“Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?”
Casual and dedicated fans of the ’90s teenage sitcom “Saved by the Bell” instantly recognize the trademark line: it belongs to Richard Belding, the show’s sometimes goofy but always affable principal played by Dennis Haskins.
As his character was prone to do with students Zack, Kelly, AC Slater, Jessie, Lisa and Screech, the actor shared life lessons Tuesday at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts. Haskins, 55, focused on his 11-year role as Mr. Belding and the entertainment industry but touched upon his own personal experiences as well. Senior criminal-justice major Ronald Young Jr. hosted the event, which the VCU SportsCenter sponsored.
The presentation began with a video montage of Haskins’ other acting work, showcasing his roles in television shows like “The West Wing” and “7th Heaven.” To the delight of the audience, the video ended with the colorful, pop-themed credits of “Saved by the Bell.” The auditorium rang with the voices of nostalgic students singing every word of the theme song.
“I have been going to colleges and universities around the United States for the last three years because you guys love ‘Saved by the Bell,’ and so do I,” Haskins said to the audience.
He explained that although most students do not know it, he has visited VCU annually for the past 10 years. Haskins, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball player, and his friend Charles Barkley are long-time supporters of VCU Athletics, he said. He complimented the university’s selection of Anthony Grant as the new men’s basketball coach.
Dennis Haskins’ ‘Saved by the Bell’ quiz
1. What was Screech’s dog’s name?
2. What were the call letters of the Bayside Radio Station?
3. What was the jukebox number of Zack and Kelly’s song in The Max?
4. Where was the show set besides California?
5. What was the name of the duck from the oil-spill episode?
(Check your ‘Bell’ smarts at the end of the article.)
After introducing himself, Haskins elaborated on his childhood in Chattanooga, highlighting the imprint left on him by his first sixth-grade acting experience in a theatrical production of “Pinocchio.”
“Wherever you’re from is a great place to start,” Haskins said, citing Oprah Winfrey’s life as a success story that did not begin in Los Angeles or New York City.
Haskins said he got his start when he discovered theater at UTC after he realized he would never become the professional basketball player he always wanted to be. Although the Kappa Sigma brother did not pursue acting right after he graduated, he eventually attended television casting calls throughout the South. One audition landed him a role in the first episode of “The Dukes of Hazzard” and inspired him to move to Los Angeles where more opportunities existed.
In 1988, after years of television and theater in Los Angeles, Haskins auditioned for “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” the precursor to “Saved by the Bell.” Five auditions later, he landed the role of Principal Richard Belding, which came as a surprise, he said. The casting director sought a 50-year-old black male for the part.
Thus began the famous fictional principal’s career, which spanned from 1988’s “Good Morning, Miss Bliss” to the spin-off series, “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” which went off the air in 2000. During this time, Haskins starred as Mr. Belding in 247 television show episodes and several made-for-TV movies. The show went on to air in 87 countries and was very popular and influential abroad, he said. According to Haskins, “Saved by the Bell” was the first television show to air in Romania after the execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Haskins provided a plethora of other anecdotes from the show’s 11-year run. He shared one of his favorite albeit melancholy “Saved by the Bell” episodes, for example: the one in which Zack and the gang graduate from high school. A snappy producer served as the inspiration for Belding’s memorable “Hey, hey, hey” line, Haskins said.
After wrapping up his presentation, Haskins invited six audience members onstage for “Saved by the Bell” trivia. Brian Whitehurst, a sophomore psychology major, won when he named Scott Wolf as the actor who appeared on the glee club episode before getting his own television show, “Party of Five.”
Whitehurst called his participation in the trivia an “experience of a lifetime,” adding that Mr. Belding was one of his “idols” growing up. As he stood in a line of dozens of students waiting to get photos with Haskins, Whitehurst said he plans to frame the signed “Saved by the Bell” photograph Haskins gave him and hang it above his bed.
Ronald Young Jr. also said his experience as the event’s host was one of a lifetime.
“Growing up, I had a lot of idealistic views because of ‘Saved by the Bell,'” he said. “It did a lot of shaping how I look at things.”
“Saved by the Bell” remains in syndication on television stations around the country. TBS airs Monday through Friday the original series and its incarnations from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Haskins said as much as fans want it to happen, the “Saved by the Bell” cast does not have plans for a reunion episode or season.
QUIZ ANSWERS
1. Hound Dog
2. KKTY
3. A12
4. Indiana, Hawaii, Las Vegas
5. Becky