We now have an official cause of death for Dennis Haskins. The actor, best known for playing Mr. Belding in Saved by the Bell, died from Parkinson’s disease, according to his death certficate obtained by TMZ.
Haskins died September 27 in Burbank. It had been reported that Haskins was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, but had kept the diagnosis largely private.
Haskins initially played Principal Richard Belding in the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, opposite Hayley Mills in 1989. After one season, the show was retooled as Saved by the Bell on NBC, where he reprised his role through its four-season run. Haskins returned as Mr. Belding for Saved by the Bell: The New Class in 1993 and played the role for seven more seasons, until the show’s finale in 2000.
Haskins had dozens of additional acting credits, including Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, Malibu, CA, The Practice, The West Wing, The Rerun Show, The Stoneman, 7th Heaven, Going Down, Red Water, Tangy Guacamole, An Ordinary Killer, JAG, Dead End Road, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Men of a Certain Age, The Bold and the Beautiful, Victorious, Mad Men, Emerald Acres, How I Met Your Mother, Destroy the Alpha Gammas, New Girl, Hot in Cleveland, This Isn’t Working, Bill Nye Saves the World, Abstruse, Enigma, and A Bennett Song Holiday, among others.
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Haskins’ agent Jay Schachter confirmed the actor’s death to Deadline, saying in a statement, “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 continued. He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly. I’m heartbroken.”
Haskins was 75.