Dennis Haskins, the beloved Principal Belding from 'Saved by the Bell,' Dies at 75

Dennis Haskins, the actor known for playing Principal Richard Belding on the popular series Saved by the Bell, has died at age 75.

His agent of more than two decades, Jay Schachter, confirmed the death and noted that Haskins had a particularly close relationship with the show's fans. So far, no official cause of death has been released.

"Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who had the chance to meet Dennis loved him even more," Schachter said in remarks reported by People. The representative also noted that Haskins always made time for his fans.

Haskins rose to fame playing Richard Belding , the principal of the fictional Bayside High School, tasked with keeping Zack Morris, A.C. Slater, Screech Powers, and the rest of the student protagonists of Saved by the Bell in line.

The series debuted in 1989 and became one of the most recognizable teen shows on American television at the time. Haskins appeared in nearly 90 episodes and remained associated with the character after the original series ended.

More than a decade as Principal Belding

Before Saved by the Bell, Haskins had already played Belding in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, a show considered a precursor to the series.

He later reprised the role in the TV movie Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style and, most notably, in the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which aired from 1993 to 2000. In this way, Belding ended up being part of various phases of the franchise for over a decade.

Although that role defined his career, Haskins also worked on other film and television productions. His credits include appearances in Mad Men, Hot in Cleveland, and New Girl, as well as the film A Million Ways to Die in the West.

After news of his death broke, Dimples Karaoke Bar, a well-known establishment in Burbank, California, where Haskins had been a regular for years, posted a tribute recalling his love of singing, chatting with patrons, and posing for photos with fans who recognized him as the famous Principal Belding.

The bar also stated that the actor had been dealing with health issues in recent years and noted that he had Parkinson's disease, a condition that, according to the tribute, he had preferred to keep private. That information has not been cited as the official cause of his death.

With his death, one of the most iconic adult characters from Saved by the Bell is gone—a series that made Haskins a familiar face to several generations of American television viewers.