Dustin Diamond

Dustin Diamond

Active - 1988 - 2016  |   Born - Jan 7, 1977 in San Jose, California, United States  |   Died - Feb 1, 2021   |   Genres - Comedy, Romance, Thriller

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Biography by AllMovie

Known to many as the nerdy character Screech, Dustin Diamond began playing the quirky role in 1988 on the series Good Morning, Miss Bliss. When the show's characters graduated from middle to high school, the show came to be known as Saved by the Bell, and Diamond became more well known than ever. The series ran until 1993, and after it was over, Diamond signed up for the spin-off, Saved by the Bell: The New Class. This time, Screech was part of the school administration instead of the student body, but the character was still iconic. So iconic, in fact, that when The New Class finished its run in 1999, Diamond had a hard time finding new roles. He'd played Screech for more than a decade, and audiences had a hard time seeing him play anyone else. He appeared on reality shows like Celebrity Boxing and The Weakest Link, and in 2007, he appeared on the show Celebrity Fit Club, in which he became infamous for his aggressive attitude and uncooperative antics. In 2009 he released a tell-all book, Behind the Bell.

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Factsheet

  • Was in fifth grade when he was cast as eighth grader Samuel "Screech" Powers, the Saved by the Bell character for which he is best known.
  • Featured in the 98 Degrees music video for "I Do (Cherish You)."
  • Appeared in a commercial for the '90s Edition of Trivial Pursuit.
  • Served as the bassist for Salty the Pocketknife.
  • In 2009, released a tell-all book, Behind the Bell.