Dennis Haskins, the actor who portrayed Principal Richard Belding on the popular 1990s sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at the age of 75. His agent confirmed his passing to ABC News on Monday, though the exact cause of death has not been disclosed. Haskins played the role across multiple seasons of the show, including its original four-season run from 1989 to 1993 and later reprised it in Saved by the Bell: The New Class which aired from 1993 to 2000.
The actor best known as Bayside High’s Principal Richard Belding was remembered by former cast members and his longtime agent.
The show followed a group of high school students navigating adolescence at the fictional Bayside High School in Southern California, according to CNN. Principal Belding was often portrayed as a well-meaning but ineffective figure who struggled to keep order among the student cast. Haskins’ portrayal of the character made him a memorable part of the series that many consider one of the defining sitcoms of the 1990s, according to a report from abccolumbia.com.
His agent Jay Schachter described Haskins as a kind and devoted person who had a deep connection with his fans. Schachter added that Haskins always made time for fans, no matter how busy he was. He also noted that Haskins was a dear friend and client for over two decades, kxan.com reported.
Tributes have poured in from fellow cast members, including Tiffani Thiessen and Mario Lopez. Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski, said Haskins was a steady presence during his teenage years and always supported the cast.
Dustin Diamond, who played Screech Powers, died in 2021 after a battle with cancer at the age of 44.
Another cast member, Lark Voorhies, who portrayed Lisa Turtle, expressed her grief on social media. She shared that she had known Haskins for nearly four decades and felt deeply saddened by his passing. Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he helped found a local community theater group. Before entering television, Haskins worked as a music manager and concert promoter. He managed artists like Tom Jones and Gregg Allman during the 1980s.
Haskins had a long career in film and television beyond Saved by the Bell. He appeared in shows such as How I Met Your Mother, Mad Men, and New Girl. His other credits include appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful, Men of a Certain Age, and A Million Ways to Die in the West.
Haskins had over 100 industry credits throughout his career. His legacy includes both his work on Saved by the Bell and his contributions to the entertainment world at large. His caretaker has said Haskins had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about eight years earlier, but no official cause of death has been announced.
IMAGE: Picture of Dennis Haskins from the web series “Acting School Academy”
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daleki (talk) 09:11, 16 December 2008 (UTC). Photo: daleki (talk) / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0