Dennis Haskins had only 1 line in a Brad Pitt film. But one legendary actor turned it into a life lesson for the Saved by the Bell star

Hollywood woke up to the news of the tragic demise of Dennis Haskins on September 27. He was 75. Haskins rose to fame for portraying the role of Principal Belding in the popular sitcom Saved by the Bell. The news of his passing was shared by his agent, Jay Schachter, who issued a statement to TMZ. Out of the memorable projects Haskins was a part of, there was one film, featuring a young Brad Pitt, that the late actor signed up for despite having only 1 line. Reason? He got to work with legendary British star Albert Finney.

Dennis Haskins’ one-line role with Albert Finney

Dennis Haskins, in a 2009 conversation with Daily Actor, revealed that working with Albert Finney taught him an important life lesson which he implemented on the sets of Saved by the Bell. During the conversation, the host asked Haskins what keeps him going. In response, Haskins gave an honest answer.

Haskins revealed that he was selected for a blink-and-you-miss-it role in director Peter Werner’s 1990 television drama film The Image. As per Haskins, Pitt, who was making a name for himself in Hollywood back then, had a comparatively bigger role than him. Haskins, however, had no second thoughts about performing only one line in The Image as he shared the scene with Albert Finney.

Dennis Haskins’ unexpected dinner with Albert Finney

Later, Finney introduced Haskins to a ‘scene-stealer’ actor, John Mahoney, and Haskins ended up staying one night extra at the shooting location: Santa Paula, as The Image’s director wanted him to work opposite Mahoney in a couple of more scenes, impressed by Haskins’ performance.

With only a few bucks in his pocket, Haskins was about to have dinner at a train-stop hotel when Finney asked Haskins whether he could join him. Haskins agreed, and the evening turned out to be a storytelling session with Finney sharing wonderful anecdotes about himself and other English actors.

Albert Finney’s lesson that Haskins carried forward

During the wrap-up party for The Image, Haskins thanked Finney for making him feel so welcome. In return, Finney offered a perspective that left a lasting impact on Haskins. Finney said that since he was the host, it was his responsibility to ensure that the attendees were enjoying themselves, turning the gala into a memorable experience.

Inspired by Finney’s words, Haskins treated every actor in a similar warm and welcoming manner on the sets of Saved by the Bell. He told Daily Star that he wanted to make sure everyone was happy and comfortable to be a part of the show. ‘I wanted to make sure that they weren’t nervous,’ said Haskins.