Dennis Haskins, best known for playing Principal Richard Belding in the American sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at the age of 75. The Tennessee-born actor died on Sunday at his home in Burbank, California. His cause of death has not been confirmed, but he had Parkinson's, according to ABC News4.
Agent pays tribute to 'dear friend'
His agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the news in a statement, paying tribute to the actor as a 'great' person and a 'dear friend'. Schachter said: '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.'
Actor Luke Barnett also paid tribute on X, recalling their first encounter: '15 years ago I did “Saved by the Bell: The Musical” at a tiny theatre in Burbank. I played “Everybody Else”. Which was essentially 12 different supporting characters. You can imagine the excitement backstage when 5 minutes before the show someone told us “Mr Belding is in the audience”. Nicest guy in the world. Was a longtime regular at Dimples where he'd do karaoke or sip a whiskey ginger at the bar. Was one of my first “oh wow, a guy I watched on TV is hanging out like a normal dude” moments after moving to LA. RIP to the legend Dennis Haskins.'
Career on Saved by the Bell and beyond
Haskins starred as Principal Belding in the original Saved by the Bell series from 1989 to 1993 on NBC, and then in the sequel Saved by the Bell: The New Class from 1993 until 2000. He also appeared in dozens of other TV series throughout the 2000s, including How I Met Your Mother and New Girl.
Later, Haskins released a music album inspired by his role as the teen sitcom principal, titled Karaoke with Your Favourite Principal Dennis. A fan of elite wrestling and WWE, he also appeared on episodes of a YouTube series hosted by wrestler Zack Ryder.
Survived by son
The actor is survived by his son, Dustin Haskins. His death comes five years after another Saved by the Bell actor, Dustin Diamond, passed away suddenly. Diamond, who starred as nerdy student Samuel 'Screech' Powers, was 44 years old when he died of lung cancer in 2021.
