‘Saved by the Bell’ Star Dead at 75

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for portraying Principal Richard Belding on the hit sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” has died at age 75. Haskins became a familiar face to millions of television viewers through his long-running role as the administrator of Bayside High School. His agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the actor’s death and described it as a “tragic loss.”

No official cause of death has been announced. “Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis loved him even more,” Schachter said. “He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely loved his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what.”

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Schachter added that Haskins had been both a client and close friend for more than two decades, saying, “I will miss him terribly. I’m heartbroken.” Haskins appeared as Principal Belding in nearly 90 episodes of “Saved by the Bell” between 1989 and 1992, becoming one of the show’s most recognizable recurring figures.

His connection to the franchise actually began before “Saved by the Bell,” when he played Belding on “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” the series that was later reworked into the popular NBC sitcom. He continued playing the character in several follow-up projects, including “Saved by the Bell: The College Years,” “Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class.”

His character was known for frequently trying to keep students such as Zack Morris, A.C. Slater, Kelly Kapowski, Jessie Spano and Samuel “Screech” Powers under control. One of Belding’s most memorable lines became, “Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on here?” Outside of the television franchise, Haskins also appeared in productions including “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Twilight Zone” and the comedy film “A Million Ways to Die in the West.”

Born Nov. 18, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Haskins attended Notre Dame High School before studying at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The university later recognized him as one of its distinguished alumni in 2000.

Before his acting career took off, Haskins worked in the music industry as a manager, agent and concert promoter and was associated with performers including Tom Jones and Gregg Allman. Haskins later recalled that winning the role that would define his career required persistence through an unusually long audition process.

“On Good Morning, Miss Bliss, I was just glad to have a job. It was a long seven-audition process,” he said in a 2013 interview with Parade. “I was in. I was out. And then, finally at the last minute, I got it.”

A tribute from Dimples Karaoke, a former Burbank, California, establishment Haskins frequently visited, remembered him as an outgoing regular who enjoyed interacting with fans. “Dennis was a staple at Dimples. A lot of people thought he owned it, but he didn’t. He just loved the place and its people,” the tribute stated.

“He enjoyed singing for people, meeting them, and taking selfies with his fans.”

The business said Haskins became so closely associated with the location that people continued connecting him with it years after the establishment closed.

“He was known to most as Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell, but to us, he was much more than that,” the tribute continued.

The message also indicated that Haskins had privately dealt with health problems in recent years, saying he “had been silent about his fight with Parkinson’s, among other health concerns.”

However, no official statement has established whether those health issues contributed to his death.

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“Late last night, that journey ended for him. He is now at peace and is probably entertaining the people in the sky,” the tribute said.

The message added that supporters who attempted to contact Haskins in recent years were not forgotten, saying their messages had been read to him.

Haskins is survived by his son, Dustin, whom he shared with his former wife, Sarah Dianne Goins.

His portrayal of Principal Belding ultimately stretched across several installments of the “Saved by the Bell” franchise, making Haskins one of the performers most closely associated with the series and its enduring popularity.