Key Highlights:
- Dennis Haskins, best known as Principal Richard Belding on Saved by the Bell, has died aged 75.
- Haskins played Principal Belding in the original series and its seven-year spin-off, Saved by the Bell: The New Class.
- His cause of death has not been released.
Dennis Haskins, the ‘Saved by the Bell’ principal, dies at 75
Dennis Haskins, who became widely known for playing Principal Richard Belding on Saved by the Bell, has died aged 75. Haskins’ agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the death in a statement shared with ABC News.
“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.”
Haskins’ cause of death has not been released.
Dennis Haskins’ career as Principal Richard Belding
Haskins began his acting career in the late 1970s, appearing in several episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard. He went on to secure his defining role as Principal Richard Belding in the original run of Saved by the Bell, which aired from 1989 to 1993.
As the principal of Bayside High School, Haskins’ character regularly tried—and usually failed—to keep the students in line. He appeared alongside Mario Lopez, Tiffani Thiessen, Lark Voorhies and the late Dustin Diamond, helping make Principal Belding one of the most recognizable adult characters in the series.
Following the original series, Haskins reprised the role in the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The New Class. The show ran for another seven years and allowed Haskins to continue playing Principal Belding for a new group of high-school students. He also returned to one of the character’s best-known lines: Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?
Haskins reflected on the show’s lasting success
In a 2013 interview with Parade, Haskins discussed the atmosphere on Saved by the Bell and the connection the cast developed with its audience.
“When we got to the full-on Saved by the Bell, I knew it was something special because the energy was different, the kids were a little bit older, the dynamic was great between everybody, and we were having a great time. We did twenty episodes and we were done. We didn’t have a long-term contract. They brought us back when the show went on TBS in the afternoons and kids discovered it there and came back to Saturday morning. That’s when the show took off. So it was a gradual process. It was a warm, fuzzy thing. They got to know us and we got to know them. It was a wonderful growing process.”
Haskins also said he had the “best job of all” because, unlike the young actors who eventually grew up and left the fictional school, he remained on the show to welcome a new generation of unruly high-school students through The New Class.
In 2015, Haskins appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with several of his Saved by the Bell co-stars. He played Principal Belding again in a short sketch.
Other Dennis Haskins television and film appearances
Beyond Saved by the Bell, Haskins appeared in a range of television shows and films, including New Girl, Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother and A Million Ways to Die in the West.
Haskins also appeared in the music video for Khalid’s Young Dumb & Broke. In the video, he once again played a school principal and delivered an end-of-year announcement over the school’s intercom.
Why This Matters
Dennis Haskins’ performance as Principal Richard Belding extended across the original Saved by the Bell series and its spin-off, giving him a continuous connection to more than one generation of viewers. His return to the role in later appearances also reflected the enduring recognition of the character and the show’s cast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Dennis Haskins when he died?
Dennis Haskins was 75.
What was Dennis Haskins best known for?
He was best known for playing Principal Richard Belding on Saved by the Bell and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.
What was Dennis Haskins’ cause of death?
His cause of death has not been released.