Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding in the high school comedy series “Saved by the Bell,” has died, his agent announced Monday.
Haskins was 75 years old. The cause and manner of death were not available.
“This is a tragic loss,” Jay Schachter, head of film and television at Stewart Talent in New York, said in a statement.
Haskins’ role on the series, which aired from 1989 to 1993, would define him for millions of fans.
“Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who knew 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, performed in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins, according to his college biography.
As a young man, he worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter and counted Tom Jones and Gregg Allman among his clients, according to his IMDb biography.
Early in his career, he landed appearances on the TV shows “Magnum, PI” 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 college biography. The following year, NBC aired the show under the title “Saved by the Bell”; it lasted until 1993.
He reprized the role in “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which aired Saturday mornings from 1993 to 2000 on NBC. After the series ended, he found work in several films and television shows, including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” according to his college biography.
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.”
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