Dennis Haskins, best known for portraying the lovable, fair-minded principal Richard Belding on the NBC teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at the age of 75. His agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the actor’s death to CBC News and USA TODAY on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. No immediate cause of death was announced.
Career Origins at Bayside High
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Haskins first stepped into the role of Principal Belding on the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss in 1988. When NBC reworked the show into Saved by the Bell the following year, Haskins made the transition alongside a young cast that included Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Lark Voorhies, and Dustin Diamond.
Haskins anchored the series through its four-season run from 1989 to 1993. He became an instantly recognizable television presence, frequently playing the comically exasperated authority figure who attempted to keep pace with the schemes of Zack Morris, played by Gosselaar. Haskins’ signature hallway entrance line—”Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?”—became a defining catchphrase.
Following the conclusion of the original series, Haskins reprised his role in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which ran for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000. He also stepped back into the role for a 2015 comedy sketch alongside several original cast members on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Extensive Television and Film Credits
Beyond his defining role at Bayside High, Haskins maintained a prolific acting career across television and film. His early screen debut came in a 1979 episode of The Dukes of Hazzard.
Over the decades, his credits expanded to include guest appearances on series such as The West Wing, 7th Heaven, How I Met Your Mother, Hot in Cleveland, New Girl, and Mad Men, where he portrayed Cool Whip executive Phil Beachum. In film, he appeared as a snake oil salesman in Seth MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West.
Outside of acting, Haskins pursued higher education later in life, graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2015 at age 65 with a Bachelor of Arts in theater.
Tributes From Former Co-Stars
Following the confirmation of his death, members of the Saved by the Bell cast shared public tributes on social media honoring his warmth and off-screen friendship.
Jay Schachter remembered his client and friend of more than 20 years in a statement to CBC News, noting that Haskins deeply cherished his supporters. “It’s a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who got to know Dennis loved him even more,” Schachter said. “He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely loved his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what.”
Tiffani Thiessen, who played cheerleader Kelly Kapowski, wrote on Instagram that Haskins provided a steady presence during her teenage years. “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,” Thiessen wrote.
Mario Lopez, who portrayed wrestling team captain A.C. Slater, highlighted Haskins’ playful nature off-camera. “He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set,” Lopez wrote on Instagram. “If you knew him, you loved him—and if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic!”
Lark Voorhies, who starred as Lisa Turtle, shared that knowing Haskins for nearly 40 years marked a profound personal connection. “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,” Voorhies wrote.
Keep reading