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UPDATE 9:40 A.M. PST: Actress Tiffani Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski, has now shared her tribute via Insta Stories, writing:
“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”
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Dennis Haskins, the actor who played Principal Richard Belding on the popular 80s/90s hit teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, has died.
He was 75. Per the New York Times, he passed away on Sunday. As of this writing, a cause has not been reported.
In a statement to TMZ, his agent Jay Schachter says:
“It’s a tragic loss. 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. He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly.”
With over 100 acting credits to his name, Dennis was always working hard through at least 2020. He played parts in Mad Men, The New Girl, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The West Wing, 7th Heaven, and so much more.
Some of the iconic SBTB cast have already started paying their respects on social media.
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Mario Lopez, who played A.C. Slater, shared a photo with him to Instagram, calling him everyone’s “favorite principal” — look:
Lark Voorhies, who played Lisa Turtle, also shared a photo of him on Insta, captioning it:
“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.”
We’ll continue to update if more cast tributes come in.
Rest in peace, Mr. Belding. Thank you for all the laughs.
[Image via YouTube/NBC/FayesVision/WENN]