Today we have lost one of the most recurring actors in the Saved by the Bell franchise. Dennis Haskins, who portrayed the principal Richard Belding in the series and the later specials, has died at his home in California, United States, last Sunday, September 27. He was 75 years old.
The news was revealed by his agent and friend Jay Schachter, who did not share details about his death. Instead, he issued a statement to the press. “It is a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who got to know Dennis loved him even more. He was a wonderful person and he loved, and I mean he absolutely LOVED, his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what happened. He was my client and a dear friend for more than twenty years, and I will miss him greatly”.
Supporting Actor
Haskins’s career spans forty years as a television actor, dating back to the eighties. His first contact with the cameras came as a contestant on the American game show ‘Scrabble’, after which he began experimenting with acting, already in his thirties.
His roles in those years were small and not particularly impactful, but in 1988 he stood out in the series ‘Good Morning, Miss Bliss’ for the American Disney Channel. The show was renewed in spirit and became ‘Saved by the Bell’, with Haskins as one of the key actors who navigated the year-long transition. He loved working in the franchise and remained active until the 2020 reboot, in which he did not participate to formally retire.
Director Forever
Dennis Haskins continued working as a supporting actor in other films and series after starring in the show that propelled him to fame, but no other role was as memorable as the stern director of Kennedy High School. In fact, he would reprise the role in other series as a nod to that work, such as in the 2011 series ‘Victorious’ or on the Jimmy Fallon show.
In 2018 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which may have weighed in on his decision to retire from the industry.
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