Dennis Haskins, 75, 'Saved by the Bell' Actor Who Played Mr. Belding, Dies — and a Private Health Battle He Kept Hidden for Eight Years Comes to Light

Dennis Haskins, the actor who made Principal Richard Belding one of television’s most recognizable school figures, has died at 75. But as tributes pour in for the beloved "Saved by the Bell" star, details about the final years he deliberately kept out of the public eye are beginning to emerge.

Haskins died Sunday night, September 27, 2026, at an assisted living facility in Burbank, California, according to his longtime friend and caretaker Kimberly Snow, who confirmed his death to the Los Angeles Times. He was 75. His cause of death has not been disclosed.

The Man Behind Mr. Belding

For millions of viewers, however, Haskins will forever be associated with Bayside High School and the exasperated principal who repeatedly found himself trying to keep Zack Morris and his friends out of trouble.

His signature line — "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?" — became one of the character's defining moments as Haskins played the well-meaning but frequently overwhelmed Principal Richard Belding.

The role began with Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which aired on the Disney Channel in 1988, before the series was reworked as Saved by the Bell and moved to NBC the following year, according to his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga biography.

Haskins remained the one adult constant as the franchise expanded, returning as Belding for Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class. He continued playing the character until 2000.

His agent Jay Schachter remembered him not simply as the man behind Mr. Belding, but as someone who remained deeply connected to the people who watched him.

"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," he tells TMZ. Schachter added, "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."

Long Before Bayside, Haskins Was Building a Career

Haskins was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on November 18, 1950, and attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Notre Dame High School, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Before television made him famous, he was already immersed in entertainment. According to his IMDb biography, Haskins worked as a music manager, agent, and concert promoter, with Tom Jones and Gregg Allman among the performers connected to his work.

At UTC, he was similarly active. He reported for the student newspaper, acted with the Drama Club and Harlequins, served as entertainment chairman of the Student Government Association, and belonged to the Blue Key Honor Fraternity and Raven’s Society.

He also helped found the Harlequins community theater group, where he acted, worked as a stage manager, and wrote original plays. As SGA entertainment chairman, Haskins organized movies and concerts and even helped bring Ike and Tina Turner to UTC on April 7, 1973. His involvement with the university did not end when his acting career took off.

He Finally Got the Degree He Left Behind

In December 2015, at age 65, Haskins returned to UTC for a milestone that had been decades in the making: he finally earned his bachelor's degree in theater. The university noted that Haskins had already completed the academic credits necessary for the degree, having left college years earlier just short of graduation.

"As successful as some have said I’ve been, from the incredible success of 'Saved by the Bell,' other quality acting roles, the books I've written, and even UTC Distinguished Alumni in 2000, there's always been something missing for me—my college degree," Haskins said, according to UTC's 2015 commencement announcement.

He also reflected on the decision to return and finish what he had started. "For reasons long past, I left just short of my liberal arts degree in theater. Over the years I've thought about and even pursued finishing that degree," said Haskins.

"Now, with the forward-thinking policies of this great university that I love so much that have benefited many other graduates, I join these graduates in holding my head high, having earned my liberal arts degree in theater from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga! Go Chattanooga! And Go Mocs!"

The achievement came during another notable year for Haskins. He had reportedly lost 70 pounds in 2015.

His Public Life Slowly Went Quiet

The change became increasingly noticeable in Haskins' final years. According to a 2026 retrospective on the "Saved by the Bell" cast, Haskins was absent from the 2020 Peacock reboot of the franchise and never publicly explained why.

He had also stopped posting on social media several years earlier. Back in January 2020, Chattanooga broadcaster David Carroll had one of his final conversations with Haskins.

Carroll later recalled in a September 28 tribute that he had passed along a request for an interview, only for Haskins to firmly decline. "That's not gonna happen."

When Carroll expressed surprise, Haskins reportedly made clear that he did not want to discuss it. After that, Carroll said Haskins stopped responding to calls and texts from his Chattanooga friends for years.

The change was especially striking because Haskins had once been a familiar presence in his hometown. Carroll remembered him as someone who would return during the holidays, visit old friends and make time for local events.

The Health Battle He Chose Not to Discuss

Now, the reason for some of that distance has become clearer. Snow revealed after his death that Haskins had been privately battling Parkinson's disease for approximately eight years, along with other health concerns.

She explained that he had deliberately chosen not to make the illness public because he did not want the attention that would come with having to explain his condition.

"About eight years ago, he became ill. 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."

Snow said Haskins would wonder what he was supposed to tell people about what he was going through. "What do I even say?" Rather than speak publicly about his illness, Haskins entrusted Snow with helping him through what she described as "the next chapter of his life."

"So I respected his wishes and stayed quiet, and I helped him through his journey into the next chapter of his life."

His Final Hours Held an Unexpected Connection to an Old Friend

Haskins died at approximately 11 p.m. Sunday at the Burbank assisted living facility, according to Snow. She was there for his final goodbye. And after leaving his room, she encountered a detail that made the moment even more poignant.

Snow wrote that she had gone across the hall to sign paperwork after saying her final goodbyes. When she looked up, she realized the room where Haskins had spent his final moments had been provided as a gift from the Mario Lopez Golf Classic — a charity event connected to his former "Saved by the Bell" co-star.

"After I said my final goodbyes to him last night, I was across the hall signing some paperwork. I looked up and saw that the room he had been in was a gift from the Mario Lopez Golf Classic, and somehow, that made me feel a little better."

It was an unexpected final link to the show that had defined so much of Haskins' life. The actor had spent years playing Principal Belding alongside Lopez's Zack Morris, the student who routinely tested his patience. In the end, a charitable event associated with Lopez had helped provide the very room where Haskins spent his final chapter.

The Place Where Fans Knew Him Best

Away from Hollywood, Haskins became closely associated with Dimples Karaoke in Burbank. The karaoke establishment eventually closed, but its connection to Haskins remained strong enough that many patrons mistakenly believed he actually owned the place.

Snow explained in an Instagram tribute that Haskins was simply a regular who loved the venue and the people there. "Dennis was a staple at Dimples. A lot of people thought he owned it, but he didn't. He just loved the place and its people. He enjoyed singing for people, meeting them, and taking selfies with his fans."

"Dimples closed down about 11 years ago, and people still associate him with his beloved 'second home.' He was known to most as Mr. Belding from 'Saved by the Bell,' but to us, he was much more than that."

A Life His Friends Say Was Much Bigger Than One Role

Although Haskins will forever be remembered as Mr. Belding, his career stretched far beyond Bayside High. He appeared in The Twilight Zone, Magnum, P.I., It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, and A Million Ways to Die in the West, among numerous other productions.

He also released a karaoke album in 2009 titled Karaoke With Your Favorite Principal Dennis, featuring songs including "Piano Man" and a version of "Mustang Sally" performed with Brooke Hogan.

His Chattanooga connections remained particularly important to him. Carroll recalled that Haskins regularly visited his hometown and even made trips to Children's Hospital, where he would pose for photographs and sign autographs for children.

In a 2014 account, Carroll wrote that Haskins was "always approachable" and genuinely grateful for the fame and friendships his career had brought him. That affection appears to have been mutual.

The Friends Who Knew Him Beyond Mr. Belding

Following Haskins' death, tributes began appearing from friends who knew him away from the television set. One friend, Jake Infusino, remembered in an Instagram tribute reposted on Dimples Karaoke's Instagram Story that he and Haskins had once met for dinner every month to discuss life and the entertainment industry.

"Dennis and I would meet up for dinner once a month to talk about life, the industry, and everything in between. He was an enigmatic figure, entertainer, and someone I grew up watching before school."

Infusino added, "I hadn't seen him at all since COVID, and to hear that he was privately battling is so sad. @kimberlylasnow is a saint! Hard to believe so many @dimpleskaraoke legends are no longer with us. Life is short, and we're not guaranteed another season." He ended his tribute simply, "Rest in peace, Dennis."

Another friend, Eric Cacioppo, who worked at Dimples, remembered Haskins as someone who would come in nightly to sing. In a tribute shared on Instagram, Cacioppo recalled their friendship, their conversations about professional wrestling and the headshots Haskins allowed him to take.

"I just found out my friend Dennis Haskins (bka Mr. Belding) passed away today at age 75. He had been privately sick for many years. I was lucky enough to call Dennis [a] friend. I worked at Dimples Karaoke in Burbank ca [sic] for a few years, and he came in nightly to sing. Over the years, we grew close."

"We talked pro wrestling. He let me take his headshots over the years. The man even came to my wedding. I have missed my friend for years now, but it still hits hard that he is gone. I'm sure I will share more stories of him soon, but for now, this is how I will always remember him. Singing on the Dimples stage, entertaining the people. I love you, Dennis. Rest easy."

Another Instagram Story shared by the Dimples Karaoke account featured the simple message, "Rest easy, my friend. 🕊️" Another tribute recalled the regular dinners, conversations, and memories shared with Haskins over the years. For those who knew him at Dimples, the memories were often less about Hollywood and more about a man standing on a karaoke stage, singing for the people around him.

Snow ended her tribute by reflecting on the life Haskins had lived and the privacy he had fought to maintain until the end. "Late last night, that journey ended for him. He is now at peace and is probably entertaining the people in the sky. Just know that if you tried to reach out to him in the last few years, I did read your messages to him, and you were heard."

Then came a final sentiment that perhaps best captures how his friends remember him, "What a cool and amazing life he had. Rest in peace, Dennis. You were very much loved and will never be forgotten."