GMMB 01.08 - The Boy Who Cried Rat

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 The guest in this episode is special. No, you probably won't know her from anything else important. She had some decent gigs before her appearance on "Good Morning, Miss Bliss," (like a part in Tom Hanks's "Bachelor Party") but she didn't do much after for about twenty years. Only recently has she been back in the business of acting.

The guest was Martina Finch and she played Dr. Atwater. Her appearance here isn't her only tie to the "Saved by the Bell" franchise. Around the time of this episode, Martina Finch had a role in the movie "The Fabulous Baker Boys." Her role was that of a singer. Her song: "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters. Yes, the very same song from this later classic Jessie Spano "Saved by the Bell" scene:

Welcome to the fold, Martina.

Now, for those of you who don't pay attention to the secretary:

First Episode

Third Episode

Fourth Episode

What gives, Mr. Belding? A new secretary already?

Sixth Episode

Seventh Episode

Eighth Episode

And no complaints from me, nor Mr. Belding. We'll see how long this new one stays around. (Hopefully to the end of the season.)

What do you think, lady killer?

Atta boy.

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GMMB 01.07 - Save the Last Dance for Me

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If you were the Disney Channel, how would you treat one of the original Mouseketeers?

That's right, have him choke on a cheesy puff. You are looking at one of the original Mouseketeers; one of a handful that survived the entire first run on the Disney Channel. He even wrote a book called "Confessions of an Accidental Mouseketeer." He had other bit roles in TV and movies, many of which seem like lighter dancing roles, like this one from the episode.

And how did he finish his acting career? Strip Club Manager in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" in 1999. Wholesome.

As for the girl in this episode Shana, well, she went from this:

To this:

Not a bad transition, little butterfly. This transformation garnered Alexondra Lee, the actress behind the beef between Zack and Mikey, a spot in Stuff Magazine's "101 Most Beautiful Women in the World" in 2001. Most of her work has been in television, most notably her 20 episode stint on "Party of Five" and the sci-fi show "Special Unit 2."

Another facet of Ms. Alexondra Lee that will help establish a theme for this blog is her dancing. She grew up with ballet and danced in the "Nutcracker Suite" with the New York Ballet Company.

And, since the theme is now officially dancing, I leave you with Mr. Belding.

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GMMB 01.06 - The Showdown

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Andras Jones seems like the perfect guy to cast as Deke Simmons in this episode. His acting credits before the show: Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and Sorority Babes in the Slime Bowl-o-Rama. Both horror movies. He is certainly a brooding force here.

I can't help but laugh at that one movie title. Sorority Babes in the Slime Bowl-o-Rama. The tagline: "In a bowling alley from Hell, there's only one way to score..."

He appeared in other horror/thriller type movies before stepping back from movies and television to create and host a radio program called Radio8Ball. The program accepts callers and then plays supposedly random songs, which Andras then uses to divine a solution for the caller. It has been likened to audio tarot. He has also published a book called "Accidental Initiations: In the Kabbalistic Tree of Olympia." Another thing: he plays music and has toured with his band, which is either called the Previous or Previously Yours. He supposedly has a few albums under his belt.

So, good job, casting director, in finding a brooding, complicated young man to play Deke. Nevermind the fact that he looks five years older than the rest of the student cast...

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GMMB 01.05 - Parents and Teachers

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To take away any doubt: "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" takes place in Indiana. Zack quips to Screech that meteors are going to rain down on Cleveland and Screech mentions that he'll just wear a helmet. The second series, the actual "Saved by the Bell," obviously takes place in California. How the three surviving students AND Mr. Belding make it to Cali after this season is beyond me. But who cares?

The big concert that Mikey and Zack want to attend is for Hot Lead. I can find nothing about any real band ever called Hot Lead. No one has mentioned them, played with them, or anything. I found an online radio station for them, but it was empty. I saw another show reference Hot Lead, but it was fictional. (The show was "Life," a brilliant crime-drama cut off at the knees. The reference: someone had ties to a Heavy Caliber cover band called - you guessed it - Hot Lead. Go watch this show.) So, sadly, no further information on Hot Lead.

But how about that guest star, huh? Robert Pine played Zack Morris's father, Peter.

I know what you are thinking: I have totally seen that guy before. Of course you have. He's been around for a while as a great character actor in television. Jim Halpert's father on "The Office." A judge in the Lorenzo Lamas masterpiece "Renegade." The Secretary of Agriculture in the second season of "24." Herb, the predictor of the end of the world on "Parks and Recreation." And tons of other fun spots from 1964 to the present. He plays one smooth dude here, perfectly cast as the father to such a rapscallion son.

Lastly, another eating snafu. The guy behind Mr. Belding, instead of faking a bite of the sandwich, decides to take a teeny-tiny piece off the corner.

He also later fails to take a bite when this corner-picking trick goes stale and he puts the sandwich to his mouth. Just be like everyone else and fake sips out of straws in the milk cartons!

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GMMB 01.04 - Leaping to Conclusions

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Who in the world is this guy?

Deryl Carroll

This is Mr. Morton, played by Deryl Carroll. This unfortunate soul had the task of playing the over-eager science teacher. He did it with gusto. Deryl Carroll didn't do much beyond getting small roles alongside vampy women. The list includes Pamela Anderson, Elvira, Madonna, and that mom from "Married with Children." He also had a ten-year stint in the Groundlings. That's pretty cool. What isn't cool: boom in your shot.

Say "good-bye" Deryl.

"I'm sure, Mr. Morton, you can't argue with that."
"I'm a man of science; I can argue with anything."

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GMMB 01.03 - Wall Street

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Let's focus on Mikey. Who would he want in the friendly skies in his private jet? Justine Bateman. Who? That was my initial thought. But the name struck something deep in my brain. Justine Bateman is Jason Bateman's sister. She was in this show:

Family Ties

This is "Family Ties," which was nearing its end during the first incarnation of "Saved by the Bell." This is her, just in case you were confused:

Justine Bateman

Not bad, I guess. Lovers of good shows may well remember her from a small appearance in her brother's show "Arrested Development," where she played a possible sister named Nellie, which in fact turned out to be a completely different thing. Here she is with Jason in the episode appropriately called "Family Ties."

Arrested Development - "Family Ties"

Now back to Mikey. Mikey Gonzalez. Mikey is played by Max Battimo, an Argentinean kid who moved to L.A. at the age of two. "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" was his only real job in Hollywood. After the show he had a spot in a movie and then gave up acting, mostly due to feeling rejected by the "Saved by the Bell" crew. Rumor has it that he is a professional hockey referee. And that is all you need to know about Mikey. Sad.

Max Battimo

And the rumors are true! I just found this ESPN article.

And, just for fun, here's another person in the background not eating their food.

That poor sloppy Joe doesn't get eaten the entire scene.

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GMMB 01.02 - The Love Letter

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Two things here:

1) This guy is the heart-throb substitute teacher guest on the show.

Randy Hamilton

This is Randy Hamilton and he has quite the pair of gums. I can find no other pictures of him online except for these two.

I guess that last one could qualify him as a heartthrob, but only because he isn't really smiling.

It appears he was in the business since 1965 but didn't get a steady stream of work until 1978, which lasted until 1998. (Most of it was bit acting in television productions.)

2) Next, this guy doesn't take a bite of his sandwich. He puts it back down and fails to pretend to chew. It doesn't even look like he is trying!

He does seem to redeem himself later by wiping his mouth on a napkin, so there is some acting. I understand that this scene probably had fifteen to twenty takes and that he didn't want to take a bite every single time. But you at least need to act, buddy. Take one bite so that it looks like you are already enjoying the sandwich. We'd see the bite mark and you would have far more credit faking the next bite. Here, you pretend to take a bite out of an obviously still-whole sandwich. You'll never make it in this business like that, buddy boy.

And WHAT!?! Screech wore a Jimmy Z t-shirt? Why wasn't he the most popular kid in school? These were all the rage.

Jimmy Z

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