Mark Margolis, who portrayed the malevolent, bell-ringing Hector Salamanca in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," passed away at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City on Thursday. He was 83 years old.
His son, Morgan Margolis, made the announcement.
As the former drug kingpin who continues to oversee the Albuquerque meth trade from his nursing home, Margolis left an indelible impression on the television universe of Vince Gilligan with minimal dialogue.
He was nominated for an Emmy in 2012 for his role in "Breaking Bad."
He reprised his role as Hector "To" Salamanca for five seasons on the Bob Odenkirk-led prequel series "Better Call Saul," imbuing the character with a complex backstory.
Margolis, who was born in Philadelphia in 1939, moved to New York at a tender age to pursue an acting career.
He secured roles in Broadway productions like "Infidel Caesar" due to his early interest in theater. He later appeared in over fifty Off-Broadway productions, including "Uncle Sam" and "The Golem."
His breakthrough film portrayal was in Brian De Palma's gangster classic "Scarface," in which he portrayed Alberto, aka The Shadow, the villain and bodyguard.
Margolis appeared in "Noah," "Black Swan," "The Wrestler," and "Pi" as a longstanding collaborator of Darren Aronofsky. He has over seventy film credits spanning five decades.
Margolis had recurring roles on "The Equalizer," "Oz," "Kings," and "American Horror Story: Coven," as well as guest roles on "Californication," "Gotham," "Crossing Jordan," and "The Affair."
Robert Kolker, the superintendent of Margolis, said in a statement, "He was one of a kind. We will never see his kind again. He was a valued patron and a friend for life. I was fortunate to know him.
Peter Gould, co-creator and showrunner of "Better Call Saul," paid tribute to Mark Margolis via Twitter, writing, "Absolutely heartbroken to learn of Mark Margolis' passing. Mark was brilliant, humorous, and a million-story raconteur. I already mourn him terribly."
Thomas Schnauz, a writer and producer for "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," tweeted, "Extremely unfortunate news.
Mark made me chuckle whenever we were on set together. I was fortunate to have his character, To, walk, speak, and teach his nephews a lesson in my very first episode of 'Breaking Bad.' My affection to his family and numerous acquaintances."
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