Chattanooga native and actor Dennis Haskins, best known for playing Principal Richard Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” has died at age 75, according to his friend and caretaker.
No official cause of death has been confirmed, but Haskins had Parkinson’s disease, according to Dimples Karaoke, where he was a regular.
In an Instagram post, Dimples Karaoke paid tribute to him:
“Dennis was a staple at Dimples. A lot of people thought he owned it, but he didn’t. He just loved the place and its people. He enjoyed singing for people, meeting them, and taking selfies with his fans. Dimples closed down about 11 years ago, and people still associate him with his beloved ‘second home.’ He was known to most as Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell, but to us, he was much more than that.
“About eight years ago, he became ill. He had been silent about his fight with Parkinson’s, among other health concerns, because he did not want the attention. He did not want to have to tell people. He would say, ‘What do I even say?’ So I respected his wishes and stayed quiet, and I helped him through his journey into the next chapter of his life.
“Late last night, that journey ended for him. He is now at peace and is probably entertaining the people in the sky….”
Haskins became known to generations of viewers as the principal of Bayside High, earning the nickname “America’s Favorite Principal.”
Before his television career, Haskins was deeply involved at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Born in Chattanooga on Nov. 18, 1950, he attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Notre Dame High School, and UTC.
During college, he reported for the student newspaper, performed with the Drama Club and Harlequins, served as Student Government Association entertainment chairman, and belonged to Blue Key Honor Fraternity and the Raven’s Society. He was also a founding member of the Harlequins community theater group, where he acted, worked as a stage manager, and wrote original plays.
As entertainment chairman, Haskins organized student events and helped bring Ike and Tina Turner to UTC in 1973. He also used his campus involvement to support the community. Through Blue Key, he helped organize the annual “Freaks vs. Fuzz” basketball game, which raised scholarship money for the children of UTC and Chattanooga police officers. He also helped get Mocs basketball games televised on NewsChannel 9.
Haskins first played Mr. Belding in “Good Morning, Miss Bliss” on the Disney Channel in 1988. The show was renamed “Saved by the Bell” the following year and became a defining sitcom of the 1990s.
After leaving Bayside High, Haskins appeared in films and television shows, including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “A Million Ways to Die in the West.”