Actor Dennis Haskins, best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding on the sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at 75.
A representative for Haskins confirmed his death, saying, “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. I’m heartbroken.”
Haskins originated the role of Principal Belding on the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which would later become Saved by the Bell. He continued to play the character in the original series and even reprised it in the spinoff Saved by the Bell: The New Class.
Haskins’ former Saved by the Bell co-stars took to social media to remember the late actor.
“Heartbroken to hear about my old friend Dennis Haskins. He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set. If you knew him, you loved him—and if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic! I’m grateful for the laughs, the memories, and the friendship we shared all these years. Rest easy, my friend. You’ll always be part of our Bayside family,” said Mario Lopez who played A.C. Slater on the show.
Tiffani Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski, wrote, “Dennis Haskins was a steady presence in my teenage years, the kind of figure who kept us in line while making sure we knew he was in our corner. I will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him. RIP Mr. B.”
Lark Voorhies, who played Lisa Turtle on the show, also shared a tribute on her Instagram about their 40-year friendship, saying, “Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply. 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,”
His cause of death is currently unknown.
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