Haskins passed away September 27th in Burbank, California. He had privately battled Parkinson’s disease for eight years and had been living in an assisted living facility. An official cause of death has not been publicly announced. His longtime agent, Jay Schachter, confirmed the news and described it as “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.”
Born Dennis Button Haskins IV on November 18th, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Haskins attended Notre Dame High School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he was active in drama and helped found a community theatre group.
Before acting full-time, he worked as a music manager, agent, and concert promoter; his clients included Tom Jones and Gregg Allman.
He first played Richard Belding on the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss in 1988. When the show was retooled and moved to NBC as Saved by the Bell (1989–1993), Haskins continued as the kind-hearted but frequently exasperated principal of Bayside High. He reprised the role in Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993–2000) and in TV movies, becoming a fixture of 1990s Saturday-morning television.
His signature line: “Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” became instantly recognisable to a generation of viewers watching Zack Morris, A.C. Slater, Screech, Kelly, Jessie, and Lisa navigate high-school antics.
Haskins later appeared in Mad Men, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Hot in Cleveland, New Girl, Victorious, and Seth MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014). He also reunited with several Saved by the Bell co-stars for a 2015 sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Friends and those close to him said Haskins kept his Parkinson’s diagnosis largely private. Kimberly Snow, his friend, caretaker, and former manager at Burbank’s Dimples Karaoke bar (a place many considered his “second home”), said he did not want attention or to have to explain his illness. He remained a karaoke regular for years and was known for his warmth toward fans.
His son, Dustin, 16, survived him.
Co-stars quickly exchanged memories, Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle) wrote on Instagram saying:
“Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply. We shared so much history together from our earliest days, and through it all, he remained a fabulous person, a loyal friend, and someone with such a kind, gentle heart. 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.”
Mario Lopez (A.C. Slater) posted on X:
“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. ❤️”
Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski) remembered him as “a steady presence” who “kept us in line while making sure we knew he was in our corner.” Saying:
“Dennis Haskins was a steady presence in my teenage years, the kind of figure who kept us in line while making sure we knew he was in our corner. I will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him. RIP Mr. B”
Haskins spent more than a decade as television’s most recognisable high-school principal. For many who grew up in the late 1980s and 1990s, Mr Belding was part of the furniture of Saturday mornings. Someone who was stern when needed, kind underneath, and always ready to say “Hey, hey, hey.”
