- Dustin Diamond, Saved by the Bell, TV, 1989-1992. It seems nearly every late-night chat-show host has a failed series test tucked away in their past. This is Colbert’s. At 25, he lost Samuel Powers, aka Screech, in the Class of ’89 at Bayside High School… .because he was “over the top.” Of course, he was. Screech was an 8th grader. Colbert was 25 and Diamond was 12…! He quickly became the least liked member of the troupe, uninvited to the 20th birthday bashes. After future controversies, including an alleged sex-tape with two women, and his memoir, Bend The Bell, he died of lung cancer at 44 in 2021.
- Greg German, Ally McBeal, 1997-2002. Colbert actually has a second series audition that went sourth… He tried hard but German hooked Richard Fish. Colbert also confesses to losing a Friends cameo – “And, boy, did I need a gig at the time.” He had more successful bids to join The Dana Carvey Show and Strangers With Candy in the 90s and then made good with Comedy Central’s Colbert Report, 2005-2014, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ever since 2015 on CBS.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2