“He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly. I’m heartbroken.”
While the cause of death was not made public, Dimples Karaoke Bar in Burbank, California, said in a post on its Instagram page that Haskins suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, but kept quiet about the diagnosis around eight years ago because he “did not want the attention”.
They added: “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 karaoke bar added that Haskins had been such a “staple” at the establishment that multiple people mistakenly assumed he owned it.
The tribute, which revealed Haskins had died on September 27, continued: “He just loved the place and its people. He enjoyed singing for people, meeting them, and taking selfies with his fans.
“Dimples closed down about 11 years ago, and people still associate him with his beloved ‘second home.’
“He was known to most as Mr Belding from Saved by the Bell, but, to us, he was much more than that.
“What a cool and amazing life he had. Rest in peace, Dennis. You were very much loved and will never be forgotten.”
Haskins made his screen debut on The Dukes of Hazzard back in 1976, but it was his role in Saved by the Bell that he became synonymous with.
His final outing as Principal Belding came in 2015, when he joined Saved by the Bell co-stars Tiffani Thiessen, Mario Lopez, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Elizabeth Berkley in a sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Haskins also starred in episodes of TV shows Mad Men, New Girl and Hot in Cleveland.