(Los Angeles) American actor Mark Margolis, who played sinister drug kingpin Hector Salamanca on the series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83, his family announced on Friday.

The comedian died in a New York City hospital after “a brief illness” with his wife and son by his side, according to a statement.

His character Hector Salamanca, a ruthless and crippled cartel leader, confined to his wheelchair and communicating with a simple doorbell, was the best known of his roles. It had also earned him a selection for the Emmy Awards, the equivalent of the Oscars for television.

“Mark Margolis was a really great actor and a lovely human being. Funny and endearing off set, […] intimidating and frightening on set”, hailed on Instagram the star of Breaking Bad Bryan Cranston, hero of the series in the guise of Walter White, professor of chemistry inevitably sliding towards the drug trade .

“A powerful screen presence!” “, abounded his former playmate Bob Odenkirk, who played the crooked lawyer Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad before the character was entitled to his own spin-off, Better Call Saul.

The official Breaking Bad social media account for its part hailed “the immense talent of Mark Margolis, who, with his eyes, a bell and very few words, has made Hector Salamanca one of the most unforgettable in the history of television. »

Born in Philadelphia in 1939, Mr. Margolis moved to New York to become an actor.

His career has been punctuated by secondary roles in Scarface, Ace Ventura and Black Swan, or even in the HBO series Oz.

He leaves behind Jacqueline, his wife of 61 years, as well as Morgan, their only child, and their three grandsons.