Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for playing Principal Richard Belding on the television sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” has died at 75, according to reports published Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026.
Haskins’ death was reported by NBC News and local media in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Additional details, including the exact date, location and cause of death, were not immediately available.
For many viewers, Haskins was the adult presence at the center of “Saved by the Bell,” the NBC sitcom that followed a group of students at the fictional Bayside High School. As Mr. Belding, Haskins played a frequently exasperated but ultimately caring principal who attempted to keep order while navigating the schemes and misadventures of the show’s teenage characters.
The series originally aired from 1989 to 1993 and became one of the defining teen comedies of its era. Haskins continued in the role for “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which ran from 1993 through 2000. He also appeared in the show’s predecessor, “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” which was later reworked into the better-known “Saved by the Bell” format.
A Chattanooga beginning
Haskins was born Nov. 18, 1950, in Chattanooga. He attended Notre Dame High School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he became involved in campus theater and student activities.
According to materials held by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Haskins participated in the school’s drama organizations, worked with the student newspaper and helped establish the Harlequins, a community theater group. The university has described him as an active and well-known student before his television career.
That connection to Chattanooga remained part of Haskins’ public identity. In addition to his acting work, he was associated with local academic and community events, including a regional high school academic decathlon named in his honor, according to the university’s archival materials.
Beyond Bayside High
Haskins’ career began before “Saved by the Bell.” He worked in television and film roles during the late 1970s and 1980s, appearing in a variety of programs before gaining widespread recognition as Mr. Belding.
After the “Saved by the Bell” franchise, Haskins continued to take acting roles and made appearances connected to the show. He also appeared at fan conventions, nostalgia events and minor league baseball promotions, where his television character remained a draw for audiences.
His role as Mr. Belding was unusual for a sitcom centered on teenagers. The character was not simply an authority figure. Across the series, Belding often served as a comic counterpoint to the students while also providing a steady, supportive adult presence. Haskins’ delivery of the character’s stern warnings helped make the principal one of the show’s most recognizable figures.
“Saved by the Bell” continued to reach new audiences through syndication and streaming, giving Haskins’ performance a life well beyond the show’s original run. The series also became part of a broader wave of 1990s television nostalgia, with cast reunions and renewed interest in the franchise over the years.
Haskins’ death comes after the deaths of several other performers associated with the original series, including Dustin Diamond, who played Samuel “Screech” Powers and died in 2021 at age 44.
As of Tuesday evening, public reports had not provided information about funeral arrangements or a statement from Haskins’ family. Those details were expected to be confirmed before publication updates.
