In pictures: Mark Margolis' career in cinema over the decades

Best known for his role as the ageing gangster in a wheelchair in the path-breaking TV shows 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul', actor Mark Margolis has starred in many memorable movies over the decades. Margolis died last week at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York following a short illness, his son, actor Morgan Margolis, said. Let's take a look at his key roles.

Among Margolis' standout roles early in his career include Alberto, an henchman, in Brian De Palma’s 'Scarface' (1983). The movie is best known for Al Pacino's power-packed performance as a gangster who eventually meets his downfall. But Margolis made a mark in his small but memorable role in the movie.

It's difficult to overlook past his role as the landlord with a deep voice in 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective' (1994), who keeps asking Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) to pay up his rent. Another brief role, but equally memorable.

Margolis was nominated for an Emmy in 2012 for outstanding guest actor in 'Breaking Bad' as Hector Salamanca, the murderous elderly don who loses his ability to speak after suffering a stroke. The USP of his role was that he needn't speak. He communicated entirely through facial expressions and use of a bell attached to his wheelchair, adding to the drama.

His character’s backstory — as would many other cast members of 'Breaking Bad' — later played out on 'Better Call Saul', the prequel to 'Breaking Bad', in which he starred from 2016 to 2022. Margolis, according to an AP report, said he based his portrayal of the kingpin partly on his own experience caring for a relative who’d suffered a stroke.

Salamanca's epic face-off with Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring in 'Breaking Bad', which makes for a hair-raising experience when viewed even today, can also be considered a case study for well-written scripts and character building in film schools. Not only that, the thrilling scene became classic meme material and inspired a memorable skit with Jimmy Fallon, the famous US late-night talk show host.

Margolis other roles, include the films of Darren Aronofsky: 'Requiem for a Dream', 'The Fountain', 'Noah', 'Black Swan', 'The Wrestler' and 'Pi'.