Dennis HaskinsNotre Dame honors Dennis Haskins, Carl Labbe Jr.
Dennis Haskins, best known as Mr. Belding on the hit TV show “Saved by the Bell,” was presented Notre Dame High School’s Distinguished Alumnus Award during a reception July 27 during Alumni Weekend.
Carl Labbe Jr., well-known at the school for his endless enthusiasm, volunteerism and many years of service directing the Catholic Youth Organization’s variety shows, received the Jim Phifer Service Award.
Haskins, a member of the class of 1968, has been a professional actor for 35 years, 11 of those on “Saved by the Bell.” He has made guest appearances on shows such as “I’m Dying Up Here” on Showtime, “New Girl” with Zooey Deschanel, “Hot in Cleveland” with Betty White and “Jennifer Falls” with Jaime Pressly.
His Hollywood career started in Conyers, Ga., in the late 1970s when he was cast on the first episode of “The Dukes of Hazzard.” He recently starred in a music video satirizing his days at fictional Bayside High School that has gone viral. The clip features him dancing through the school and even spray-painting lockers to the song “Vacation” by Dirty Heads.
Haskins also graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School and has been a loyal supporter of both schools over the years.
“Dennis loves Notre Dame, and every time he gets back to town he makes a point to not only visit but to take time from his schedule to meet with classes or groups of students,” said George Valadie, Notre Dame principal.
“In addition to his great stories, he shares some real motivation for our students, regardless of their field of interest.”
Haskins is also an avid University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs fan, having attended the school before leaving to pursue acting. He donated scripts and mementos from “Saved by the Bell” to the university that are on display in the UTC Library.
He received his degree from UTC in 2015. He was named UTC Distinguished Alumnus in 2000 and recognized by the Tennessee Alumnus Magazine in its 100th year as one of the Top 100 Alums of the UT system.
The Jim Phifer Service Award is given to an individual who exhibits the same qualities of love for the school and service to community that Phifer did during his years as the school’s principal. Winners do not have to be a Notre Dame graduate.
Labbe, a 1945 graduate of Notre Dame, has been a fixture at the school over decades, supporting his children first and now his grandchildren.
For several years, he directed the annual CYO productions, many of which were presented in the Tivoli Theatre. These were huge productions involving hundreds of students and hours of preparation and rehearsals.
“There was a string of 15 to 20 years when almost every Notre Dame student came to know Carl Labbe,” Valadie said. “And virtually all of them love him for the time he sacrificed from his family to give them and what everyone knew as the CYO show.”