Dennis Haskins, the US actor best known for playing principal Mr Richard Belding in the Saved by the Bell television franchise, has died aged 75. His agent confirmed the death on Tuesday.
Agent and co-star pay tribute
Agent Jay Schachter said 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 always had time for them, no matter what.”
Authorities have not disclosed Haskins’ cause of death, which reportedly occurred late on Sunday.
A career spanning three shows
Haskins played Belding in three programs. He first appeared in Disney’s 1989 show Good Morning, Miss Bliss. NBC later turned that show into Saved by the Bell, which ran for four seasons beginning in 1989. He then reprised the role in Saved by the Bell: The New Class during its seven-season run starting in 1993.
Saved by the Bell became a cult hit among a generation of US youth as a sitcom about high school students navigating teenage life. Belding’s memorable catchphrase was “Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” when disciplining students.
Fans and friends remember him
Lark Voorhies, who played Lisa Turtle on the show, reacted on Instagram, saying “losing him hurt so deeply”. Her post read: “Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life. We shared so much history together from our earliest days, and through it all, he remained a fabulous person, a loyal friend, and someone with such a kind, gentle heart. I am truly heartbroken by his passing and will miss his warmth and laughter more than words can say. Rest in peace, Dennis, you will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Dimples Karaoke, a karaoke bar in Burbank, California, that Haskins regularly visited, also mourned his passing, according to Variety. The bar said in an Instagram post on Monday: “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. He enjoyed singing for people, meeting them, and taking selfies with his fans.”
The bar also said: “Dimples closed down about 11 years ago, and people still associate him with his beloved ‘second home.’ He was known to most as Mr Belding from Saved by the Bell, but to us, he was much more than that.”
The post said Haskins fell ill about eight years ago but did not discuss his conditions “because he did not want the attention”. It added: “Late last night, that journey ended for him. He is now at peace and is probably entertaining the people in the sky. What a cool and amazing life he had. Rest in peace, Dennis. You were very much loved and will never be forgotten.”
Other roles and later life
Haskins, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, also acted in other TV shows and movies, including Hot in Cleveland, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mad Men and A Million Ways to Die in the West, according to IMDb.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in theater from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2015. At the time, he said in a statement on the university website: “As successful as some have said I’ve been, from the incredible success of ‘Saved by the Bell,’ other quality acting roles, the books I’ve written, and even UTC Distinguished Alumni in 2000, there’s always been something missing for me – my college degree. Now, … I join these graduates in holding my head high having earned my liberal arts degree in theater from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga!”
