“The ’90s Are All That” Countdown – “Salute Your Shorts”

July 20, 2011 | by Nickutopia Staff

At midnight on July 25, TeenNick will premiere its new programming block “The ’90s Are All That.” Airing from 12 to 4 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the block will be made up of all your favorite classic Nick shows. Check out the schedule here.

In celebration, we’ve decided to devote each day in the countdown to our favorite classic Nick shows.

Today: “Salute Your Shorts”

Originally airing from June 1, 1991 to June 29, 1992, the 26-episode comedy – based on the 1986 book “Salute Your Shorts: Life at Summer Camp” by Steve Slavkin – followed a group of teen campers and their strict counselor at Camp Anawanna.

Much of the show was filmed on location in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California, and starred Kirk Baily (Kevin “Ug” Lee), Megan Berwick (Z.Z. Ziff), Michael Bower (Eddie “Donkeylips” C. Gelfen), Venus DeMilo (Telly Radford), Tim Eyster (Sponge Harris), Heidi Lucas (Dina Alexander), Erik MacArthur (Michael Stein), Blake Soper (Ronald “Ronnie” Foster Pinsky), Danny Cooksey (Robert “Bobby” Budnick), Steve Slavkin (Dr. Kahn), and Christine Cavanaugh (Mona Tibbs).

Where are they now?

Michael Bower went on to achieve the Boy Scouts of America rank of Eagle Scout and has acted in commercials and films (Evolution, Dude, Where’s My Car?). He also tried his hand at rapping last year.

Heidi Lucas made appearances in various commercials and shows (Boy Meets World, Saved By The Bell: The New Class) in the 90s and eventually left acting for a career as an attorney.

Danny Cooksey went on to have a successful career providing voice work for video games and shows, including starring in “Dave The Barbarian.” He is married to an actress and makeup artist, has a daughter, and performs with the band Arbuckle.

True fans of “Salute Your Shorts” will know the theme by heart – or at least the “it makes me wanna fart” part.

Episode plots ranged everywhere from character crushes to eluding the counselor. Camp Anawanna may have been the greatest camp to go to, not because of the friendly atmosphere or location, but because of the constant pranks. Shorts up the flagpole, tar and feathering, and the dreaded ‘awful waffle.’

Did you ask your parents to send you to a summer camp after watching this show? Did you buy a Camp Anawanna t-shirt a pretend (to those who don’t know about the show) that you actually went to the camp? How badly do you want to see “Salute Your Shorts” back on television?

Check out the first episode of “Salute Your Shorts” below.