Dustin Diamond

Dustin Neil Diamond (January 7, 1977 – February 1, 2021) was 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.

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Early life and family

Diamond was born in San Jose, California, the son of Jaimee and Mark Diamond. His father taught digital electronics for a computer processing firm and his mother was a computer operator for Pacific Bell. 

Diamond was Jewish.

He attended Zion Lutheran School.

Career

Diamond began acting as a child. He became known for playing 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.

Appearances after Saved by the Bell

Diamond began doing stand up comedy after the end of Saved by the Bell and toured on and off after that. He was also featured on a number of game and reality shows including The Weakest Link and Celebrity Boxing 2. Diamond 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.

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. During one episode, Diamond mentioned what may have happened if he were to challenge Ant to "physical combat" and after Walden defended Ant, Diamond subsequently said the same to Harvey Walden. Hearing this, Walden lost his temper on the show.

Sex tape

In 2006, Diamond directed and released his own celebrity sex tape, Screeched – Saved by the Smell. According to Melanie McFarland's retelling of a press release, Diamond initially said the tape got out because he and and a group of friends had a "monthly gathering" wherein they exchanged such tapes which earn points based on "what [we’re] able to accomplish" on them. "We do it almost like poker. [The tape] could have been left out in anybody’s home, machine, computer. The people that are involved in this group are all 'profile people.'"

Several years later, Diamond said in a Where Are They Now? interview on the Oprah Winfrey Network that he was not in the sex tape; rather, a stunt double had his likeness superimposed.

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.[15] 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. 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.

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?"

Other work

Diamond was 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. Diamond 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.

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

Professional wrestling career

Diamond was a fan of professional wrestling. On September 18, 2002, he appeared on an NWA-TNA's Asylum weekly pay-per-view. Billed as Screech, he challenged a planted fan to a boxing match. The fan turned out to be Tiny the Bellkeeper. Screech won by knockout in 42 seconds.

In 2008, Diamond was a contestant on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, broadcast on CMT.

On February 11, 2011, Diamond teamed with Jordan McEntrye and Knight Wagner, losing to MsChif, Marion Fontaine and Krotch in an intergender match at AAW in Merrionette Park, Illinois. That March 17, he teamed with Bushwhacker Luke, Izzy Slapawitz and Doink the Clown to beat Virgil, Ashley Sixx, Celine Jean and Sheena at TWE Rethinking Rumble in Vaughan, Ontario. He lost his next and final tag match, the main event of FTW Summer of Synn, in Ronkonkoma, New York, on July 7, 2012.

Personal life

By 2009, Diamond had resided in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He married longtime girlfriend Jennifer Misner in 2009, though the two separated in 2013. His home in Port Washington was put up for sale in 2020 and he relocated to Florida.

In 2001, Diamond filed for bankruptcy in California. On June 13, 2006, he asked The Howard Stern Show listeners to visit his website and purchase a t-shirt. He said he hoped to sell 30,000, which read "I paid $15.00 to save Screeech's house" (spelling "Screech" with an extra E for copyright reasons) in order to raise $250,000 and avoid foreclosure on his house.

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. Amanda Schutz, his fiancée,[34] was found guilty of disorderly conduct and fined $500. On May 29, 2015, he was convicted of two misdemeanors: carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. He was cleared of the most serious charge, recklessly endangering public safety. On June 25, he was sentenced to four months in jail. He served three months and was released on probation. His probation agent determined that he had violated his terms and he was re-arrested in May 2016.

Illness and death

In early January 2021, Diamond was diagnosed with stage 4 small-cell lung carcinoma. He completed one round of chemotherapy in Florida on January 21, but died from the disease on February 1, at age 44.