During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Saved by the Bell echoed the lives of many teenagers in America. The American sitcom follows a group of high school friends and their principal. Focusing on lighthearted comedic situations, the show touched on social issues as well. But at the end of the day, it provided a great TV time. But what happened to the cast of Saved by the Bell?
The series featured several actors that went on to have successful careers in Hollywood. It also spawned two spinoff series, The College Years and The New Class. Nowadays, we view Saved by the Bell as an educational and informational show. AOL TV placed it in the Top 20 of Best School Shows of All Time.
Originally titled Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the show soon changed its name to Saved by the Bell. Let’s take a look at what happened to the cast of Saved by the Bell.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar – Zack Morris
The American actor got his big break on Saved by the Bell. When NBC executives took Good Morning, Miss Bliss, and remade it, they had Mark on their mind. They believed that a show focusing on his character has the potential for success.
Fast-forward and they made the right decision. Mark reached stardom with Saved by the Bell, and the show amassed millions of views. Following the end of the original show, he appeared in the two spinoffs, and in the two TV movies.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Mark appeared in movies like She Cried No, Hyperion Bay, The Princess and the Marine, NYPD Blue, and Commander in Chief.
By the end of the 2000s, he got a big lead role again. Mark portrayed attorney Jerry Kellerman in Raising the Bar. In June 2009, he appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Zack Morris to promote his new show.
In 2019, he got another lead role in the ABC comedy series Mixed-ish. In some interviews, he stated that during Saved by the Bell he dated three female co-stars. Gosselaar remains friends with many of the castmates.
Mario Lopez – A.C. Slater
Lopez started his acting career in 1984, appearing in the ABC comedy a.k.a. Pablo. After a few small roles, he finally made it to Saved by the Bell.
In 1997, he played Greg Louganis in the movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story. And the next year, he got a lead role on Pacific Blue.
In 2010, he started a reality show with Courtney Mazza on VH1. Titled Mario Lopez: Saved by the Baby premiered in November 2010.
During the 2010s, he slowly moved to hosting shows and reality TV projects. He co-hosted the second season of The X Factor with Khloe Kardashian. For the third season, he served as the sole host.
In 2012, he also started hosting his nationally syndicated radio show, On With Mario Lopez. He also published three non-fiction books so far. Mario wrote a fitness book in 2008, and then a diet book in 2010. In 2011, he also released a book about his daughter.
Dustin Diamond – Samuel Screech Powers
Dustin played the nerdy and lovable Samuel on the show. He is one of the few cast members playing his character for almost 13 years.
Diamond got involved in a sex tape scandal in 2006. He directed and released his own tape, Screeched – Saved by the Smell. But he later admitted that a stunt double portrayed him.
Following the end of the Saved by the Bell franchise, he started doing stand-up comedy. Since then, he tours America and the world. In 2007, he appeared in the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club. And he also appeared on Celebrity Championship Wrestling, a contesting reality TV show by Hulk Hogan.
Diamond is a musician as well. He plays bass for the alternative metal band Salty the Pocketknife.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0WNeFeGKCw
Tiffani Thiessen – Kelly Kapowski
Tiffani had a quick change of scenery following the end of Saved by the Bell. When the show ended in 1993, she joined the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210, portraying Valerie Malone. She played that role until 1998 and filled the void left by Shannen Doherty.
During her time on 90210, Tiffany also took lead roles in movies including The Stranger Beside Me, She Fought Alone, Sweet Dreams, and Buried Secrets.
In 2001, she auditioned for Charmed, getting another chance to replace Doherty. But she refused the offer. Instead, she hoped Everything But the Girl will start. Rose McGowan eventually got the role in Charmed.
During the 2000s, she starred in movies like Pandemic, Stroller Wars, and then joined the ABC drama What About Bryan.
In June 2017, she portrayed Lori Mendoza in the Netflix sitcom Alexa & Katie. In March 2020, Tiffany announced she will join the Saved by the Bell reboot for three episodes.
Elizabeth Berkley – Jessie Spano
Elizabeth is another cast member that quickly found quality roles after the show’s end. Following the end of Saved by the Bell, she portrayed Nomi Malone in the movie Showgirls in 1995. Before her acting career, Berkley worked as a teenage model for Elite.
Fun fact: Saved by the Bell producers had to choose between Elizabeth and Tiffany for the role of Kelly Kapowski. But they couldn’t decide, so she made another character for Berkley.
During the 2000s, she appeared in drama television roles, including series like CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue, Threshold, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and more.
Lately, she hosted the reality series Step It Up and Dance. The competition puts 10 wannabe dancers in the spotlight, competing against each other for $100,000 prize money. In 2013, she joined the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars and finished in 6th place.
In 2010, she set up a self-help online program for teen girls. Ask-Elizabeth helped provide counsel and advice for girls. She often met with young girls to discuss different topics and help them with their problems. The next year, she published the book Ask-Elizabeth.
Lark Voorhies – Lisa Marie Turtle
Lark earned two Young Artist Awards for her portrayal of Lisa in Saved by the Bell. She won the award in 1990 and 1993.
But she made her acting debut much earlier. Lark started her career at the age of 2. But because of her shyness, her mother put her career on hold. She waited for Voorhies to feel more comfortable in front of the cameras. And then in 1988, she got the role of Lisa Turtle.
Since her departure from Saved by the Bell, she appeared in sitcoms and soap operas. Her credits include Days of Our Lives, The Bold and the Beautiful, and more.
Because of her looks, she appeared in music videos for Boyz II Men, Montell Jordan, and more. In 2010, she started writing books, and so far published three.
Ed Alonzo – Max
Ed completely changed careers after the end of Saved by the Bell. He appeared in only 20 episodes between 1989 and 1990.
Since then, he started his career as a comedian and magician. He performs daily shows incorporating his comedy and magic. Alonzo participated in This is It concert for Michael Jackson.
Dennis Haskins – Principal Richard Belding
Before his time on Saved by the Bell, Dennis had a successful role in The Dukes of Hazzard. Fun fact: he auditioned seven times for the character of the Principal. He remains the only adult member of the regular cast.
He brought a couple of catchphrases to the show, including “Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on here”. Following the end of the franchise in the 2000s, he started his music career. In 2009, Haskins released his first album, Karaoke with your Favorite Principal Denis.
He is a fan of professional wrestling and WWE and appeared in several episodes of Z! True Long Island Story.
