13 Stars Who Were On 'Saved By The Bell' Before Their Careers Took Off

Every episode of Saved by the Bell featured a new wacky story about the kids from Bayside High School, and usually introduced us to one or two memorable new characters.

Just a handful of the actors and actresses who played those bit parts went on to do bigger and brighter things. Here are 13 celebrities who broke into show business with parts on Saved by the Bell.

1. Tori Spelling

After being turned down by Lisa Turtle for three seasons, Screech was obviously feeling scorned. For three episodes, his attention and affection turned to a dorky new girl: Violet Bickerstaff.

Spelling's career was just about to take off because of her role on 90210 when she stopped by Bayside for this memorable performance.

2. Bridgette Wilson

Wilson wasn't even credited for her five episodes as a ditsy blond Bayside student. She went on to star in some of the biggest hits of the '90s, including Mortal Kombat and Billy Madison.

3. Gabrielle Union

The future Bring It On and Being Mary Jane star flexed her acting skills by appearing in two episodes of Saved by the Bell: The New Class....as two different characters.

4. James Marsden

You know him from 27 Dresses, Enchanted and X-Men, but do you remember his most memorable role of all? Yes, Marsden played homecoming king Chad Westerfield in an episode of The New Class. Of course you knew that.

5. Leah Remini

Maybe you still remember this one. Remini had a seven-episode run as Stacey Carcosi. Her father owned the Malibu Sands Beach Club, where the Bayside gang worked during the summer.

6. Soleil Moon Frye

Okay, so this was after her biggest role. But we bet you didn't recognize the Punky Brewster star in this episode from season four. She was attracted to Screech, but lost interest when his get-rich-quick spaghetti business failed.

7. Christine Taylor

She was Marcia in The Brady Bunch Movie and starred in comedies like Dodgeball, but do you remember her Saved by the Bell episode? She asked to be tutored by Zack Morris after he snagged a higher SAT score than Jessie Spano.

8. Scott Wolf

Wolf had a starring role in Party of Five,  but early in his career he wasn't afraid to take small parts. He was an extra on the original series of Saved by the Bell, and you can spot him in the background of numerous episodes.

9. Eric Dane

Before he was "McSteamy," Dane was just a dopey guy in a neon orange shirt who challenged Zack to a volleyball competition for Leah Remini's affection. Oh, the '90s.

10. Denise Richards

She turned heads in Starship Troopers and the James Bond flick The World is Not Enough, but first Richards had a thing for A.C. Slater.

She showed up in a Malibu Sands Beach Club episode as a fan who kept getting into trouble so the hunky lifeguard would rescue her.

11. Patrick Muldoon

The future Melrose Place and Days of our Lives regular played Jeff, a college guy who was two-timing Kelly Kapowski. How stupid can you be?

12. Milo Ventimiglia

Yes, before he was making us cry as Jack on This is Us, Ventimiglia had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it part in an episode of The New Class.

13. Carla Gugino

She was a regular on Spin City, Entourage and Californication, all while starring in hit movies. But her career began way back on Good Morning Miss Bliss, the show that eventually morphed into Saved by the Bell.

Gugino played a ninth-grader with a crush on Zack, who dumped him when she learned he was an eight-grader. Tsk, love is so fickle.

Did you recognize any of these future stars?