Dennis Haskins, ‘Saved by the Bell’ Principal, Dies at 75

LOS ANGELES — Dennis Haskins, the actor beloved for portraying Principal Richard Belding on the classic sitcom “Saved By The Bell,” has died at age 75, his agent confirmed to ABC News.

“It’s a tragic loss,” agent Jay Schachter said. “Everyone loved Mr. Belding, and those of us who knew Dennis loved him even more. He was a wonderful person who truly adored his fans. No matter where he was, he always made time for them.”

A cause of death has not been announced.

Haskins first brought Principal Belding to life in the 1989 Disney Channel series “Good Morning, Miss Bliss.” The character later carried over when the show was reworked as NBC’s “Saved By The Bell.”

He remained with “Saved By The Bell” throughout its original four-season run from 1989 to 1993. Haskins then reprised the role on “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which aired for seven seasons between 1993 and 2000.

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A defining sitcom of the 1990s, “Saved By The Bell” followed a group of teenagers as they dealt with school, friendships and the challenges of growing up. For generations of viewers, Principal Belding remains inseparable from his signature line: “Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?”

Haskins last appeared as the iconic principal in 2015, when he reunited with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen for a “Saved By The Bell” sketch on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Beyond his best-known role, Haskins appeared in a wide range of television shows and films, including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Men of a Certain Age,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Victorious,” “Mad Men,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “New Girl” and “Hot In Cleveland,” among others.