Dennis Haskins

Dennis Haskins

Dennis Button Haskins IV (November 18, 1950 – September 27, 2026) was an American actor known for his role as Principal Richard Belding in the teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, which ran from 1989 to 1993 on NBC. He then went on to star in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which aired from 1993 to 2000. He also portrayed the role as a regular in Good Morning, Miss Bliss.

Early life

Dennis Haskins

Dennis Haskins was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on November 18, 1950. He attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He played basketball at UTC after failing to make the team at the University of Tennessee, and he was also a member of the cheerleading squad. Haskins belonged to the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He dropped out of UTC but returned in 2015 to complete his degree in theater and speech, receiving credit for his continued work in his major field. Before beginning his acting career, Haskins appeared as a contestant on the TV game show Scrabble.

Career

Television and film

Before his role on Saved by the Bell, Haskins appeared on several episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard in different roles. In the pilot episode, he played a Boar's Nest patron whom Daisy thrashes after he attempts to grope her while she's working as a waitress.

Haskins, who auditioned seven times for the role of Mr. Belding, first appeared as the character in 1988's Good Morning, Miss Bliss on the Disney Channel. After a year, the show was retooled as Saved by the Bell on NBC, with Haskins being the only adult member of the regular cast. Known for the catchphrase "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?", he continued the role on the spinoff Saved by the Bell: The New Class until 2000. He had a brief cameo as himself in the 2006 film The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down.

As a guest on the March 4, 2010, episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Haskins said he was capable of bench pressing 150 pounds as a senior member of Notre Dame men's varsity basketball team.

In 2011, he actively lobbied to become a cast member on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

He appeared in the 2014 film A Million Ways to Die in the West as a snake oil salesman at the fair.

On February 4, 2015, Haskins reunited with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where they appeared in a Saved by the Bell sketch with Fallon.

Music and other media

On August 31, 2009, Haskins released his first music album, Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis. On the album, he sings songs ranging from "Piano Man" to "Mustang Sally", the latter being a duet with Hulk Hogan's daughter Brooke Hogan. The CD was recorded in the summer of 2009 at Mikron Studios in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, with Mike Headrick. Cody McCarver produced the project, and Mike Yarworth financed it. In 2010, Haskins appeared in the video for "See You in Shell" by experimental metalcore band Iwrestledabearonce, which parodied Saved by the Bell and films by John Hughes.

Haskins was also a fan of professional wrestling and WWE. He appeared in multiple episodes of Z! True Long Island Story, a YouTube series by WWE professional wrestler Zack Ryder. He was also friends with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

On July 14, 2016, Haskins performed on stage with the 1990s themed band, Saved by the 90s, in Toledo, Ohio, at a Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball game.

He appeared in the music video for DJ Lubel's "The Women of LA"along with other former stars of the 90's Jaleel White and Pauly Shore.

Haskins appeared in the music video for Dirty Heads' "Vacation", where he is seen in an empty high school lip‑syncing to the entire track.

He also appeared in the music video for Khalid's "Young Dumb & Broke", playing a principal making an end‑of‑year announcement over the school's intercom.

Death

Dennis Haskins

Haskins died in Burbank, California, on September 27, 2026, at the age of 75. Reports noted he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years earlier. Following his death, former Saved by the Bell cast members Mario Lopez, Tiffani Thiessen, Lark Voorhies, and Leanna Creel shared memories and tributes of Haskins on social media. He was also remembered by his longtime agent, Jay Schachter, and his caretaker Kimberly Snow. Snow was a former bartender at Dimples, a karaoke bar in Burbank that Haskins frequented.

Filmography

Dennis Haskins

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1979–1985</td><td>The Dukes of Hazzard</td><td>Elmo Smith / Gate Guard (uncredited) / Charlie Watkins / Moss</td></tr><tr><td>1979–1983</td><td>Archie Bunker's Place</td><td>Workman</td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>Hardcastle and McCormick: "Rolling Thunder"</td><td>Cop #1</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>Magnum, P.I.: "Autumn Warrior"</td><td>Del Haynes</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>Good Morning, Miss Bliss</td><td>Mr. Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Hiroshima Maiden</td><td>Hal Latimer</td></tr><tr><td>1989–1993</td><td>Saved by the Bell</td><td>Principal Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>The Image</td><td>Steven Fish</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Eyewitness to Murder</td><td>Dr. Baldwin</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style</td><td>Mr. Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Saved by the Bell: The College Years</td><td>Mr. Richard Belding (guest)</td></tr><tr><td>1993–2000</td><td>Saved by the Bell: The New Class</td><td>Principal Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas</td><td>Mr. Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>Figure It Out: Family Style</td><td>Himself (panelist)</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes</td><td>Boyd Russell</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>The Practice</td><td>Psychiatrist</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>18</td><td>Laura's Dad</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>The West Wing: "Bartlet for America"</td><td>C.E.O. Donor #2</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Max Keeble's Big Move</td><td>Mr. Kohls</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>The Stoneman</td><td>Dean Hendricks</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>An Ordinary Killer</td><td>Ronald Smith</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Dismembered</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Going Down</td><td>Uncle Frank</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Red Water</td><td>Captain Dale Landry</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Tangy Guacamole</td><td>Toss Honeycut</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>7th Heaven: "Stand Up"</td><td>Traffic Officer</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>An Ordinary Killer</td><td>Ronald Smith</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>Dead End Road</td><td>Mr. Makepiece</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>JAG</td><td>Airport Security S-1</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</td><td>Coach Murray</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>Wild Michigan</td><td>Sheriff Folgar</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>The Treasure of Painted Forest</td><td>Sheriff Thomas</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down</td><td>Himself</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Revamped</td><td>Satanist #2</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Sweep the Leg</td><td>Pizza Store Owner / Dad</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Ratko: The Dictator's Son</td><td>Dean Sitlong</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Ocean of Pearls</td><td>Dr. Shultz</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Robot Chicken</td><td>Jigsaw / Mr. Belding / Judge</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Private High Musical</td><td>Mr. Johnson</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Stacy's Mom</td><td>Professor Wood</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Creative Differences</td><td>Tom</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>The Legend of Awesomest Maximus</td><td>Father Jay</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Acting School Academy</td><td>Martin DeWitt</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>Men of a Certain Age</td><td>Terry's Landlord</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>"See You in Shell" (music video by iwrestledabearonce)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>Neighborhood Watch</td><td>Principal Gibbous</td></tr><tr><td>2011–2013</td><td>Z! True Long Island Story</td><td>Himself / Mr. Belding</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>Victorious</td><td>Mr. Belding</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>Mad Men</td><td>Cool Whip Test Kitchen Scientist</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>How I Met Your Mother</td><td>Judge #2</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>The JBL and Cole Show</td><td>Himself</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>A Million Ways to Die in the West</td><td>Snake Oil Salesman</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>New Girl</td><td>Santa</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Up on the Wooftop</td><td>Santa Claus</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Hot in Cleveland</td><td>Reverend Bower</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>The Tonight Show</td><td>Mr. Richard Belding</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Holly, Jingles and Clyde</td><td>Santa Claus</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Bennett's Song</td><td>Gpa Sam Bennett</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Abstruse</td><td>Senator Stevens</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Enigma</td><td>Bob Jenkins</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Clemency</td><td>Mr. Collins</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>A Bennett Song Holiday</td><td>GPA Sam Bennett</td></tr></tbody></table>

Awards

Dennis Haskins

Haskins was honored with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000 and has a regional high school academic decathlon named after him, The Dennis Haskins Open.