Richard Belding

“	Hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY! What is going on here?!	”
	— Principal Belding's catchphrase

Richard Belding was the principal of Bayside High School and the show's resident authority figure. He is played by Dennis Haskins.

Early life[]

Richard Belding was born December 21, 1952.

He had a younger brother named Rod and as they grew up together, Rod was the most popular because of his more laidback personality, but unlike his brother, he had a habit of raising up people's hopes, making promises he couldn't keep and letting others down.

Mr. Belding said his formally schooling began in 1956, when he said that he was so skilled at finger painting he was given a chance to have his kindergarten education paid for on account of it. Eventually he attended Bayside High School, where he had his own way of rebelling against the system. He had worked in the school's radio station, where he made broadcasts about how the students of the era felt about authority and formal education, but earned him enmity between himself and the headmaster. He engaged in acts of rebellion such as mooning the faculty, which Jessica Spano later remarked that Belding was the "Zack Morris of the 1960s". Despite his clashes with the faculty, Richard Belding apparently let go of his rebellious ways and started focusing on his schoolwork, as he graduated from Bayside in 1969. He would spend a few years in the US Army before he would start college. It was not clear if he served in the Vietnam War.

Later, he parlayed his love of painting into a professional career. Despite this, he failed to earn a living as an artist. At some later point in his life he turned to education. It was unknown what subjects of levels of education he had taught. He graduated from college in 1974.

He is married to Rebecca "Becky" Belding (née Flugelman) in 1979 and later has a son in 1992 named Zack Belding in honour of student Zack Morris who helped deliver him.

Personality[]

He's known for his catch phrase "Hey, hey, hey, what is going on here?" as well as his high-pitched laugh. Belding has frequent run-ins with Zack and his friends as either a foe to be outwitted or a friend to turn to for help. Despite being a responsible authority figure, Mr. Belding is unusual in that he genuinely seems to care about what his students, particularly Zack, think of him.

Good Morning, Miss Bliss[]

Was originally on Good Morning, Miss Bliss

Season 1[]

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Season 2[]

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Season 3[]

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Season 4[]

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Later[]

In the series finale of Saved By The Bell: The New Class, circa late 1999/early 2000, Mr Belding is offered a position of Dean of Students at the University of Tennessee in Chatanooga. After much soul searching, Mr Belding accepts the offer, and leaves for his new job after graduation.

Trivia[]

Richard Belding was originally supposed to be a separate character and the middle brother of Gerald(Oliver Clarke) and Rod. His personality is much different than shown Good Morning, Miss Bliss. As Gerald was very incompetent and immature in his role as principal at John F. Kennedy middle school, Richard was planned to come to Indianapolis from Los Angeles to confront him. He and Miss Bliss were supposed to have a good relationship due to their maturity. After the pilot failed on Disney, NBC took over and retooled the show. While maintaining being mature and responsible, Gerald's personality merged with Richard and Rod.
Mr. Belding and Screech are the only main characters from Saved by the Bell to not appear in the reboot.