14 Things You Never Knew About ‘Saved by the Bell’

“Saved by the Bell” was initially titled “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” inspired by NBC president Brandon Tartikoff’s sixth-grade teacher. After airing a 13-episode season on Disney Channel from 1988-89, it was canceled due to low ratings. NBC later revamped the show, renaming it “Saved by the Bell.” The title “When the Bell Rings” was also considered. In this slideshow, we explore interesting facts about the iconic show from the 90s.

The teen sitcom was created by Sam Bobrick that premiered on NBC on August 20, 1989. The show starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dustin Diamond, and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, and ran for four seasons, concluding on May 22, 1993.

The series led to two spin-offs: “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” as well as two TV movies. It has been recognized as one of the “20 Best School Shows of All Time” by AOL TV.

The show became a hit on Saturday mornings, but the cast faced challenges, including missed high school experiences and complicated relationships. After several spin-offs and a reunion, the show’s legacy continues, despite some cast members experiencing personal struggles.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar dyed his hair blonde for every episode of the show.

Lisa Turtle was originally intended to be a Jewish girl from Long Island, but the character was changed due to the producers’ preference for Lark Voorhies.

Scott Gale, who wrote the theme song for “Saved by the Bell,” also wrote the theme songs for “Golden Girls” and “Herman’s Head.”

A.C. Slater was initially supposed to be Italian but was changed to Hispanic due to casting difficulties.

Elizabeth Berkley and Tiffani Thiessen were both considered for the role of Kelly Kapowski, with Peter Engel advocating for Thiessen.

The heart at the end of “Saved by the Bell” was made by Peter Engel’s sons, who inspired him to create the show.

Dustin Diamond was hired for the show without the producers realizing he was significantly younger than the rest of the cast, being only 11 years old at the time of casting.

Lark Voorhies missed her graduation and prom due to filming commitments for the show.

Mario Lopez grew his hair long for his role, aiming to resemble Mel Gibson in “Lethal Weapon,” and did not realize he had a mullet.

Mario Lopez grew his hair long for his role, aiming to resemble Mel Gibson in “Lethal Weapon,” and did not realize he had a mullet.

Tiffani Thiessen’s first sip of alcohol was shared with Mark-Paul Gosselaar during a press tour in Paris.