Dustin Diamond, 'Saved By The Bell' Star, Dies At 44
The former teen sitcom star lost his battle with lung cancer.
Dustin Diamond, star of the iconic 90s teen sitcom Saved By The Bell, has died. Diamond succumbed to lung cancer. He was 44.
Diamond was hospitalized just three weeks ago after being diagnosed with Stage 4 carcinoma, a cancer in his lungs.
“In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution,” his reps said. “Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”
Diamond broke into acting in 1987 with roles in the TV movie Yogi's Great Escape and an episode of It's a Living. The following year, he was cast as the lovable geek Screech Powers in Good Morning, Miss Bliss. He appeared in 13 episodes of the show, which served as a launch pad for the seminal smash hit Saved By The Bell. Diamond played Screech for the show's entire run from 1989 to 1993. Diamond reprised his role in two spin-off series - Saved By The Bell: The College Years and Saved By The Bell: The New Class.
In 1992, Diamond played Screech in the TV movie Saved By The Bell: Hawaiian Style. In 1994, he appeared in the two-hour special Saved By The Bell: Wedding In Las Vegas which served as the series finally for The College Years.
Diamond penned an book in 2009 about his time with the Saved By The Bell franchise titled Behind The Bell. The book was met with some criticism due to the recounting of alleged controversies and drama amongst the cast on the set of the show and behind the scenes. Diamond reportedly blamed a ghost writer for exaggerating and even fabricating much of the book's juicer tidbits.
The original cast of Saved By The Bell reunited for a photoshoot in People Magazine in August 2009, however Diamond was not invited to be a part of the shoot.
In 2013, Diamond appeared on Celebrity Big Brother.
- Matt Bishop