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Entertainment Hollywood

'Breaking Bad' actor Mark Margolis dies at 83

The actor died on Thursday at a New York hospital following a short illness



Mark Margolis
Image Credit: REUTERS

Los Angeles: Mark Margolis, who played the sinister, wheelchair-bound cartel don Hector Salamanca in acclaimed TV shows "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," has died aged 83, his family said Friday.

Margolis died Thursday at a New York hospital following a short illness, with his wife and son at his bedside, according to a statement.

"Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston led the tributes, writing on Instagram: "I am very saddened today to learn of a friend's passing.

"Mark Margolis was a really good actor and a lovely human being. Fun and engaging off the set, and (in the case of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Your Honor') intimidating and frightening on set."

Bob Odenkirk, the star of spin-off series "Better Call Saul," called Margolis a "powerful screen presence."

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An official "Breaking Bad" social media account praised "the immensely talented Mark Margolis, who - with his eyes, a bell, and very few words - turned Hector Salamanca into one of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television."

In the show, Margolis's character - the patriarch of the drug-smuggling Salamanca family, who suffers a stroke after being poisoned by a rival - is only able to communicate by tapping a bell with his finger.

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Born in Philadelphia in 1939, Margolis moved to New York to pursue acting.

He forged a successful career as a character actor, with supporting roles in films such as "Scarface," "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and "Black Swan," as well as HBO series "Oz."

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In 2012, he was nominated for an Emmy for "Breaking Bad."

He is survived by Jacqueline, his wife of 61 years, as well as their only child Morgan and their three grandsons.

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