Dennis Haskins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dennis Haskins
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Dennis Haskins in 2009
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| Born | November 18, 1950 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) | Dianne Haskins (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
Dennis Haskins (born November 18, 1950) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Principal Richard Belding in the popular teen TV show Saved by the Bell. This show was on NBC from 1989 to 1993. He also starred in Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993-2000) and was a regular on Good Morning, Miss Bliss.
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About Dennis Haskins
Dennis Haskins was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He went to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. Later, he studied at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He played basketball there and was also part of the cheerleading team. Dennis Haskins is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which is a social club for college students. Today, he lives in both Los Angeles and Winthrop, Massachusetts.
Before he became an actor, Haskins was a contestant on TV game shows. He appeared on Press Your Luck and Scrabble.
Acting Career
Before his famous role on Saved by the Bell, Dennis Haskins appeared in several episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard. He played different small parts in that show.
The Famous Principal Belding
Dennis Haskins tried out seven times for the role of Mr. Belding. He first played the character in 1988 on Good Morning, Miss Bliss, a show on the Disney Channel. After one year, the show changed and became Saved by the Bell on NBC. Haskins was the only adult actor who stayed on the show as a regular cast member.
He became well-known for his catchphrase, "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?". He continued to play Principal Belding in the spin-off show, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, until the year 2000.
In 2015, Dennis Haskins reunited with some of his Saved by the Bell co-stars. He joined Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez, and Tiffani Thiessen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. They performed a fun sketch based on Saved by the Bell.
Other TV and Movie Roles
Dennis Haskins has appeared in many other TV shows and movies. He had a small role in the 2006 film The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down. He also appeared in the 2014 movie A Million Ways to Die in the West. In that film, he played a snake oil salesman at a fair. He has also been a guest on shows like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and New Girl.
In recent years, he has shared his wish to join the cast of ABC's Dancing With The Stars.
Music and More
On August 31, 2009, Dennis Haskins released his first music album. It was called "Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis." On the album, he sings many different songs. One song, "Mustang Sally", was a duet with Hulk Hogan's daughter, Brooke Hogan.
In 2010, Haskins appeared in a music video for the band Iwrestledabearonce. The video was called "See You in Shell" and made fun of Saved by the Bell and movies by John Hughes.
Dennis Haskins also enjoys professional wrestling and WWE. He has appeared in several episodes of Z! True Long Island Story. This was a YouTube series by WWE professional wrestler Zack Ryder. He is also friends with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.
In 2016, Haskins performed on stage with a 90s-themed band called Saved by the 90s. This happened in Toledo, Ohio, at a Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball game.
He also appeared in the music video for "Vacation" by Dirty Heads. In this video, he is seen in an empty high school, singing along to the song. More recently, he was in the music video for "Young Dumb & Broke" by Khalid. In that video, he plays a principal making an announcement over the school's intercom.
Awards and Recognition
Dennis Haskins received a special award from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He was named the Most Distinguished Alumni of 2000. There is also a high school academic competition named after him. It is called The Dennis Haskins Open and has been held for many years.
