Dennis Haskins
Actor
November 18, 1950 — September 27, 2026 (75 years)
Dennis Haskins (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.
Dennis Haskins was born on November 18, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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. Before beginning his acting career, Haskins appeared as a contestant on the TV game show Scrabble.
Before his role on Saved by the Bell, Haskins appeared in 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.
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.
He appeared in the 2014 film A Million Ways to Die in the West as a snake oil salesman at the fair.
In recent years, he had been lobbying to become a cast member on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
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.
Haskins died at his home in Burbank, California on September 27, 2026, at age 75. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years earlier.
Dennis Haskins was born on November 18, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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. Before beginning his acting career, Haskins appeared as a contestant on the TV game show Scrabble.
Before his role on Saved by the Bell, Haskins appeared in 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.
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.
He appeared in the 2014 film A Million Ways to Die in the West as a snake oil salesman at the fair.
In recent years, he had been lobbying to become a cast member on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
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.
Haskins died at his home in Burbank, California on September 27, 2026, at age 75. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years earlier.
FreeMovies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2020 | A Bennett Song Holiday · as Sam Bennett |
| 2019 | Clemency · as Mr. Collins |
| 2019 | Abstruse · as Senator StevensOn Plex |
| 2019 | Enigma · as Bob JenkinsOn Plex |
| 2018 | United Colors of Bennett Song · as Sam Bennett |
| 2017 | Trailer Park Shark · as DeconnardOn Plex |
| 2017 | I'm Dying Up Here · as Father Jacobs |
| 2017 | Bill Nye Saves the World · as Dennis - Hacked Support Group Member |
| 2017 | Alexander IRL · as Mr. Delaney |
| 2016 | This Isn't Working · as Principal Wilson |
| 2016 | Triumph · as Belding |
| 2015 | Up on the Wooftop · as Santa ClausOn Plex |
| 2014 | Bro, What Happened? · as Dennis |
| 2014 | Jennifer Falls · as Mr. Whitehorn |
| 2014 | A Million Ways to Die in the West · as Snake Oil Salesman |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon · as Mr. Richard Belding |
| 2014 | Sharkproof · as PatOn Plex |
| 2013 | Chapman · as Father |
| 2011 | New Girl · as Santa |
| 2011 | The Legend of Awesomest Maximus · as PriestOn Plex |
| 2010 | Heaven's Idiots · as Ezra |
| 2010 | Back Nine · as Lionel |
| 2010 | Stacy's Mom · as Professor Wood |
| 2010 | Hot in Cleveland · as Reverend Bowen |
| 2010 | Victorious · as Richard Belding |
| 2009 | Men of a Certain Age · as Mark Slattiver |
| 2009 | National Lampoon's Ratko: The Dictator's Son · as Dean Sitlong |
| 2008 | Ocean of Pearls · as Dr. Shultz |
| 2008 | Private High Musical · as Mr. Johnson |
| 2008 | Proud American · as Bill |
| 2007 | Revamped · as Satanist #2On Plex |
| 2007 | Mad Men · as Phil BeachumOn Plex |
| 2006 | The Treasure of Painted Forest · as Sheriff Thomas |
| 2005 | How I Met Your Mother · as Judiciary Committee Panel Member |
| 2005 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia · as Chris Murray |
| 2005 | Robot Chicken · as Principal Richard Belding/jigsaw/judge |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson · as Mr. Richard Belding |
| 2004 | Dead End Road · as Mr. Makepiece |
| 2003 | An Ordinary Killer · as Ronald Smith |
| 2003 | Tangy Guacamole · as Uncle Toss Honeycutt |
| 2003 | Red Water · as Captain Dale Landry |
| 2003 | Going Down · as Uncle Frank |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | The Rerun Show · as Mr. Richard Belding |
| 2002 | The Stoneman · as Dean Hendricks |
| 2001 | Max Keeble's Big Move · as Mr. Kohls |
| 1999 | The West Wing · as Ceo Donor |
| 1999 | The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes · as Boyd |
| 1997 | The Practice · as Psychiatrist |
| 1996 | 7th Heaven · as Traffic Officer |
| 1996 | |
| 1995 | JAG · as Airport Security S-1 |
| 1994 | Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas · as Mr. Belding |
| 1993 | Saved by the Bell: The New Class · as Mr. Belding |
| 1993 | Saved by the Bell: The College Years · as Mr. Belding |
| 1992 | Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style · as Mr. Belding |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper · as Coach Macintyre |
| 1990 | Eyewitness to Murder · as Dr. Baldwin |
| 1990 | The Image · as Steven Fish |
| 1989 | Who Shrunk Saturday Morning? · as Mr. Richard Belding (archive Footage) |
| 1989 | Saved by the Bell · as Richard Belding |
| 1989 | Doctor Doctor · as Dr. Stan |
| 1988 | Hiroshima Maiden · as Hal Latimer |
| 1987 | Frank's Place · as Coach Craig |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Miss Bliss · as Richard Belding |
| 1987 | The Bold and the Beautiful · as MackOn Plex |
| 1987 | Ohara · as Det. Harry Bridges |
| 1986 | Together We Stand · as Earl Ward |
| 1985 | Amazing Stories (1985) · as Man In Station Wagon |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone (1985) · as Bledsoe (segment "voices In The Earth") |
| 1985 | Deadly Intentions · as Airline Attendant |
| 1983 | Cutter to Houston · as Workman #1 |
| 1983 | Trauma Center · as Paramedic |
| 1983 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1981 | The Greatest American Hero · as TriggOn Plex |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I. · as Del Haynes |
| 1979 | Knots Landing · as OfficerOn Plex |
| 1979 | |
| 1979 | The Dukes of Hazzard · as Moss |
| 1977 | CHiPs · as Plant Worker |
| 2018 | Tasteless · as Self |
| 2018 | The 1990s: Totally Scandalous · as Self |
| 2017 | S. E. Cupp Unfiltered · as Self |
| 2016 | |
| 2014 | Treasure Chest of Horrors 3 · as Himself |
| 2014 | WWE Summerslam · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2013 | No, You Shut Up! · as Self |
| 2013 | Hello Ross · as Self |
| 2013 | Total Divas · as Self |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon · as Self |
| 2006 | The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down · as Himself |
| 2005 | 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up · as Self |
| 2005 | Dancing with the Stars · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2004 | Behind the Scenes of 'Going Down' · as Self |
| 2002 | I Love The 80s · as Self |
| 2000 | WrestleMania 2000 · as Self |
| 1998 | Malibu, CA · as Dennis Haskins |
| 1997 | Figure It Out · as Self |
| 1993 | WWE Raw · as Self - Audience Member |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman · as Self |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight · as Self |