Production Saved by the Bell

in 1986, brandon tartikoff, then-president of nbc, asked peter engel develop pilot new prime time series, morning, miss bliss tartikoff had been inspired sixth grade teacher, miss bliss, , had long wanted make show her. series focus on miss carrie bliss, married sixth grade teacher @ fictional john f. kennedy junior high school in indianapolis. though sandy duncan considered titular role, series became vehicle former british child star hayley mills. veteran writer sam bobrick brought on write episode , cast included future stars jonathan brandis, brian austin green, , jaleel white.

the pilot aired on june 11, 1987, nbc had decided not pick series before shown. tartikoff didn t want give on show, though, , made deal disney channel air thirteen episodes of series in prime time. if initial order did well, disney prepared order additional seven-seven. show retooled, mills sole remaining cast member pilot. miss bliss s class changed sixth grade 8 grade, , kids more central story.

good morning, miss bliss aired 1988 1989. however, show failed pick following , did poorly in ratings. time last episode aired, disney had decided against ordering more.

saved bell

tartikoff felt there had been strong elements morning, miss bliss , wanted try show again different time slot , different approach. elements featuring kids had been well-received, tartikoff wanted drop miss bliss show altogether , focus entirely on teens. nbc had been losing high end of animated audience, kids ten twelve, idea create live action comedy air on saturday mornings, new idea @ time.

engel skeptical of new format @ first, , did not want make children s programming. however, wife convinced him making show worthwhile endeavor, , told tartikoff show. engel felt, however, indianapolis not exciting location, , moved show semi-fictional part of los angeles, palisades. main locations of show teenager s school, bayside high, , max, fictional eatery frequent. in addition, film before live studio audience.

the majority of cast replaced, , tartikoff gave 7 episode commitment show. in meeting engel , tartikoff, senior producer tom tenowich suggested name saved bell. though engel hated name, tartikoff loved it. name stuck, , filming commenced, first episode, dancing max, airing in prime time on august 20, 1989.