Dennis Haskins, known for playing Principal Richard Belding in "Saved by the Bell," died at age 75 according to reports from Chattanooga, Tennessee. His caretaker confirmed the death, noting that Haskins had been battling Parkinson's disease privately for eight years. The actor was celebrated for his role as "America’s Favorite Principal" and for his extensive work before and after "Saved by the Bell," including founding a theater group in college and managing music artists early in his career.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding in the hit TV series "Saved By The Bell," died at age 75. His agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the news and expressed that it was a tragic loss, noting Haskins' beloved character and his genuine affection for fans. Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Haskins played Principal Belding from 1989 to 2000 across multiple iterations of the show, including "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" and "Saved By The Bell: The New Class." He was also known for his catchphrase, "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?" In addition to "Saved by the Bell," Haskins appeared in various other TV shows and films. Dimples Karaoke bar in Burbank, California, shared that Haskins had been battling Parkinson's disease for eight years before his death but kept it private out of respect for his fans' feelings.
Written for “Dennis Haskins Dies Age 75” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 11 other(s) covering the same event.
Dennis Haskins, best known for playing the beloved principal Mr. Belding in “Saved by the Bell,” has died.
asserted
Haskins → know → Bell
Haskins’ death was confirmed by a longtime friend and caretaker, WTVC reported from his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
asserted
WTVC → confirm → Chattanooga
“It’s a tragic loss.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more.
asserted
who → love → him
He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans,” Haskins’ agent, Jay Schachter, told the Hollywood Reporter.
asserted
agent → love → Reporter
“He always had time for them, no matter what.
asserted
He → have → them
He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly.
asserted
I → miss → him
I’m heartbroken.”
asserted
I → ’m → ?
His cause of death has not been disclosed.
asserted
cause → disclose → death
Dimples Karaoke, a Burbank, Calif., bar where Haskins was a “staple” and which many patrons called his “second home,” said in an Instagram post Monday that the actor had spent the last eight years battling Parkinson’s disease.
“He had been silent about his fight with Parkinson’s, among other health concerns, because he did not want the attention.
asserted
he → call → attention
He did not want to have to tell people.
asserted
He → want → people
He would say, ‘What do I even say?’
asserted
I → say → What
So I respected his wishes and stayed quiet, and I helped him through his journey into the next chapter of his life,” the post read.
asserted
post → respect → life
You were very much loved and will never be forgotten.”
asserted
You → love → ?
Page Six has reached out to Haskins’ agent for further comment.
asserted
Six → reach → comment
Haskins spent more than a decade roaming the halls of Bayside High as Principal Richard Belding on the hit sitcom “Saved by the Bell” (1989-93) and its spinoffs, including “Saved by the Bell: The New Class” (1993-2000) — earning the nickname “America’s Favorite Principal.”
asserted
Haskins → spend → nickname
His character’s exasperated “Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” became one of the show’s most famous lines as Belding struggled to keep Zack Morris and the other students in line.
asserted
Belding → go → line
Before his television career, Haskins attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he was deeply involved in campus life, according to the school’s website.
uncertain
he → attend → website
He helped found the Harlequins theater group, wrote and staged original plays and as student government entertainment chairman, booked Ike and Tina Turner for a 1973 campus concert.
asserted
He → find → concert
He also wrote for the student paper and organized a charity basketball game pitting students against city officials to raise scholarship money for the children of local police officers.
asserted
He → write → officers
Before pursuing his acting career, Haskins worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter, counting singer Tom Jones and rock star Gregg Allman among his clients, according to his IMDb page.
uncertain
Haskins → pursue → page
Haskins made his network television debut on the 1979 pilot episode of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” playing a Boar’s Nest bar patron who takes a stiletto to the foot from Daisy Duke, according to the Daily Actor.
uncertain
who → make → Actor
His big break on “Saved by the Bell” precursor “Good Morning, Miss Bliss, “Saved by the Bell” came a decade later.
asserted
break → save → Bell
Haskins racked up more than 100 acting credits over his career, including guest spots on hit shows like “The West Wing,” “Mad Men,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and “7th Heaven,” according to IMDb.
uncertain
It → rack → IMDb
The Aporia
