Dennis Haskins, the American actor whose portrayal of Principal Richard Belding made him a familiar face to viewers of Saved by the Bell, has died at 75. His longtime agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the death on Tuesday, September 29, according to the Associated Press and Variety. The reports did not establish a cause of death.
Haskins played the principal at the fictional Bayside High School, the setting for the NBC teen comedy that ran from 1989 to 1993. Belding was the adult authority figure amid the students’ schemes, a role that became closely associated with the actor. The series reached audiences well beyond its original broadcasts through later reruns.
Variety reported that Haskins also played Belding in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the program that preceded Saved by the Bell, and in the follow-up Saved by the Bell: The New Class. He appeared in the television film Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style as well. The New Class continued into 2000, extending his association with the character across several productions.
Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Associated Press reported. A biography from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga says he took part in its drama club and helped establish a community theater group. Before building his television career, he worked in the music business as a manager, agent and concert promoter, according to the AP.
His acting work also included guest appearances in The Twilight Zone and Magnum, P.I. in the 1980s, the AP reported. Lark Voorhies, who played student Lisa Turtle on Saved by the Bell, paid tribute on social media, describing him as a longtime friend with a kind and gentle character. Schachter said Haskins had always made time for fans.
The confirmation prompted remembrances of a performer identified for decades with one of television’s most recognizable school principals. As of Tuesday’s reports, his representative had released no further details about the circumstances of his death. His work on the original series and its related programs remains the central part of his television legacy.
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