Dennis Haskins' Quiet Battle: The Secret Struggles of Mr. Belding
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Dennis Haskins, best known for playing the beloved principal Mr. Belding in “Saved by the Bell,” has died. He was 75.Haskins’ death was confirmed by a longtime friend and caretaker, WTVC reported from his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee.“It’s a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more. He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans,” Haskins’ agent, Jay Schachter, told the Hollywood Reporter.Dennis Haskins, who played beloved principal Mr. Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” has died at age 75. Getty Images“He always had time for them, no matter what. He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly. I’m heartbroken.”His cause of death has not been disclosed. 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. 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,” the post read.“What a cool and amazing life he had. Rest in peace, Dennis. You were very much loved and will never be forgotten.”(From L-R) Ed Alonzo as Max, Dennis Haskins as Mr. Richard Belding, and Casey Kasem as himself in an episode of “Saved by the Bell.” NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesHaskins performs onstage during the Strange 80’s concert at The Fonda Theatre on Oct. 12, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Getty ImagesPage Six has reached out to Haskins’ agent for further 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.”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.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.The cast and creator of NBC’s “Saved by the Bell” at an NBC “Hot Shots” event, circa 1990. Back row, from left: Lark Voorhies, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez and creator Sam Bobrick. Front row, from left: Tiffani Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley and Dennis Haskins. Getty ImagesHe 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.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.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.Haskins during the 13th Annual Angel Awards Honoring Nathan Lane and Disney VoluntEARS at Project Angel Food in Hollywood, California. WireImageHaskins 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.His big break on “Saved by the Bell” precursor “Good Morning, Miss Bliss, “Saved by the Bell” came a decade later.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.In 2009, Haskins also released an album, “Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis.”He is survived by his son, Dustin, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Haskins’ death comes five years after his “Saved by the Bell” co-star Dustin Diamond, who played Samuel “Screech” Powers, died of lung cancer in 2021 at age 44.
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