Dennis Haskins, who played the lovable but stern Warden Richard Belding for over a decade in Saved by the Bell, died, his agent, Jay Schachter, announced in a statement. He was 75 years old.
“It’s a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who knew Dennis loved him even more,” Schachter said. “He was a great person and loved, I mean absolutely LOVED, his fans. 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.”
Details of his death were not provided.
Haskins first played Principal Belding on the Disney Channel show Hello, Miss Blisswhich was re-equipped after one season and became Saved by the Bell on NBC, from 1989 to 1993. He then reprized the character on Saved by the Bell: The New Classbroadcast from 1993 to 2000.
Haskins will play Belding one last time in February 2015 when he reunites Bell features Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen for a sketch about The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The Chattanooga, Tennessee-born actor has appeared in numerous television shows and films throughout his decades-long career, including Seth MacFarlane. A million ways to die in the West (2014), Mad Men, Hot in Cleveland And New girl. He was also in the Showtime series I die here, Cartoon Network Robot chicken and the FX The weather is always nice in Philadelphia.
Haskins made his on-screen debut in 1979 when he appeared in an episode of CBS. THE Dukes of Hazzard.
He played basketball for a year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and in 2000 received the school’s Most Distinguished Alumni Award. He also organized a regional high school academic decathlon named after him, the Dennis Haskins Open.
Also a musician, Haskins participated in two USO tours in 2000 for troops in Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia and again in 2002 in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman and Kyrgyzstan. He also flew with the Blue Angels.
He is survived by his son, Dustin.
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