Dennis Haskins, 'Saved by the Bell' Actor Who Played Principal Belding, Dies at 75

Death confirmed by longtime agent, cause undisclosed

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for portraying Bayside High principal Richard Belding on NBC's "Saved by the Bell," has died at age 75, his longtime agent Jay Schachter confirmed on Monday, September 28. Schachter, head of film and television for Stewart Talent in New York City, said in a statement shared with multiple outlets: "It's a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more. He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what. He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly." A cause of death was not disclosed; NBC News reported the cause and manner of death were "unavailable," while other outlets, including USA Today and Variety, noted simply that no cause had been provided by his representatives.

Assisted living facility and Parkinson's disclosure

The Los Angeles Times reported that Haskins died Sunday evening in an assisted living facility. A friend, Kimberly Snow, said on social media that Haskins had been living with Parkinson's disease "among other health concerns." That detail appeared only in HuffPost's coverage of Snow's post and was not corroborated by his agent's statement or by other reporting in the evidence set.

A defining run as Mr. Belding

Haskins originated the role of Belding on the Disney Channel series "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" in 1988 and continued with the character when that show was retooled into NBC's "Saved by the Bell" the following year. The sitcom ran from 1989 to 1993, with Haskins as the lone regular adult in a cast that also included Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Lark Voorhies and Dustin Diamond, who died in 2021 of lung cancer at age 44. Haskins reprised Belding on NBC's "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," which aired Saturday mornings from 1993 to 2000, extending his tenure with the franchise to more than a decade.

Auditions, character signature, and a long résumé beyond Bayside

The role gave Haskins the catchphrase "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?" and made him instantly recognizable to a generation of viewers. Nine.com.au and The Statesman reported that Haskins had auditioned seven times before landing the part. His later credits included appearances on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Mad Men," "Hot in Cleveland," "New Girl," "Victorious" and the film "A Million Ways to Die in the West."

Chattanooga roots and pre-acting career

A Chattanooga, Tennessee, native born November 18, 1950, Haskins attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where, according to his university biography, he reported for the student newspaper, acted in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins. The Statesman added that he played on the university's basketball team, joined the cheerleading squad and was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Before acting, he worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter, with clients that included Tom Jones and Gregg Allman, and he later wrote the actor's guide "Rating the Agents." He is survived by a son, Dustin.