Dennis Haskins, principal on TV’s ‘Saved by the Bell,’ dies at 75

Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as principal Richard Belding on the high school comedy series “Saved by the Bell,” has died, his agent said Monday. Haskins was 75. The cause and manner of death were unavailable. “It’s a tragic loss,” Jay Schachter, head of film and television for Stewart Talent in New York City, said in a statement. Haskins’ role on the show, which aired from 1989 to 1993, would come to define him for millions of fans. “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.” Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he reported for the student newspaper, acted in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins, according to his university biography. As a young man, he worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter and boasted Tom Jones and Gregg Allman among his clients, according to his IMDb bio. Early in his career, he landed appearances on TV’s “Magnum, P.I.” and “The Twilight Zone,” according to IMDb. His acting career was boosted by his portrayal of Mr. Belding on Disney Channel’s “Good Morning, Miss Bliss” in 1988, according to the university bio. The next year, NBC aired the show as “Saved by the Bell”; it ran until 1993. He reprised the role on “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which aired Saturday mornings from 1993 to 2000 on NBC. After the show’s end, he found work in several movies and television shows, including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” according to his university bio. Schachter said Haskins will be missed. “He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly,” he said. “I’m heartbroken.”