The actor Dennis Haskins, known to millions of television viewers as ‘Bayside High School principal Richard Belding’ in Saved by the Bell , has died at 75. Haskins' death was announced by his friend and caregiver, with the Tennessee-based WTVC station stating on September 28, 2026, that no cause of death has formally emerged.
The passing of Haskins followed a number of years when he kept much of his ill health out of the public spotlight. In an online message honoring him, a Chattanooga’s local joint called Dimples Karaoke stated that he had been suffering from Parkinson's and some other illnesses for a number of years now. The statement added that he never wanted people to know about his health problem and so he never brought it up in public.
“About eight years ago, he became ill. 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,” said the Instagram post.
Crucially, however, this information about Parkinson's cannot be taken to prove its role in his death.
