Mark Margolis, renowned for his performances in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died.
His son, Morgan Margolis, an actor and the CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment, conveyed in a statement to CNN.
Margolis passed away on Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a short illness, as reported by his son. He was 83 years old.
Morgan and Jacqueline, who had been married to the actor for 61 years of marriage, were present by Margolis’s side when he passed away. He is survived by his son Morgan’s spouse, Heide, along with their three sons: Ben, Aidan, and Henry. Additionally, he is survived by his brother Jerome, along with Jerome’s wife Ann.
“He was one of a kind,” expressed Robert Kolker, Margolis’s manager at Red Letter Entertainment, in a statement provided to Deadline. “We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him.”
No additional information were disclosed regarding his passing. Nevertheless, the Margolis family intends to arrange a private memorial and funeral ceremony in his honor, as a tribute.
Mark Margolis’ Career
In 2012, Margolis received an Emmy nomination for his role as Hector “Tio” Salamanca in “Breaking Bad.” Tio, a character beloved by fans, portrayed a former cartel enforcer who communicated through a brass bell affixed to his wheelchair. He subsequently reprised the role of Tio in his younger days, before being wheelchair-bound, in the prequel series “Better Call Saul.”
“It was a marvelous creature! The fact that he didn’t have any words was not an issue for me,” Margolis remarked to Time in 2013 regarding the role. “I was delighted not to have to learn any lines. I mean, I had to know what was going on, and I had to my cues, but the fact that I didn’t have to master lines was great. I got to fly out to New Mexico and not worry about memorizing anything.”
Margolis’s credits include roles in “Scarface,” “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” and “Oz,” spanning a career that dates back to 1976. He had a frequent collaboration with director Darren Aronofsky. He appeared in six of his films.
Margolis initially enrolled at Temple University before he discontinued his studies and relocated to New York City. He became a student of Stella Adler at the Actors Studio when he was 19. He later underwent training from Lee Strasberg and Barbara Loden.