Eric Dane’s First Acting Role Was in ‘Saved by the Bell’ & He Learned an Important Lesson
What To Know
- Eric Dane, best known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, made his acting debut at age 19 with a guest appearance on Saved by the Bell in 1991.
- Dane’s early career also included roles in Roseanne and Married With Children, and he once reflected humorously on his Saved by the Bell experience, recalling a rookie mistake on set.
- Dane died at 53 after battling ALS, and his family praised his advocacy for ALS awareness and expressed gratitude for the support from fans during his illness.
Eric Dane is dead at 53 after a battle with ALS — and although he was best known for roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Euphoria, and The Last Ship, Dane made his acting debut in Saved by the Bell.
Long before he channeled McSteamy or Cal Jacobs, Dane appeared as a guest star in Season 3 of the teen sitcom. In an episode titled “The Game,” which aired in 1991, he played a character named Tad Pogue, a rival volleyball player to the show’s main cast. Dane was just 19 at the time.
Saved by the Bell aired for four seasons from 1989 to 1993. It starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voohries, Dennis Haskins, Tiffani Thiessen, and Elizabeth Berkley, among others.
In 2016, Dane revealed what he learned from his short time on the set of Saved by the Bell. He chatted with Today co-anchors Dylan Dreyer and Tamron Hall as they played a clip of him falling over after getting hit by a volleyball to the head.
“See that fake fall I did? That was fantastic,” Dane cheekily pointed out.
“Did you rehearse that a lot, too?” Hall asked, to which he confessed. “No. But I did yell ‘Cut!’ after one of the takes, and the director tore my head off. Apparently, you’re not supposed to yell ‘Cut!’ Only the director’s supposed to yell, ‘Cut!’
Other early acting credits for Dane included a bellhop in Roseanne and a radio DJ in Married… With Children. He was even set to star in a Married… With Children spinoff that he thought was a “sure thing.” Sadly, however, it never got picked up.
Dane died on February 19, his family announced in a statement to People.
“He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,” they shared. “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always.
The message concluded, “Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
Saved by the Bell, streaming on Tubi