Inside the life of Dustin Diamond, the actor who played Screech on Saved By The Bell 2 Feb, 2021 12:48 AM 10 minutes to read By: Bella Fowler Tributes are flooding in for Dustin Diamond, the 44-year-old former child star who died of lung cancer after being diagnosed just three weeks ago. Many of the heartfelt messages have come from his castmates on Saved by the Bell, in which he played the beloved goofy character Screech. But while it may be his best-known role, the actor had a chequered history with the show, and a difficult life following his time as a '90s icon.