen, and Elizabeth Berkley have all denounced the film and the memoir it is based on, which was written by Dustin. Dustin has claimed that the ghostwriter whom he co-wrote is memoir on greatly embellished what Dustin had said, and in many cases, completely created falsehoods for the screenplay. Regardless, Dustin was credited as a producer for the 2014 film.

Trivia[]

• First real life kiss was with Tori Spelling's character Violet Anne Bickerstaff

Sources[]