An Unfinished Chapter
For more than a decade, Dennis Haskins played the most famous principal in America. As Richard Belding on the hit sitcom Saved by the Bell, he was the ultimate authority figure, trying his best to keep Zack Morris and the rest of the Bayside High gang in line. But away from the cameras, Haskins carried a personal secret. The man who played everyone’s favorite educator had never actually finished his own college degree.
Now, at 73, Haskins is ready to share the full story. The actor has officially announced the upcoming release of his new memoir. The book focuses on his long career in show business, his time at Bayside, and his late-in-life journey to earn his bachelor’s degree at the age of 65.
It is a story of determination, legacy, and unfinished business.
Back to School at 65
Back in the 1970s, Haskins was a student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). He was heavily involved in campus life, even serving as the cheerleader coordinator. But the entertainment industry came calling. Haskins left school just a few credits short of graduation to pursue acting and music management.
His gamble paid off. He eventually landed the role of a lifetime. First appearing as Mr. Belding in the 1988 pilot Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Haskins transitioned to Saved by the Bell in 1989. The show became a global pop-culture phenomenon. For millions of young viewers, Haskins was the definitive face of school leadership. His booming catchphrase, “Hey, hey, hey—what is going on here?” echoed through living rooms worldwide.
Yet, despite the fame and the steady work, that missing diploma always nagged at him.
“It was always there in the back of my mind,” Haskins says of his unfinished education. “I had accomplished so much, but I hadn’t finished what I started at UTC.”
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The turning point came in his sixties. Haskins realized that if he wanted to close that chapter, he had to act. He reached out to administrators at UTC to see what it would take to finish his degree. It turned out he needed to complete some final coursework and present his decades of professional acting work as part of his theater portfolio.
In December 2015, Haskins finally did it. At 65 years old, he put on a cap and gown and walked across the stage to receive his Bachelor of Arts in theater and speech. His graduation drew national headlines, proving that it is never too late to learn.
The Legacy of Bayside High
The memoir promises to give readers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at this transition. Haskins writes about what it was like to sit in classrooms with students who were young enough to be his grandchildren—many of whom grew up watching him on television. He also opens up about the challenges of studying later in life and the emotional weight of finally holding that diploma in his hands.
Beyond his academic achievements, the book offers a treasure trove of nostalgia for Saved by the Bell fans. Haskins shares fresh anecdotes from his years on set, working alongside young stars like Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, and the late Dustin Diamond. He reflects on how the show’s enduring popularity has shaped his life and how the character of Mr. Belding became both a blessing and a shadow he had to learn to live with.
Ultimately, Haskins hopes his memoir serves as an inspiration for others who have put their personal goals on hold.
“You don’t stop growing just because you get older,” Haskins notes. “If there is something you left undone, go back and do it. The feeling of finishing is worth every bit of the struggle.”
The memoir is scheduled for release later this year, with book signing events and a speaking tour currently in the planning stages.
