Dennis Haskins, the actor who brought Bayside High’s Principal Richard Belding to life on “Saved by the Bell,” has died at age 75. He passed away late Sunday night around 11 p.m. at an assisted living facility in Burbank, California. His longtime friend and caretaker, Kimberly Snow, confirmed his passing.
News of his death hit fans and colleagues hard. His agent and close friend of more than twenty years, Jay Schachter, spoke about how much Haskins cared for the people who watched his show. Schachter said everyone loved Mr. Belding, but those who knew Dennis personally loved him even more because he truly adored his fans.



Right now, no official cause of death has been made public. Family members and close friends have kept the exact health details private following his passing on Sunday evening in the Southern California town, which sits right in the heart of the Los Angeles entertainment industry.
Long before he ever stepped into Bayside High, Haskins was a kid growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He went to college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he wrote for the student newspaper and acted in school plays. He even helped set up a local community theater group called the Harlequins.
Acting was not his first gig in show business, though. Before he spent his time in front of the camera, Haskins worked behind the scenes in the music industry. He spent years as a music manager, booking agent, and concert promoter, working alongside major music legends like Tom Jones and Gregg Allman.
He eventually made the jump to television acting, picking up small guest roles on hit shows like “The Twilight Zone” and “Magnum, P.I.” in the 1980s. But his big break came when he landed the role of Richard Belding on the series “Good Morning, Miss Bliss.”
That show soon turned into “Saved by the Bell” on NBC in 1989, making Haskins a household name across America. He stayed with the franchise for years, returning for “Saved by the Bell: The New Class” through 2000 and popping up in shows like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Through it all, he remained deeply proud of his signature role.










