Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding on the popular teen sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” died Sunday in Burbank, California. He was 75. His friend and caretaker, Kimberly Snow, confirmed his passing, noting that Haskins had been living in an assisted care facility after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years prior.

Haskins portrayed the often exasperated but well-intentioned principal of Bayside High School throughout the series’ original run from 1989 to 1992. The show centered on a group of California high school students, including characters Zack Morris, Screech, Slater, Lisa, Jessie, and Kelly. His character served both as a mentor and comedic foil, frequently announcing his scene entrances with the catchphrase, “Hey, hey hey, what is going on here?” Dustin Diamond, who played Screech, passed away in 2021.

The role of Mr. Belding originated in the 1988-89 Disney Channel series “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” which aired for one season before being retooled by NBC into “Saved by the Bell.” Haskins reprised the role in two television movies—“Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style” (1992) and “Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas” (1994)—as well as in the spinoff “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” (1993-94). He continued to portray Mr. Belding alongside Diamond in the series “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which ran from 1993 to 2000.

Following his work on the franchise, Haskins made guest appearances on several television programs, including “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Mad Men” and “How I Met Your Mother.” His final credited role was in the 2020 Christmas film “A Bennett Song Holiday,” in which he played the grandfather of 14 adopted children.

Born Dennis Button Haskins IV on November 18, 1950, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he was the son of Dennis Button Haskins III and Veneta Marilyn Yarbrough. He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he contributed to the student newspaper, acted in the drama club, and participated in student government. He was also a founding member of the Harlequins, a local community theater group.

Haskins left college in the 1970s to pursue a career in the entertainment industry in California, initially working in the music business before landing his first acting credit on “The Dukes of Hazzard” in 1979. In 2015, he returned to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to complete his degree in theater and speech, expressing a desire to finish what he had started decades earlier. He also donated his “Saved by the Bell” scripts to the university’s library.

In a nod to his alma mater, the finale of “Saved by the Bell: The New Class” featured Mr. Belding leaving Bayside High to become a dean at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Haskins was previously married to Sarah Dianne Goins; the marriage ended in divorce. Details regarding surviving family members have not been disclosed.