David Allan Donah is an American actor and musician, best known for his appearances as Dean Bates on the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Jason Baldridge in the award-winning CBS courtroom drama The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, Norman Schmeltzer on the hit NBC comedy Saved by the Bell, and as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the bands Drop 6 and Somis.
Born in Fullerton, California, Donah's parents, Zandra Darlene Hubalck and David Allen Donah, were high school students who married to legitimize his birth after a romantic interlude at the Valencia High School Christmas Dance in 1967. After their divorce, Donah and his younger sister lived with their maternal grandparents before moving to Norco, California with their mother and stepfather.
Donah describes his early life as lonely and withdrawn, often bullied at school for being overweight and struggling financially at home. He found solace in fantasy, immersing himself in books, films, and television, and eventually developed a love for acting after taking a theater class in high school.
After high school, Donah moved to Los Angeles, where he struggled to find work as an actor, waiting tables to make ends meet. However, he eventually landed an agent and began to secure roles on television shows, including a recurring role on Roseanne, which earned him a large viewing audience.
In 1996, Donah became the lead singer of the rock band Drop 6, which gained a loyal following and performed at numerous festivals and venues. The band eventually disbanded due to artistic differences, but Donah went on to form Somis, a harder-edged rock group.
Throughout his career, Donah has continued to act, appearing in television shows, films, commercials, and music videos, while also writing and recording music with Somis. In 2012, his 4-year-old son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which led to Donah withdrawing from public life to focus on his son's care and treatment. In 2021, he released a music video featuring his son, titled "Chase's Mom", a parody of the 2003 pop hit "Stacy's Mom".
