“It’s a tragic loss,” Schachter said in a statement shared by Variety. “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 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. I’m heartbroken.” Haskins died over the weekend in Burbank, California, and the cause of death hasn’t been shared. The New York Times reported that Haskins had been in an assisted living facility since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago—a condition that he didn’t publicly disclose prior to his death.
Born November 18, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Haskins attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he was an active student, writing for the school paper and participating in the drama club. According to his university biography, he was also a founding member of the community theater group, the Harlequins. Haskins is most recognized for portraying Principal Belding, a character he originally played on the Disney Channel show Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which NBC reworked and renamed Saved By The Bell. The actor played the principal of Bayside High School on all four seasons of the sitcom between 1989 and 1992. Haskins reprised the role for two TV movies, Saved By The Bell: Hawaiian Style and Saved By The Bell: Wedding In Las Vegas, and the two series Saved By The Bell: The College Years and Saved By The Bell: The New Class. He later guest-starred on shows like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother, and New Girl.
Saved By The Bell star Mario Lopez reacted to Haskins’ death with a post shared on Instagram on Tuesday, writing: “Heartbroken to hear about my old friend Dennis Haskins. He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set. If you knew him, you loved him—and if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic! I’m grateful for the laughs, the memories, and the friendship we shared all these years. Rest easy, my friend. You’ll always be part of our Bayside family.”
The NYT reported that Haskins was married to Sarah Dianne Goins, but they divorced. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Haskins is survived by a younger brother.
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