Saved by the Bell star Dennis Haskins's cause of death revealed one week after beloved actor passed at 75

Actor Dennis Haskins, best known for playing the role of Principal Richard Belding on the TV series Saved by the Bell, died at the age of 75 as a result of Parkinson's disease.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health listed the ailment as his primary cause of death in a death certificate reviewed by TMZ Tuesday. 

Haskins had also been dealing with health conditions including hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, irritable bowel syndrome and depression, according to the death certificate.

The actor died at Burbank, California's Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center on  September 27, according to officials.

'It's a tragic loss,' Haskins' agent Jay Schachter previously told The Daily Mail in a statement. '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.

'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.'

Haskins' ex-wife Sarah Quinones told TMZ on Thursday that the actor had resided in an assisted-living facility in recent years; and had been reclusive with friends in trying to keep his health battle private.

The Chattanooga, Tennessee native portrayed the role of Principal Belding initially on the show Good Morning, Miss Bliss on the Disney Channel from 1988-1989. 

The series subsequently became Saved by the Bell and aired on NBC from 1989-93, followed by Saved by the Bell: The New Class from 1993-2000.

Haskins also reprised the role for the one-off specials Saved by the Bell: The College Years in 1993; and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas in 1994.

He appeared on the show alongside Mario Lopez, Lark Voorhies, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and the late Dustin Diamond, who died at 44 in 2021 after a brief battle with cancer.

Haskins was in a sketch in February of 2015 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with original co-stars Berkley, Gosselaar, Lopez and Thiessen.

He told Parade in 2013 of the career-defining role: 'When we got to the full-on Saved by the Bell, I knew it was something special because the energy was different, the kids were a little bit older, the dynamic was great between everybody, and we were having a great time.'

Haskins said that 'the show took off' once it began airing on Saturday mornings.

'So it was a gradual process,' he said. 'It was a warm, fuzzy thing. They got to know us and we got to know them. It was a wonderful growing process.'

He said of playing the role of Principal Belding: 'I had the best job of all. The principal stayed while the kids came and went. So I had a steady job for eleven years. For me, that’s long-term. But I know that what everybody loves is the original Saved by the Bell.'

Haskins had also been seen on TV shows including Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, Hot in Cleveland, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Mad Men.

Among the films he appeared in included 2014's A Million Ways to Die in the West, 2019's Abstruse and 2017's Trailer Park Shark.

Prior to Saved by the Bell, Haskins appeared on a number of high-profile shows in the 1980s.

They included Archie Bunker's Place, The Greatest American Hero, Simon & Simon, The Fall Guy, CHiPs, Knots Landing, The Dukes of Hazzard and Magnum, P.I. 

According to Chattanooga's News Channel 9, Haskins had been a student at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Notre Dame High School prior to attending college.

The actor had attended college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he played on the basketball team for a season. He had been named the institution's Most Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000.

While in college, he was a member of the school newspaper, and involved with the drama club, student government, Blue Key Honor Fraternity and Raven’s Society, according to the TV station.

Haskins was a co-founder of the community theater group Harlequins, working multiple jobs for the organization, according to the TV station. In addition to his acting, he was a stage manager and playwright.

While serving as the university's student entertainment chairman, he had put together events, including a 1973 show featuring the late Ike and Tina Turner.

Haskins had been involved in tours for the USO decades back, entertaining troops in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia; and in 2002 in Afghanistan, Oman, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A number of the show's alums subsequently posted tributes to Haskins online in the wake of his passing.

Mario Lopez said he was 'heartbroken to hear' the sad news, adding, 'He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set. If you knew him, you loved him - and if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic!

Lopez added, 'I’m grateful for the laughs, the memories, and the friendship we shared all these years. Rest easy, my friend. You’ll always be part of our Bayside family.'

Lark Voorhies said that she was 'truly heartbroken by his passing and will miss his warmth and laughter more than words can say.'

Said Voorhies, 'Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply.

'We shared so much history together from our earliest days, and through it all, he remained a fabulous person, a loyal friend, and someone with such a kind, gentle heart.'

The actress concluded, 'Rest in peace Dennis, you will always hold a special place in my heart.'

Tiffani Thiessen called the late actor 'a steady presence in my teenage years, the kind of figure who kept us in line while making sure we knew he was in our corner.'

She continued, 'I will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him. RIP Mr. B.'

The late actor was warmly remembered by fans on X amid news of his passing, with many hailing his efforts on the popular high school-themed series.

'Another legend gone too soon,' one user said. 'The principal of the 90s. If you were a kid during that time, he was on your TV every Saturday morning. Rest easy Dennis.'

Another added, 'Rest in Peace, Dennis Haskins. I knew Mr. Belding a lot more than I knew my own principal. Thank you for all the wonderful memories at Bayside.'

One user said that 'Bayside High will never be the same,' adding, 'RIP Mr. Belding.'

The actor is survived by son Dustin.