Class Is in Session! Snakkle Catches Up with the Cast of Head of the Class

Brian Robbins (Eric Mardian)

Then: Never without his leather jacket or motorcycle, wannabe writer Eric was the class “bad boy,” who somehow won sweet Simone’s heart.

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Brian Robbins (Eric Mardian)

Now: Arguably one of the most successful cast members, Robbins went on to be a prominent Hollywood producer. He started with Disney Shows such as All That, Kenan and Kel, and The Amanda Show before moving on to movies like Radio and Varsity Blues. Currently, he produces such major hits as One Tree Hill and Supernatural.

Dan Frischman (Arvid Engen)

Then: Math- and science-obsessed Arvid was the quintessential nerd. Although Arvid never got the girl, he often got roped into best friend Dennis Blunden’s crazy schemes.

Dan Frischman (Arvid Engen)

Now: An accomplished magician who still performs around the United States, Frischman remains close with former costar Robbins. In fact, he co-owns a production company that was involved in multiple Nickelodeon series—including some of Robbins’s.

Robin Givens (Darlene Merriman)

Then: Darlene was rich and spoiled and was often portrayed as shallow. She had a strong competitive streak, and that served her well both on the academic team and in the classroom as she set off to beat classmate Alan in everything. In one of the rare episodes that delved into the students’ personal lives, Darlene discovered she was a descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s slave and mistress, Sally Hemings.

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Robin Givens (Darlene Merriman)

Now: Although many may know Givens as Mike Tyson’s ex-wife, her acting career was nowhere close to over with the end of Head of the Class. She starred with Eddie Murphy in Boomerang, was featured in Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys, and has had recurring roles on shows such as Chuck and House of Payne.

Tony O'Dell (Alan Pinkard)

Then: Uptight Alan could have been Alex P. Keaton’s long-lost brother, with those sweater vests and his obsession with Reagan. Alan was undeniably preppy, but he was able to let loose a little in some of the show’s signature musical productions.

Tony O'Dell (Alan Pinkard)

Now: O’Dell has had only a few roles since hanging up the bow tie of Alan Pinkard. But at least he’ll always have the memory of bringing costar Khrystyne Haje to his senior prom.

Howard Hesseman (Charlie Moore)

Then: Best known as DJ Dr. Johnny Fever from WKRP in Cincinnati, Hesseman is a counterculture icon. He started as a substitute teacher for the kids in the IHP but eventually became their full-time mentor—challenging them to think and live outside of their books. Hesseman left the series before the last season.

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Howard Hesseman (Charlie Moore)

Now: Hesseman has mainly worked in TV since Head of the Class. He’s appeared on House, Boston Legal, Psych, ER, and Lie to Me. An actor since 1968, Hesseman shows no signs of slowing down.

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Rain Pryor (Theola June "T.J." Jones)

Then: Rough around the edges and sarcastic, T.J. began as a recurring character and was soon promoted to series regular. A talented singer, she got to show off her amazing voice when the class put on the musical Hair.

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Rain Pryor (Theola June "T.J." Jones)

Now: The daughter of the late Richard Pryor is now an ambassador for multiple sclerosis, the disease that led to her father’s death. In addition to raising awareness for the disease, she also is an acclaimed speaker who gives talks about multicultural and religious awareness.

Kimberly Russell (Sarah Nevins)

Then: Sarah was probably the most well-rounded of all the kids in the IHP class, and also very well liked. She didn’t get stuck in any particular clique and was often a support for her classmates.

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Kimberly Russell (Sarah Nevins)

Now: Russell starred alongside Bill Cosby in Ghost Dad many years ago and has recently been seen in the Oscar-nominated Precious and heard in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.

Dan Schneider (Dennis Blunden)

Then: Dennis was Dr. Samuels’ nemesis and a computer whiz. His one-liners and schemes got him a lot of attention—but not all of it positive! Funny and smart in real life as well, Schneider actually wrote several episodes of Head of the Class.

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Dan Schneider (Dennis Blunden)

Now: A frequent collaborator with friend and former costar Brian Robbins, Schneider is a successful writer and creator of many Nickelodeon shows. You can find Kenan and Kel, All That, Drake and Josh, iCarly, and Zoey 101 (and much more) on his resume.

Khrystyne Haje (Simone Foster)

Then: Simone was a sensitive writer and poet who loved long, flowing skirts—and rebel Eric. You saw a glimpse of a different side of her when she ran the literary magazine—and became a demanding control freak who alienated her classmates. But everyone knew that wasn’t the real Simone.

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Khrystyne Haje (Simone Foster)

Now: Haje has worked sporadically as an actress, most notably on the Law & Order franchise and in several made-for-TV movies.

Tannis Vallely (Janice Lazarotto)

Then: Janice was a precocious tween genius who constantly one-upped her classmates—especially in their academic competitions. Vallely had some opportunities to shine when episodes focused on the age and maturity gap between her and her classmates. Ultimately, Vallely left the series early with the explanation that Janice had headed off to college.

Tannis Vallely (Janice Lazarotto)

Now: A Stanford graduate, Vallely works as a casting director in Los Angeles. Her credits include the acclaimed TV series Arrested Development.

Leslie Bega (Maria Borges)

Then: Maria was known for being hard on herself and was quite the perfectionist. Before Maria left for a performing arts school midway through the series, the multitalented Bega shone in Fillmore High’s productions of Grease and Little Shop of Horrors.

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Leslie Bega (Maria Borges)

Now: Although she has worked on multiple TV shows and movies since departing Head of the Class in 1989, these days she is probably most well known for her role as Valentina La Paz on The Sopranos.

Travis Tanner

Joher Coleman (Jawaharlal Choudhury)

Then: Jawaharlal was originally an exchange student from India who ended up staying at Fillmore High for several years before “moving to California” after the third season.

Travis Tanner

Joher Coleman (Jawaharlal Choudhury)

Now: Coleman does voice-over work, as well as small roles in TV and film.

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Lara Piper (Viki Amory)

Now: After a few small roles following Head of the Class, Piper appears to have found happiness away from the screen and is a sculptor in North Carolina.

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Michael DeLorenzo (Alex Torres)

Then: Athlete and academic Alex joined the class near the end of the series. He capitalized on his good looks, intelligence, and dance moves to try and impress classmates Darlene and Viki. Alex starred as Berger in the school’s production of Hair—and stole the show.

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Michael DeLorenzo (Alex Torres)

Now: A onetime dancer who trained at the School of American Ballet and performed in Michael Jackson’s videos, DeLorenzo has been a fixture in Hollywood since the early 1980s. He was the murdered soldier at the center of A Few Good Men, starred in New York Undercover and Resurrection Boulevard and can now be seen guest-starring in shows like CSI, Numb3rs, and Ghost Whisperer.

Billy Connolly (Billy MacGregor)

Then: Mr. MacGregor took over for Mr. Moore in the final season of the series. Although many think this is when the show “jumped the shark,” Connolly brought new comedic delivery and style to the show.

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Billy Connolly (Billy MacGregor)

Now: The Scottish comedian has enjoyed a successful career both before and after Head of the Class. He appeared in films such as The Last Samurai and Lemony Snicket and also does a great deal of voice-over work. In 2003 he was awarded the CBE—Commander of the Order of the British Empire—for his contributions to entertainment.