Guest Author - Amy Ralston Young

Although the show began as a platform for Hayley Mills, it wasn’t until the focus turned from single, hardworking, middle schoolteacher to scheming high school kids that “Saved by the Bell” really took off.

Miss Bliss, Nikki, and Mikey disappeared and Kelly, Jessie, and Slater took over. Mr. Belding found a bigger role and Zack, Lisa and Screech entered high school.

The show lasted four more seasons, won 6 awards, and still receives ample air time today. So what happened to the cast once the show wrapped up?


Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris)
Zack finally graduated and enrolled in college, reunited with Kelly and married his first love. (“Saved by the Bell: The College Years”)

Things didn’t end there for Gosselaar. After a string of made-for-television movies, he went on to star in “Hyperion Bay,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Commander-in-Chief.” After commander was cancelled, Gosselaar found a role in HBO’s “John From Cincinnati.” The HBO hit stars Rebecca DeMornay, Ed O’Neill, Bruce Greenwood, Luke Perry, and Brian Van Holt.

He met wife Lisa Ann Russell during an episode of “The College Years” and they married in 1996. They now have two children.


Mario Lopez (A.C. Slater)
Slater went to college with Zack, where he found another slightly neurotic mismatched girlfriend. In the end he helped Zack marry Kelly.

Lopez went on to star in made-for-television movies (“Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story” was probably his most popular), and then found his way back into series TV with “Pacific Blue.” Lopez hosted Animal Planet’s “Pet Star” for three years and then landed a role on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Most recently, he appeared on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” where he came in place.

Lopez is currently working on two made-for-TV movies.

Lopez married model-turned-actress Ali Landry, but the marriage was annulled after two weeks due to supposed infidelity on his part.


Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski)
Kelly transferred to college with Zack, Slater and Screech, and soon falls in love with her old flame. They decide to get married - even though everyone else is against it. They eventually win over their parents and friends and Zack and Kelly tie the knot.

Thiessen followed her other cast-mates into the world of made-for-TV movies, and after a successful stint there, returned to primetime in the hit “Beverly Hills 90210” as Valerie Malone. Six years later the show ended and she returned to sitcoms in “two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.”

Thiessen also starred as the head of an undercover police unit in “Fastlane,” a semi-remake of “Miami Vice;” then she joined a dysfunctional news team in “Good Morning, Miami;” and most recently showed up as a twenty-something single looking for love in “What About Brian?”

Although she played the arch-nemesis to Jennie Garth’s character on “90210,” the two are actually best friends. Garth was not the only “friend” Thiessen gained on the set of Spelling’s mega-hit. She lived with Brian Austin Green for several years. After ending her engagement to actor Richard Ruccolo, she married Brady Smith in 2005.


Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle)
After graduation Lisa disappeared, but returned for Zack and Kelly’s wedding in Las Vegas.

Voorhies did pretty much the same thing. After a few trivial parts here and there, she landed a role on “Days of Our Lives” and the “The Bold and the Beautiful.” After leaving the world of soap operas, Voorhies had a few guest appearances in primetime, but nothing major. She is currently working on a movie due for release in 2008.

Voorhies married actor/producer Miguel Coleman in 1996 and divorced him eight years later. She is currently married to Andy Prince and the couple has one child.


Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano)
Jessie sort of disappeared from “Saved by the Bell,” but the show went on, without ever acknowledging her existence.

In real life, Berkley left the TV show to papyruses a career in film. She starred in the should-be-X-rated “Showgirls,” and then went on to have smaller roles in “The First Wives Club” and “Any Given Sunday,” as well as a few independent films.

Most recently the actress appeared in several Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including Scott Elliot’s “Hurlyburly.”

In 2003 Berkley married actor Greg Lauren.


Dustin Diamond (Samuel “Screech” Powers”)
Okay, you knew this was coming.

Screech headed off to college with the guys and then returned to Bayside to assist Mr. Belding in torturing the “New Class” for five years.

Diamond pretty much faded away after the end of “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” until he needed money. In 2006, Diamond launched a campaign to save his house by selling T-shirts reading “Save Screech’s House.”

Then to prove how un-Screechy he is, Diamond sold a sex tape for profit. Just when we though it couldn’t get any worse, he appeared on VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” where he antagonized every other participant, and cursed out those trying to help him. Needless to say, he wasn’t a fan favorite and his life was threatened more than once.

Currently, Diamond is working on two movies - let’s hope without any nudity.