Saved by the Bell fans were left heartbroken over the devastating news of Dennis Haskins' death on Tuesday. The American actor, who was famed for playing high school principal Mr Richard Belding in the hit teen sitcom, died aged 75, his agent announced in a statement.
While Dennis continued to act following his Saved by the Bell fame – with parts in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005), Mad Men (2012) and A Bennett Song Holiday (2020) – he made his final public appearance nearly a decade before his death.
The actor was photographed at an NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers on 29 December, 2018 in Los Angeles.
© Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesIn the picture, taken at the Crypto.com Arena (then known as the Staples Center), Dennis smiled from the crowd while wearing a smart navy suit.
In the weeks leading up to his final public outing, Dennis was photographed at various public events, including at the LA premiere of the documentary, Lucha Vavoom: Inside America's Most Outrageous Show, and the opening night performance of A Bronx Tale at the Pantages Theatre in LA.
© Getty ImagesDennis Haskins life and career
Dennis, born in 1950, was best known for his portrayal of beloved school teacher Mr. Belding. He played the character – famed for his iconic catchphrase, "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?" – for more than a decade, making his debut on the Disney Channel show Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which ran for one season before becoming Saved by the Bell.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesHe appeared in the show throughout its four-season run between 1989 and 1993, before reprising the role on Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which aired from 1993-2000. In 2015, he played the part for a final time when he reunited with Saved by the Bell stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen for a sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Dennis also appeared in series such as New Girl, JAG, and How I Met Your Mother.
© Getty ImagesDennis was also a musician and released his first music album, Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis, in 2009.
In 2015, at the age of 65, Dennis graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre.
