"Saved by the Bell" Star Dennis Haskins Dead at 75

If you were a kid in the late '80s, then you remember Saved by the Bell, and if you remember Saved by the Bell, you remember actor Dennis Haskins. Haskins was the only regular cast member of the series who was an adult, and his character, Mr. Belding, the semi-antagonist principal, became as iconic as any of the teen lead characters. A generation has lost its favorite school principal, as Dennis Haskins has passed away at the age of 75.

Dennis Haskins had a 40-year career in television where he made guest appearances in nearly 100 television series. His second-ever appearance was in an episode of the ABC series, The Greatest American Hero. He would also appear in other ABC series in the early '80s, like The Fall Guy and Hardcastle and McCormick.

It's often forgotten that while Saved by the Bell was an NBC show, it has Disney roots. The series was originally conceived as Good Morning, Miss Bliss, a comedy about a middle school teacher and her students. NBC originally passed on the series, but it would find new life on Disney Channel in 1987. The title character would be played by Disney mainstay Hayley Mills. Haskins wasn't cast as the principal in the original pilot, but he would play the role throughout the Disney Channel run and would be the only adult cast member to make the jump when the show was retooled into the Saved by the Bell series that we know.

Another cast member who appeared in both Good Morning, Miss Bliss and Saved by the Bell was Lark Voorhies, who posted in remembrance of her former co-star.

Haskins would return to play Principal Richard Belding for the rest of his career. He played the part through the four years of the original series. He returned for the follow-up series Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which ran for an additional seven years. He would appear in Saved by the Bell TV movies and make an appearance in the short-lived Saved by the Bell: The College Years. His final appearances as Mr. Belding would come as part of late-night TV sketches. He played the part on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and would return one final time in a 2015 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez, and Tiffani Thiessen.

In his post-Saved by the Bell career, Haskins would return to guest spots on television and film. He would appear in high-profile dramas like The West Wing and Mad Men. However, one of his most memorable roles may have been his appearance in a 2005 episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Dennis Haskins was also an avid WWE fan and frequently appeared in the YouTube series Long Island Iced Z with Zach Ryder, also known as Disney Parks superfan Matt Cardona.

An outpouring of love on social media shows what an impact Mr. Belding had on a generation. Dennis Haskins may never have been a star, but he clearly made an impression and will never be forgotten.