Saved By the Bell
Did you watch Saved by the Bell on Saturday mornings back in the day? I was an adult when the show began in the late 80’s, but I don’t care. I enjoyed it. Who was your favorite character? I thought A.C. Slater was super cute, but maybe that’s because he was a drummer. I seem to have a thing for drummers.
Wikipedia states that SBTB was a “retooling of the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss.” I always thought Good Morning, Miss Bliss just changed its name after the first year. Other sources claim Saved by the Bell is a spin-off of Good Morning, Miss Bliss. I don’t know the right answer, but I do know that first year was my least favorite. If you count Good Morning, Miss Bliss as the first year (which I do) then SBTB ran from 1988 to 1993. Then there were multiple spin-offs and movies from there, all of which seemed to have Dustin Diamond. Yay. (Sarcasm)
Main Characters
Mark Paul Gosselaar played lead character Zack Morris. Click here to read my blog about him. Gosselaar was more popular in the teen magazines than any other SBTB character and I guess that’s because he was the lead…….but have you seen Slater with his shirt off?
Mario Lopez played A.C. Slater and he was my favorite. He always looked like he could have been a member of Menudo. Oh, but I think you needed to be able to sing for that. My bad. But the boy can dance. Click here to read my blog about Mario.
Tiffani Amber Thiessen played cute girl cheerleader Kelly Kapowski. Zack and Slater spend many episodes fighting for her love. Yay. Spoiler alert! Kelly ends up with Zack. There was even a TV movie for their wedding. You can read my Tiffani Amber Thiessen blog here.
Rounding out the main cast were Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano, Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle, and Dustin Diamond as Samuel “Screech” Powell. Also in the mix was principal Belding, played by Dennis Haskins. I never felt these characters were as important or as featured as Zack, Slater, and Kelly. Am I wrong?
Trivia
- Some of the pictures in Belding’s office are photos of his real family.
- Dustin Diamond was only 11 years old when the show premiered. He was only hired for the role of Screech because the executive producer said he misread Diamond’s birthdate on the headshot.
- Mark Paul Gosselaar and Mario Lopez are still close friends today, some 30 years after the show first aired. I love this.
- Elizabeth Berkley and Jennie Garth along with Tiffani Amber Thiessen were in the final three for the role of Kelly Kapowski. Jennie went on to star as Kelly Taylor in Beverly Hills, 90210. The producers liked Berkley so much they created the role of Jessie Spano for her.
- Mario Lopez had to have his hair permed and Mark Paul Gosselaar had to dye his hair blond for the show.
- Kelly Kapowski was Zack Morris’ girlfriend on SBTB. Tiffani Amber Thiessen’s boyfriend at the time was Beverly Hills, 90210 star Brian Austin Green. Gosselaar’s girlfriend was Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle).
- Tori Spelling appeared in a few episodes as Violet Bickerstaff, Screech’s girlfriend. She would later go on to play Donna Martin in Beverly Hills, 90210.
In Closing….
I leave you with this (most likely be stuck in your head the rest of the day). You’re welcome.
If the teacher pops a test
I know I’m in a mess
And my dog ate all my homework last night
Riding low in my chair
She won’t know that I’m there
If I can hand it in tomorrow it will be alright
It’s alright ‘coz I’m saved by the bell