Chattanooga, Tennessee — Dennis Haskins, the actor widely known for playing Principal Richard Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” has died at the age of 75.

Haskins’ death was confirmed by a longtime friend and caretaker, according to WTVC, which reported from his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“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,” Haskins’ agent Jay Schachter told the Hollywood Reporter.

“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. I’m heartbroken.”

No cause of death has been disclosed.

Dimples Karaoke, a Burbank, Calif., bar where Haskins was considered a “staple” and that many patrons regarded as his “second home,” said Monday that the actor had spent the previous eight years battling Parkinson’s disease.

The establishment said Haskins had kept his health struggles private because he did not want the attention.

“He had been silent about his fight with Parkinson’s, among other health concerns, because he did not want the attention. He did not want to have to tell people. He would say, ‘What do I even say?’ So I respected his wishes and stayed quiet, and I helped him through his journey into the next chapter of his life,” the post said.

“What a cool and amazing life he had. Rest in peace, Dennis. You were very much loved and will never be forgotten.”

Haskins spent more than a decade portraying Belding at Bayside High on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989-93 and in its spinoffs, including “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which ran from 1993-2000. The role earned him the nickname “America’s Favorite Principal.”

Belding’s frustrated “Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?” became one of the sitcom’s best-known lines as the principal attempted to keep Zack Morris and his fellow students under control.

Long before his television career, Haskins attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and was heavily involved in campus activities.

He helped establish the Harlequins theater group, wrote and staged original plays and, while serving as student government entertainment chairman, booked Ike and Tina Turner for a 1973 campus concert.

Haskins also wrote for the student newspaper and arranged a charity basketball game between students and city officials to raise scholarship funds for children of local police officers.

Before becoming an actor, Haskins worked as a music manager, agent and concert promoter. His clients included singer Tom Jones and rock star Gregg Allman, according to his IMDb biography.

Haskins made his network television debut in the 1979 pilot episode of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” appearing as a Boar’s Nest bar patron who is struck in the foot with a stiletto by Daisy Duke.

His major television breakthrough came a decade later with “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” the precursor to “Saved by the Bell.”

Over the course of his career, Haskins accumulated more than 100 acting credits. His television work included guest appearances on “The West Wing,” “Mad Men,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “7th Heaven.”

In 2009, he also released an album titled “Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis.”

Haskins is survived by his son, Dustin, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

His death comes five years after his “Saved by the Bell” co-star Dustin Diamond, who portrayed Samuel “Screech” Powers, died from lung cancer in 2021 at age 44.

Original article