‘Saved by the Bell’ actor Dennis Haskins secretly battled Parkinson’s disease in final years, isolated himself from friends

By Page Six | Created at 2026-09-29 17:47:24 | Updated at 2026-09-29 20:40:12 4 hours ago

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Dennis Haskins reportedly spent his final years battling Parkinson’s disease.

Multiple sources told TMZ Tuesday that the “Saved by the Bell” alum suffered from the progressive brain disorder before his death at 75.

The actor’s ex-wife, Sarah Quinones, told the outlet that her former spouse kept his health struggles private — even from his loved ones.

Dennis Haskins (pictured above in May 2018) reportedly suffered from Parkinson’s disease before his death. Getty Images
His ex-wife, Sarah Quinones, told TMZ that the actor (seen above in November 2018) kept his health struggles private. GC Images

She claimed Haskins, who was in an assisted living facility at the end of his life, did not return texts and calls from her — or any friends inquiring about his well-being.

Haskins’ rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

News broke Monday that Haskins, who played “America’s Favorite Principal” Mr. Belding on the NBC show, had died.

She claimed Haskins (pictured above in October 2018) isolated himself from friends. Getty Images
The “Saved by the Bell” alum (pictured above with Dustin Diamond in July 1997) was in an assisted living facility at the time of his passing. Getty Images

His cause of death is not yet known at this time.

Before his death, Haskins had not been seen in public since December 2018, when he attended an NBA game.

He looked happy and healthy during the final outing — just as he did making back-to-back red carpet appearances in October and November of that same year.

News broke Monday that Haskins, who played Mr. Belding on the NBC show, died at 75. NBCUniversal via Getty Images
His cause of death is not yet known. (Pictured above: Haskins in August 2006.) WireImage

Haskins, who is survived by son Dustin, has been honored in touching social media tributes since news broke of his passing.

“Dennis Haskins was 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,” Tiffani Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski on the show, told Page Six in a statement.

“I will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him,” the actress, 52, continued. “RIP Mr. B.”

Lark Voorhies and Mario Lopez, whose characters were respectively named Lisa Turtle and A.C. Slater, told their social media followers how “heartbroken” they felt, with the latter calling Haskins “the biggest kid on the ‘SBTB’ set.”

His former co-stars shared touching tributes via social media Tuesday. (Pictured above: Leanna Creel, Dennis Haskins, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dustin Diamond, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez, Lark Voorhies in 1992.) ©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
The cast lost Diamond (pictured above with Haskins) in 2021. NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Lopez, 52, wrote via X, “If you knew him, you loved him — and if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic! 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.”

Haskins played the beloved character on the Disney predecessor series, “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” in 1998, then reprised the role on the “New Class” reboot, which ran until 2000.

The “Saved by the Bell” cast, notably, lost another co-star in 2021 when Dustin Diamond lost his stage 4 cancer battle at 44.

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