Richard Belding

Richard Belding is a fictional character from the sitcoms Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell, and Saved by the Bell: The New Class and guested in an episode Saved by the Bell: The College Years He was portrayed by Dennis Haskins and was one of only two characters to remain from the beginning of the franchise until the end.

Character overview

Mr. Belding is the headmaster of John F. Kennedy Junior High School and Bayside High School in Good Morning, Miss Bliss and Saved By The Bell, respectively. His most frequent nemesis is Zack Morris; however, throughout the series, it is abundantly clear the two like and respect each other, arguably because in one episode it was revealed that when Belding was a student himself he was a disc jockey and one who would rebel against school authority, prompting the comment he was "the Zack Morris of the 1960s". On at least one occasion, Belding has even called Zack Morris "the son [he] never had". A small joke was also that Belding was open about his past failures with women prior to his marriage, such as when he was in the U.S. Army and in love with a North Vietnamese girl, where "even she was with the enemy"! Belding's family have appeared in the series at one point. The most frequent appearances were by his infant son, named in honor of Zack. When Belding's wife, Becky went into labor in an elevator, Zack Morris, along with classmate Tori Scott, helped deliver him.

Much of Belding's humour comes from his attempts to make jokes, sing or being generally tricked and scammed by Zack. Despite Zack's ideas that he knew Belding inside and out, occasionally Belding would reveal that he had other ideas to deal with issues, thus outfoxing Zack.

Belding also has a small rivalry with fellow teacher Mr. Tuttle, who was also in line for the position of Principal at Bayside. He also had a friendly rivalry with Brandon Tarkinton over courtship of Belding's wife, but Tarkinton accepted that he got the short end of the straw and had to accept the eventual presidency of NBC while Mr. Belding was "happily married and got to be headmaster of a school of great kids".

Belding remains the one constant between all the series and in the second season of The New Class, he is reunited with Bayside High alumnus Samuel "Screech" Powers, who is studying to become a teacher. Screech becomes Mr. Belding's administrative assistant until the end of the series, when Belding decides to take a job as dean of a College in Tennessee.

Belding's last name may be an intentional play on the show's title, as in "Bell Ding."

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