Dennis Haskins, the American actor beloved by millions for his portrayal of the stern yet warm-hearted Principal Richard Belding in the hit teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died at the age of 75.
His agent Jay Schachter confirmed the news on Tuesday, though no cause of death was disclosed.
“It’s a tragic loss. Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who got to know Dennis loved him even more,” Schachter said. “He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what.”
Schachter, who represented Haskins for more than two decades, described the actor as a dear friend. “I will miss him terribly,” he added.
Saved by the Bell cast in 1990
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His Saved by the Bell co-star Lark Voorhies, who played Lisa Turtle in the series, paid an emotional tribute on Instagram.
“Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply,” she wrote.
Voorhies described him as “a fabulous person, a loyal friend, and someone with such a kind, gentle heart.”
She reflected on the deep bond they had forged since the earliest days of their careers. “We shared so much history together from our earliest days, and through it all, he remained a fabulous person,” she said.
Saved by the Bell stars Dennis Haskins and Dustin Diamond in 1997
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“I am truly heartbroken by his passing and will miss his warmth and laughter more than words can say. Rest in peace Dennis, you will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Haskins first appeared on screen in 1979 with a role in the CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard.
He went on to originate the character of Mr Belding on the Disney Channel programme Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was subsequently reworked into Saved by the Bell on NBC, airing from 1989 to 1993.
He continued in the role through the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which ran for a further seven years until 2000.
He also featured in Saved by the Bell: The College Years and two television films, Hawaiian Style and Wedding in Las Vegas.
In February 2015, Haskins reprised Mr Belding one last time during a sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen.
Beyond his signature role, the Chattanooga-born actor appeared in programmes including The West Wing, Mad Men, New Girl, How I Met Your Mother and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as well as Seth MacFarlane’s film A Million Ways to Die in the West.
Haskins was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1950 and played basketball for a year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Dennis Haskins died at 75
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He left his studies incomplete when his acting career took off, but returned decades later to earn his liberal arts degree in theatre, graduating at the age of 65.
The university had previously honoured him with its Most Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000, and a regional high school academic decathlon was named after him — The Dennis Haskins Open.
A musician as well as an actor, Haskins undertook USO tours in 2000 to Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia, and again in 2002 to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman and Kyrgyzstan. He also flew with the Blue Angels.
He is survived by his son, Dustin.