Mark Margolis, 'Breaking Bad' and 'Scarface' Actor, Dead at 83

Longtime character actor Mark Margolis died on Thursday at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital following a short illness, ET can confirm. He was 83.

"He was one of a kind," Margolis' manager, Robert Kolker, told ET in a statement. "We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him."

Perhaps best known for his role as paralyzed mob enforcer Hector "Tio" Salamanca on Breaking Bad -- and later, Better Call Saul -- Margolis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and briefly studied at Temple University before moving to New York City to pursue his acting career. He got his start studying under Stella Adler at the Actors Studio, and booked jobs throughout the mid-1970s before landing his breakthrough role as Alberto the Shadow in 1983's iconic crime epic Scarface.

Other memorable performances included his roles as intimidating landlord Mr. Shickadance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on Oz. Margolis was a particular favorite of director Darren Aronofsky, appearing in six of his films: Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan and Noah.

mark margolis headshot
Joanne Savoir

One of his final acting performance was actually a Breaking Bad reunion of sorts, as he appeared in two episodes of the Bryan Cranston-led legal drama Your Honor earlier this year.

Margolis is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jacqueline; his son, actor and Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis; and three grandsons. The family plans to have a private memorial and funeral, and, in lieu of flowers, suggests donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

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