If you close your eyes, you can probably still hear the off-key screeching. “We run, we jump, we swim and play... we row and go on trips.” Then comes the inevitable, aggressive "Get it right or pay the price!" It was 1991. Nickelodeon was essentially the Wild West of children’s television, and Salute Your Shorts was the crown jewel of that chaotic, slime-covered era. We all wanted to be at Camp Anawanna. Honestly, looking back, the camp was a total health hazard. There were no real adults in sight besides a guy with a prosthetic ear and a short temper. But for two seasons, that cast was our surrogate family.
So, what happened to the Salute Your Shorts cast now? Why did some of them vanish into total obscurity while others became staples of modern pop culture? It’s a weird mix of law degrees, voice acting dynasties, and the occasional awkward reunion panel at a 90s nostalgia convention.
The Great Michael Bower (Donkeylips) Mystery
Let’s start with the heart of the show. Michael Bower played Eddie "Donkeylips" C. MacDonald. He was the lovable oaf, the kid who was always the butt of the joke but somehow always had the most soul. You've probably seen him in more things than you realize over the last thirty years. He didn't just stop at Nickelodeon. He popped up in Evolution, had a stint on The X-Files, and even appeared in Monk.
Bower is one of the few who stayed deeply connected to the industry. He’s active on social media and frequently talks about his time at Anawanna with genuine warmth. It's refreshing. Usually, child stars from that era have some dark, gritty "E! True Hollywood Story" attached to them, but Bower seems like a guy who just genuinely enjoyed being the kid everyone rooted for. He’s done a lot of work in the indie scene lately and remains a fixture in the "Retro Nick" community. He’s basically the unofficial historian of the show at this point.
What about Venus DeMilo?
Venus DeMilo Thomas, who played Telly Radford, is another fascinating case. Telly was the athletic, no-nonsense girl who could outrun anyone at camp. Venus actually had a pretty solid career following the show. She was in Sister, Sister, Family Matters, and even had a role in the classic film Life.
But here’s the kicker: she didn’t just stay in front of the camera. Venus transitioned into the behind-the-scenes world of production. She’s worked at major studios like Paramount and Sony. It’s a common trajectory for the smart ones—they see how the sausage is made and decide they’d rather be the butcher than the meat. She’s been incredibly successful in production, proving that child stardom doesn't always have to end in a "Where are they now?" tragedy.
Danny Cooksey: From Budnick to Rockstar
If you want to talk about the Salute Your Shorts cast now, you have to talk about Danny Cooksey. Bobby Budnick was the ultimate ginger antagonist. The mullet. The attitude. The constant bullying of "Sponge" and "Donkeylips."
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Cooksey was already a veteran by the time he got to Camp Anawanna. Remember Diff'rent Strokes? He was Sam McKinney. But after the show ended, Danny didn't just chase sitcom roles. He pivoted hard into voice acting and music. If you grew up in the 90s or 2000s, you heard his voice everywhere. He was Montana Max in Tiny Toon Adventures. He was Jack Spicer in Xiaolin Showdown. He’s even in The Lorax.
But honestly, the coolest thing about Cooksey is his music. He was the lead singer of a band called Bad4Good, which was produced by Steve Vai. Yeah, that Steve Vai. They were a heavy metal band of kids, and they were actually decent. These days, he’s still a heavy hitter in the voice-over world. He’s got that gravelly, distinct tone that casting directors love. He turned being a "brat" into a lifelong, lucrative career.
The Mystery of the Two Leaders
There was a weird shift between Season 1 and Season 2 that most kids didn't understand at the time. Michael Stein played Michael Beck, the leader of the group in the first season. Then he just... disappeared. He was replaced by Blake Soper (now known as Blake Sennett) as Ronnie Pinsky.
- Michael Stein: He pretty much left the acting world. He did some work as a dancer and choreographer—he was actually in Michael Jackson’s "Black or White" video—but he largely stepped away from the limelight to pursue a more private life.
- Blake Sennett: This is where things get "indie-cool." Blake didn't just stay an actor. He became a founding member of the indie rock band Rilo Kiley alongside Jenny Lewis. If you were a sad college student in the mid-2000s, you definitely cried to their albums. He also formed The Elected. He’s a legitimate, respected musician who just happened to be a teen heartthrob at a fictional summer camp first.
Why the Show Ended So Fast
It’s crazy to think about, but there are only 26 episodes of Salute Your Shorts. That’s it. It feels like there were hundreds because Nickelodeon played them on a loop for a decade. The reason it ended wasn't low ratings. It was actually a logistics nightmare.
The show was filmed at Franklin Canyon Park in Los Angeles. The cast was getting older. In the world of "kid TV," once your voice starts cracking or you grow six inches, the illusion of "summer camp" starts to fade. Nickelodeon wanted to move production to their new studios in Orlando (Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios), but the cast and their families didn't want to relocate from L.A. to Florida. So, instead of recasting everyone and losing the chemistry, they just pulled the plug. It was a mercy killing that preserved the show's cult status.
Trevor Eyster (Sponge) and the Reality of Fame
Trevor Eyster played "Sponge," the brainy kid. Trevor has been very open over the years about the ups and downs of being a child star. He took a long break from acting—nearly 25 years—before returning to the craft. He’s since appeared in things like Babylon 5 (reboot/audio projects) and has become a vocal advocate for the well-being of young performers.
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His journey reflects a lot of what the Salute Your Shorts cast now represents: resilience. They weren't "Hollywood" kids in the way we think of the Stranger Things cast today. They were just kids working a job in the San Fernando Valley, and when it was over, most of them just went back to school.
Ug Lee: The Man, The Myth, The Ear
Kirk Baily played Kevin "Ug" Lee. He was the antagonist we all loved to hate, but as an adult, you realize Ug was just a guy trying to do his job while a bunch of pre-teens made his life a living hell.
Sadly, Kirk Baily passed away in early 2022. It was a huge blow to the fans and the surviving cast members. Baily had a massive career in voice acting and ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement). If you look at his IMDb, it’s staggering. He did voices for Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Hotel Transylvania. He was a master of his craft. The tributes that poured in from the cast showed just how close they really were. They didn't just work together; they were a legitimate unit.
The Legacy of Anawanna
Why do we still care about the Salute Your Shorts cast now? Why does a show that aired its last episode in 1992 still command headlines?
It’s because it was authentic. It didn't feel like it was written by a committee of 50-year-olds trying to "reach the youth." It was based on Steve Slavkin’s book Salute Your Shorts: Life at Summer Camp, and it captured that specific, sweaty, itchy, gross-but-fun feeling of being a kid in the summer.
Finding the Cast Today
If you’re looking for them today, you won’t find them on a reboot (yet). There have been talks, but nothing has materialized. Most of them show up at '90s Con or various nostalgia festivals.
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- Heidi Lucas (Dina): She went the most "civilian" route. She left acting, went to law school, and became an attorney. She’s stayed almost entirely out of the public eye, which is probably the smartest move anyone on this list made.
- Megan Berwick (Z.Z.): Like Heidi, Megan moved away from the cameras. She focused on education and international development, working for non-profits.
It’s actually a pretty high success rate. No one ended up in prison. No one became a cautionary tale. They either became successful actors, voice legends, lawyers, or musicians.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re feeling that itch for nostalgia, don’t just settle for reading about them. There are a few ways to actually engage with the history of the show.
First, check out the "Splat" era documentaries on various streaming platforms. They often feature interviews with the creators who explain the shoestring budget they worked with. You can also find most of the cast on Instagram, where Michael Bower and Danny Cooksey are particularly active and interactive with fans.
Secondly, if you’re a fan of the music, go listen to Rilo Kiley’s More Adventurous or The Execution of All Things. Knowing that "Ronnie Pinsky" is the guy behind those intricate guitar lines makes the listening experience 100% better.
Finally, keep an eye on the convention circuits. The cast frequently reunites for panels, and they often share behind-the-scenes photos that were never released during the show’s original run. They’ve embraced their status as the "cool older siblings" of the Nickelodeon generation.
The story of the Salute Your Shorts cast now isn't one of "faded glory." It’s a story of a group of kids who peaked early, handled it with grace, and moved on to lead pretty interesting lives. Whether they’re practicing law or voicing your favorite video game characters, they’ll always be the kids who "hold us in their hearts" (even if we still want to stuff a dirty sock in their mouths).
Investigate the archives of Nickelodeon Magazine or fan-run wikis if you want the deep-cut trivia—like how the "Awful Waffle" was actually made (it involved a lot of syrup and very little dignity). The show might be gone, but the Camp Anawanna spirit is weirdly immortal.
Actionable Insights for Nostalgia Seekers:
- Follow the Cast: Danny Cooksey and Michael Bower are the most active on social media for behind-the-scenes content.
- Stream the Music: Look up Rilo Kiley (Blake Sennett) and Bad4Good (Danny Cooksey) for a taste of their post-Nick talent.
- Support Indie Projects: Many of these actors still work on independent films and voice-over projects—check their IMDb pages to see their latest work.
- Check Convention Schedules: Events like '90s Con are the only places to see full-cast reunions in person.