Dustin Diamond of “Saved by the Bell” Fame Passes Away at 44

Acrot Dustin Diamond has passed away at the age of 44 from complications due to lung cancer, a diagnosis he received just three weeks ago. Among his dying wishes was a desire to visit the Walt Disney World resort.

Most famous for playing Samuel 'Screech' Powers on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell, many fans of the show don’t realize that it all started on Disney Channel. An original series called Good Morning Miss Bliss starred Hayley Mills as the title character, a teacher at John F. Kennedy Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Disney Channel canceled the series after its 13-episode order, at which time NBC retooled it as Saved by the Bell, which ran for 89 episodes and produced several spin-offs and TV movies.

Diamond’s Saved by the Bell costars shared their sorrow over his passing on social media.

Our hearts go out to Dustin Diamond’s family, friends and fans during this difficult time.