Saved by the Bell was a hugely popular Saturday morning show that ran from 1989 – 1993 on NBC. At first, the sitcom was doomed for cancellation. But after being on the air for several months, ratings started to increase and the young stars turned into household names. The show has been off the air for 20 years, but did have two spin-offs. Saved by the Bell: The College Years was featured on primetime and was yanked from the schedule after 18 episodes. Saved by the Bell: The New Class was the staple in the Teen NBC lineup until 2000 and paved the way for other successful teen shows including Hang Time, City Guys, and California Dreams.
So what have the actors that played schemer Zack Morris, homecoming queen Kelly Kapowksi, football star A.C. Slater, class president Jessie Spano, fashionista Lisa Turtle, and nerd Screech Powers been up since the show concluded? We took a look into their careers and have found that for the most part, these six actors have made successful careers in television.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zack Morris
After Saved by the Bell concluded in 1993, it looked like Mark-Paul Gosselaar was destined for stardom. That was not to be the case, at first. Gosselaar starred in several made for television movies in the mid to late 90’s including Brothers of the Frontier starring the Lawrence brothers and She Cried No, which also starred Candace Cameron Bure. Gosselaar also tried his hand at a movie career starring in the awful Dead Man on Campus in 1998. He would also star in two short-lived television series Hyperion Bay and D.C. before making his TV comeback on the gritty cop drama NYPD Blue in 2001. He would remain on the show until it ended in 2005. Since then, Gooselaar has continued to star in various television series including Commander in Chief, Raising the Bar, and Franklin & Bash, which just concluded its fourth season this Fall on TNT. Gosselaar also just wrapped a two episode arc on the long-running drama CSI.
Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Kapowski
Tiffani Thiessen has been a staple on television ever since Saved by the Bell ended its run in 1993. When The College Years was cancelled, Thieseen found a new home at a popular zipcode. She would play bad-girl Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills, 90210. She would stay with the series until 1998. During the time, Thiessen was able to star in four made for television movies including She Fought Alone and Buried Secrets. Thiessen would guest star on comedies Two Guys and a Girl, Just Shoot Me, and Good Morning Miami after leaving the nighttime soap. In 2009, she joined the cast of a new show on USA called White Collar. The popular drama also featured Matt Bomer and the sixth and final season just began airing this month. Theissen will also be seen in the Christmas movie Northpole that is due out next week. Plus, Theissen hosts her own cooking show called Dinner at Tiffani’s.
Mario Lopez as A.C. Slater
It would be almost five years before Mario Lopez would find his next starring role on television after the conclusion of Saved by the Bell. During that time, he would star in several television movies including Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story and Killing Mr. Griffin. In 1998, Lopez joined the cast of bicycle cop show Pacific Blue and would remain with the series until it ended in 2000. Lopez would then venture into his next career: television hosting. In 2002, he would host Pet Show and would be with the show until 2005. Lopez would also host America’s Best Dance Crew and The X-Factor. He would go on to join the show Extra as a host in 2013, though he had guest hosted earlier episodes since 2007. Lopez also starred on The Bold and the Beautiful, Nip/Tuck, and has appeared in several Christmas movies. The most notable was Holidays in Handcuffs with Melissa Joan Hart. He was even a contestant on the popular reality show Dancing with the Stars.
Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano
Elizabeth Berkley would make several guest-appearance on popular TV series after she ended her stint as Jessie Spano on Saved by the Bell. in 1995, she would star in the NC-17 rated Showgirls, that would become a huge box office flop. She would continue to work in film over the next several years appearing in The First Wives Club, The Real Blonde, Any Given Sunday, and Africa. Berkley would also appear on NYPD Blue, one year prior to Gosselaar making his debut on the series. Berkeley would continue to make appearances on television in shows like Titus, The L Word, and CSI: Miami. During that time ,she would also star in television movies including Student Seduction and Lucky Christmas. Like Lopez, Berkley would be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She recently appeared on an episode of Melissa & Joey. Berkley is an activist for PETA and in 2006 started an online help program for teen girls called Ask-Elizabeth.
Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle
Lark Voorhies career has not been as successful as some of her Saved by the Bell co-stars. When the sitcom ended, she would briefly appear on the soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1993 – 1994 and then on The Bold and the Beautiful from 1995-1996. She was released for her contract on the show after refusing to appear in any sex scenes. She also appeared on In the House with LL Cool J and The Parkers with Monique. In 2001, she appeared in the move How High. Voorhies has written three books and will appear in a new television series called The Comeback Kids.
Dustin Diamond as Screech Powers
Dustin Diamond has had the most difficult time finding success once Saved by the Bell ended. He would continue playing the character Screech Powers on Saved by the Bell: The New Class until 2000. He has made small appearance in movies such as Big Fat Liar and Dickie Roberts Former Child Star. He will star in the Christmas movie A Dog for Christmas with Dean Cain that is due out later this year. He wrote an autobiography about his time on the set of Saved by the Bell that was used for the basis of the television movie The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story that debuted in September.
Who was your favorite character on Saved by the Bell? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images
Follow Us
