One of the 90’s most beloved geeky sidekicks, Dustin Diamond, died today, just weeks after revealing he was battling stage 4 brain cancer. He was 44 years old. Diamond gained youthful fame as the nerdy Samuel “Screech” Powers on NBC’s Saved By The Bell.
Diamond’s agent Roger Paul confirmed the actor’s death in a statement
“We are saddened to confirm Dustin Diamond’s passing on Monday, February 1st, 2021 due to carcinoma,” his reps at Roger Paul Inc. said in a statement. “He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago. In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”
Diamond got his first official acting credits for small roles in the TV movie Yogi’s Great Escape and an episode of It’s a Living in 1987, and came into his breakout role just one year later. The actor was cast as Screech in the show Good Morning, Miss Bliss, for 13 episodes. The show would go on to be the basis for Saved by the Bell, which Diamond acted in until 1992. Diamond then went on to reprise the popular role for subsequent iterations Good Morning, Miss Bell, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, and Saved By the Bell: The College Years. He spent 13 years maintaining his role as Screech.
In addition to his signature role, Diamond starred in such reality television series as the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club, The Weakest Link and Celebrity Boxing 2. He made cameo appearances in films such as Made (2001), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009).
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In December 2013, Diamond became a house member in the twelfth season of Celebrity Big Brother and appeared on an episode of OWN’s Where Are They Now? where he told Oprah that he regretted his 2006 porn video as well as some of the things that were said in his 2009 tell-all book, Behind the Bell, which detailed alleged controversies related to cast members, including Diamond himself.
Diamond was married to long time romantic partner Jennifer Misner from 2009 until their separation in 2013. After the two suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy, they created the Dustin Diamond Foundation, which supports organizations that specialize in child care.
Diamond was arrested in 2014 and served three months in prison in 2015 for stabbing a man during a bar altercation. He was arrested again in May 2016 for violating the terms of his probation.
The troubled actor checked into a Florida hospital last month after enduring pain throughout his body from shingles and a general feeling of unease. After the cancer was discovered he underwent chemotherapy in hopes of beating it back.
Saved by the Bell Cast Reacts
Diamond’s Saved by the Bell costars, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez and Tiffany Thiessen, paid tribute to the late actor on social media.
“Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dustin Diamond, a true comedic genius,” Gosselaar tweeted. “My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Looking back at our time working together, I will miss those raw, brilliant sparks that only he was able to produce. A pie in your face, my comrade.”
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Roger Paul went on to say, “Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh. He was able to sense and feel other peoples’ emotions to such a length that he was able to feel them too—a strength and a flaw, all in one.”
