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We have tragic news to report from the world of television.
Dennis Haskins — the actor best known for playing Principal Richard Belding on Saved by the Bell –has died at the age of 75.
Haskins’ death was confirmed by his longtime agent and friend, Jay Schachter, who shared the news with TMZ on Monday.
“It’s a tragic loss,” Schachter said. “Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more.”
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
And while Haskins may have spent years pretending to be exasperated by Zack Morris and the rest of the Bayside High crew, his agent says the actor was every bit as warm away from the cameras.
“He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans,” Schachter said.
“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.”
That affection from fans makes plenty of sense.
Haskins became a familiar face to an entire generation when he portrayed Principal Belding, the perpetually frustrated administrator tasked with keeping Bayside’s famously chaotic teenagers under control.
Belding was often forced to storm into whatever latest scheme the students had cooked up while delivering his instantly recognizable catchphrase:
“Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?”
Few television catchphrases that can transport millions of Gen X and millinnial TV fans quite so quickly back to the 1990s.
Haskins first took on the role in Good Morning, Miss Bliss before continuing as Belding when the series became Saved by the Bell. He remained associated with the character for more than a decade, later reprising the role in Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Saved by the Bell: The New Class.
His career continued well beyond Bayside, with appearances in shows and movies including The West Wing, 7th Heaven, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, New Girl, Mad Men, and A Million Ways to Die in the West.
But for millions of fans, he will always be Mr. Belding.
And now, unfortunately, that familiar “Hey, hey, hey” is part of television history.
Our thoughts go out to Dennis Hastings’ loved ones during this difficult time.
