Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for playing Principal Richard Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” has died. He was 75.
Haskins’ agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed his passing to media on Monday evening, noting in a statement, “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 continued: “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 is not currently known.
Haskins first played the beloved principal character on Disney Channel’s one-season, 1988 show “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” which later transformed into NBC’s “Saved by the Bell.” The latter ran from 1989 to 1993, with Haskins starring opposite Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dustin Diamond, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley and Lark Voorhies.
He stepped into the Principal Belding role once more for “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which also aired on NBC between 1993 and 2000. Haskins appeared as the character for one last time back in 2015, when he appeared in a “Tonight Show” sketch with his fellow “Saved by the Bell” co-stars Gosselaar, Berkley, Lopez and Thiessen.
Haskins, who was born Nov. 18, 1950 in Chattanooga, TN, had a number of other credits under his belt, including 2014’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Mad Men,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “New Girl,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Victorious.”
He is survived by a son, named Dustin.
