Eric Dane’s First Acting Role Was in ‘Saved by the Bell’ & He Learned an Important Lesson

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.