Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for playing the beloved principal on the ’90s sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” died this week in Burbank, California, at age 75.
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A cause of death has not been revealed. Haskins had been living in an assisted living facility since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago, The New York Times reported.
“It’s a tragic loss,” said Jay Schachter, his agent, per CBS News. “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.”
Haskins’ ‘Saved by the Bell’ co-stars pay tribute to the actor
Haskins was known for foiling the pranks and hijinks of main character Zach Morris, and the pair had a fun, though sometimes exasperated, relationship on the show.
His catchphrase from the show was “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?”
Two of his former co-stars took to social media to pay tribute to the actor.
Mario Lopez, who played the sporty athlete A.C. Slater on the show, wrote about how much the star meant to him.
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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… pic.twitter.com/6jNHDIuCQD
— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) September 29, 2026
“Heartbroken to hear about my old friend Dennis Haskins. He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set,” Mario Lopez wrote in a post on X. “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, who played cheerleader and leading lady Kelli Kapowski, also took to social media to honor Haskins.
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“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,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “I will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him. RIP Mr. B.”
About Dennis Haskins
The actor was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. While in college, he reported for the student newspaper, acted in campus productions and was a founding member of the community theater group known as the Harlequins, according to his university biography.