Philly's Mark Margolis, 'Breaking Bad' Star, Dies At 83

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia native Mark Margolis, the character actor renown for his roles in "Scarface" and "Breaking Bad," has died. He was 83.

Margolis died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City Thursday following a short illness, his son actor Morgan Margolis announced.

Margolis was born in the City of Brotherly Love and attended Temple University.

He earned an Emmy nomination in 2012 for his performance as the wheelchair-bound, aging crime lord Hector Salamanca on "Breaking Bad," a role he reprised for the prequel "Better Call Saul."

But the journeyman actor cemented his status as an iconic movie villain in 1984 as the icey-veined hitman whose brutality was too much even for drug kingpin Tony Montana in Brian De Palma's "Scarface."

Margolis, a Pennsylvania native who moved to New York City as a teenager to study acting at the Actors Studio, worked steadily as a character actor for decades in television and film. He often gave understated yet menacing performances, turning small roles into memorable characters.

After "Scarface" he played notable supporting roles in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "The Wrestler," and "Black Swan."

His many television credits include "Star Trek: The Next Generation" "Oz," and "Law and Order." He continued to work through this year, reuniting with "Breaking Bad" costar Bryan Cranston in two episodes of "Your Honor."

Almost three decades after his breakout role as the murderous henchman in "Scarface," Margolis reached a new level of fame in 2012: once again for playing the bad guy among bad guys in "Breaking Bad."

His character was rendered mute and incapacitated by a stroke, only able use a bell to communicate. However, Margolis managed to convey extreme menace trapped in an incapacitated body, earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He became an instant fan favorite, and his character's backstory was brought to life as a character in the prequel "Better Call Saul."

"We join millions of fans in mourning the passing of 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," the "Breaking Bad" team wrote on social media Friday. "He will be missed."

"So sad to hear Mark Margolis has died," wrote "Breaking Bad" co-star Dean Norris. "A phenomenal actor. A funny guy. RIP. My thoughts are with his family."

According to his biography on IMDB, Margolis was married to Jacqueline Margolis for more than 60 years, and they had one child and two grandchildren.

With reporting from Patch coorespondent Paige Austin