Dustin Diamond

Dustin Neil Diamond[1] (born January 7, 1977)[2] is an American actor, director, stand-up comedian, and musician best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers throughout the Saved by the Bell franchise.

Dustin Diamond
Diamond in October 2012
Born
Dustin Neil Diamond

(1977-01-07) January 7, 1977
San Jose, California, U.S.
OccupationActor, director, comedian, musician
Years active1987–present

Early life and family

Diamond was born to a Jewish family[3] in San Jose, California.[4] His father taught digital electronics for a computer-processing firm and his mother was a computer operator for Pacific Bell.[5]

He attended Zion Lutheran School.[6]

Career

Diamond began acting as a child. He became known for playing the nerdy and lovable Samuel "Screech" Powers on the television show Saved by the Bell, a role he played for close to thirteen years from its beginning as Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1988–89) through its final incarnation, Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1994–2000). Continuing the series into college, Saved by the Bell: The College Years shows most of the cast transplanted into not only the same college, but also the same college dormitory, where Screech continued his typical misadventures. The College Years was canceled after one season. Diamond returned to Bayside High as Principal Belding's assistant in The New Class episodes, remaining with the show until its cancellation.

Sex tape

In 2006, Diamond directed and released his own sex tape, Screeched – Saved by the Smell.[7][8][9] However, Diamond stated in an interview on "Where Are They Now?" of the Oprah Winfrey Network that he was not actually in the sex tape; rather, a "stunt double" had his likeness added onto it.[10]

Appearances after Saved by the Bell

Diamond began doing stand up comedy after the end of Saved by the Bell, and has toured on and off ever since. He has also been featured on a number of game and reality shows including The Weakest Link, and Celebrity Boxing 2. Diamond has also made several cameo appearances in films, including appearances in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star in 2003 and in Made in 2001. In 2009, he also played the part of "Alumnus Guy #1" in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love. In 2010, he had a supporting role in the sports comedy Tetherball: The Movie. In it, Diamond plays the Foul Mouths' down-on-his-luck coach. In 2014 Diamond played Bernardo, the castle guard, in the partially animated science fiction comedy Hamlet A.D.D..[11]

In 2007 Diamond was a cast member of the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club. During his run on the show, he came into conflict with former American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, country singer Cledus T. Judd, rapper Da Brat, the program's host, Ant, and the program's trainer, former USMC sergeant Harvey Walden IV. Tensions between Diamond and the rest of the celebrities culminated in an open confrontation during which Diamond initially challenged Ant to "physical combat" and subsequently issued the challenge to Harvey Walden after Walden defended Ant.[12]

Diamond appeared as a contestant on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, broadcast on CMT. A huge fan and supporter of professional wrestling, Diamond was previously involved with Memphis Championship Wrestling in March and April 2000. He has had many wrestling involvements since then as a referee, manager and even a tag team partner.

Behind the Bell

In 2009, Diamond published an inside story of the show's cast and crew, from his point of view, titled Behind the Bell.[13] The book paints an unflattering portrait of many of Diamond's colleagues and their alleged, sordid backstage behavior; some of these claims have been repudiated by Diamond's colleagues and questioned by critics.[14] Diamond also alleges, in the book, that he has had sex with 2,000 women, one of them NBC's VP of children's programming, Linda Mancuso, who was 18 years his senior.[15][16] Diamond's former co-stars were highly critical of the book and Mark-Paul Gosselaar stated that his own experiences with the show were positive and did not see where any of the book's negative claims actually occurred on set.

Diamond later commented on the book's content in a December 2013 appearance on a "Where Are They Now" segment on the OWN Network in which he stated that the book was ghost written by an author who simply interviewed him and compiled the book from his answers. He claimed that many parts of the book, such as allegations of teen sex and drug use, were fabricated from very minor statements he made during the interviews, such as his remark, "Yeah, there were a bunch of kids on set with hormones so...what do you think?"[17]

Other work

He is also a musician and formed an alternative metal band called Salty The Pocketknife. Diamond played bass and wrote much of the music as well. Shortly after recording their first album, the band split up due to internal disagreements.[18] Diamond has also appeared on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest... as a commentator.

He appeared as a host at the 12th annual Gathering of the Juggalos.[19]

In August 2013, Diamond became a housemate on the twelfth series of Celebrity Big Brother. He became the fourth housemate to be evicted on Day 16.

Personal life

Diamond currently resides in Port Washington, Wisconsin.[20] He married longtime girlfriend Jennifer Misner in 2009, though the two have since separated.[21]

In 2001, Diamond filed for bankruptcy in California. On June 13, 2006, Diamond appeared on The Howard Stern Show asking listeners to visit his website and purchase a t-shirt. Diamond stated on the show that he hoped to sell 30,000 t-shirts that read "I paid $15.00 to save Screeech's house" in order to raise $250,000 and avoid foreclosure on his house.[22]

On December 26, 2014, Diamond was arrested in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, for possession of a switchblade knife, which he was alleged to have pulled during a bar altercation in which a man was stabbed.[23][24][25][26] Amanda Schutz, his fiancée, also faced a charge of disorderly conduct in relation to the incident,[27] was found guilty and fined $500.[28] On May 29, 2015, Diamond was convicted of two misdemeanors, carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. He was cleared of the most serious charge, recklessly endangering public safety.[29] On June 25, 2015, Diamond was sentenced to four months in prison.[30] He served three months and was released on probation. Diamond's probation agent determined that he had violated the terms of his probation, and he was arrested in May 2016.[31]

Filmography
Year Title Role Other notes
1987 The Price of Life Young Stiles
American Playhouse Young Stiles TV, 1 episode
It's a Living Young Sonny TV, 1 episode
Yogi's Great Escape Chubby Kid (Voice) TV, 1 episode
1988 Purple People Eater Big Z
1988–1989 Good Morning, Miss Bliss Samuel "Screech" Powers TV, 13 episodes
1989 She's Out of Control Beach boy
1989–1990 The Wonder Years Joey Harris / Joey Lapman TV, 2 episodes
1989–1993 Saved by the Bell Samuel "Screech" Powers TV, 82 episodes
1990 The Munsters Today Rob TV, 1 episode
1992 Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style Samuel "Screech" Powers
1993 Getting By Tommy TV, 2 episodes
1993–1994 Saved by the Bell: The College Years Samuel "Screech" Powers TV, 18 episodes
1994 Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas Samuel "Screech" Powers Credited as Dusty Diamond
1994–2000 Saved by the Bell: The New Class Samuel "Screech" Powers TV, 67 episodes
2000 Longshot Waiter
2001 Made Himself
2002 Jane White Is Sick & Twisted Simone
Big Fat Liar Himself
The Rerun Show Doctor TV, 1 episode
Star Dates himself TV 1 episode
2003 Pauly Shore Is Dead Himself
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Himself
2004 Tom Goes to the Mayor Himself (End Credits)
2005 Duck Dodgers Xainius the Eternal TV, 1 episode
13th Grade Corey
2006 Screeched: Saved by the Smell[7][8] Himself (also directed)
2007 Celebrity Fit Club Himself
2008 Our Feature Presentation Mr. Renolds
2009 Porndogs: The Adventures of Sadie Buster (voice)[32]
2009 American Pie Presents: The Book of Love Alumnus Guy #1
2010 Big Money Rustlas Man in Outhouse
2011 Tetherball: The Movie Coach McAger
2013 A Dog for Christmas Fred Post-production
Captured Hearts Oliver Jaffe Filming
Scavenger Killers Agent Dewayne Filming
College Fright Night Professor Donnely Pre-production
Celebrity Big Brother Himself Series 12 housemate
Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side Himself Housemate
2014 Hamlet A.D.D. Bernardo
2016 Joker’s Wild Raynard
2017 Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell Himself
gollark: I see.
gollark: What if I mock you for not sleeping, so that you'll be forced to sleep via your dislike of me?
gollark: Yes, it's popular and popular things literally cannot be wrong.
gollark: Besides, it's a correct horse battery staple, it says.
gollark: It's an example of a memorable and yet fairly high-entropy password.

References
  1. "Dustin Diamond Biography". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  2. "UPI Almanac for Monday, Jan, 7, 2019". United Press International. January 7, 2019. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019. actor Dustin Diamond in 1977 (age 42)
  3. Bloom, Nate (October 20, 2008). "Jewish Stars". Cleveland Jewish News.
  4. "Dustin Diamond back in jail". The Mercury News. May 26, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  5. Diamond, Dustin (2009). Behind the Bell.
  6. "Celebrity Fit Club: Season 5 | Cast Bios". VH1.com. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  7. "Screech Sex Tape Preview". TMZ.com. September 27, 2006. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  8. "Screech hopes sex tape will lift profile". The New Zealand Herald. September 28, 2006.
  9. "Transcript for September 27". Countdown with Keith Olbermann. NBC News. September 27, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  10. "The One Thing Dustin Diamond Is Most Embarrassed About | Where Are They Now? | Oprah Winfrey Network". YouTube. October 5, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  11. Louise, Mary. "Milwaukee duo brings 'Hamlet A.D.D.' to life". Jsonline.com. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  12. Salamone, Gina (September 19, 2007). "Harvey Walden of 'Celebrity Fit Club' Wants 'No Excuses'". Daily News. New York.
  13. Diamond, Dustin (2009). Behind the Bell. Transit Publishing, Inc.
  14. "'Behind The Bell': Dustin Diamond, Screech, Spills Secrets From 'Saved by the Bell' (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. September 29, 2009.
  15. Rabin, Nathan (June 14, 2011). "Silly Little Show-Biz Book Club Dustin Diamond's Behind The Bell". AV Club.
  16. Greenspan, Sam (January 5, 2012). "11 Most Scandalous Saved by the Bell Revelations in Screech's Autobiography". 11 Points.
  17. Blistein, Jon. "Mark-Paul Gosselaar Slams 'Negative' Dustin Diamond 'Saved by the Bell' Book". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  18. Stanton, Barry W. (January 4, 2016). "What Happened To Dustin Diamond - Screech Now in 2017 Update - The Gazette Review".
  19. Fats Pepper (presenter), Guy Gorfey (April 11, 2009). Weekly Freekly Weekly Special 2011 Gathering Edition. Detroit: Psychopathic Records. Retrieved April 12, 2009.
  20. "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel". Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  21. "Riaz Talks With Dustin Diamond – City TV Vancouver (October 2012)". YouTube. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  22. "Screech selling T-shirts to save house". Houston Chronicle. June 16, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  23. "'Saved By the Bell' Star Dustin Diamond - Screech Arrested For Allegedly Stabbing Man With a Switchblade". TMZ.com. December 26, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  24. "Arrested, accused in stabbing at bar, Dustin Diamond aka "Screech" has Monday court hearing". FOX6Now.com. December 26, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  25. "'Saved by the Bell' Actor Arrested in Wisconsin - Yahoo News". News.yahoo.com. December 26, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  27. "Saved by the Bell actor Dustin Diamond in court over stabbing - BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  28. Zimmerman, Amy (September 25, 2015). "Screech's Long, Sad Road to the Slammer: The Fall of 'Saved by the Bell' Star Dustin Diamond". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  29. "Screech on Trial: 'Saved By the Bell' Actor Dustin Diamond Convicted in Stabbing". NBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  30. "Dustin Diamond, 'Saved By the Bell' Star, Sentenced to Four Months For Stabbing". NBC News. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  31. McKirdy, Evan (May 26, 2016). "'Saved by the Bell' star Dustin Diamond back in jail after probation violation". CNN.
  32. "Porndogs: The Adventures of Sadie". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
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