Breaking Bad Star Dead at 83: Bryan Cranston's Co-Star Mark Margolis Passed After Short Illness

Actor Mark Margolis has died at the age of 83, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Margolis captivated audiences with his Emmy-nominated performance as notorious drug kingpin Hector "Tio" Salamanca on Breaking Bad, which he starred in alongside Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.

Margolis' son, Morgan Margolis, actor and CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment, confirmed his passing in a statement on Friday.

Morgan said his father died on Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City after a brief illness, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

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With his role as "Tio" in the Albuquerque-based Mexican cartel thriller, Margolis commanded the screen through little words —and with the help of his bell's chilling ring.

As an instrumental part of the show's storyline, Margolis took his talents from Breaking Bad to the show's equally successful spin-off, Better Call Saul.

Though Margolis is remembered fondly for his most recent acts, the actor's decades long career featured numerous iconic projects.

Margolis started his entertainment career in the late 1970s with supporting roles. Shortly after breaking into film, Margolis' dedication to Mob-inspired character roles paid off when he landed a spot on Scarface.

Starring opposite of Al Pacino in the1983 film, Margolis tested his on-screen bad guy limits as Bolivian henchman Alberto the Shadow.

Margolis continued to play gruff characters as the persistent landlord in 1994's Ace Ventura: Pet Detective starring Jim Carrey and Mob boss Antonio Nappa on HBO's Oz from 1998 to 2003.

While Margolis had a storied career, his time as "Tio" Salamanca solidified his place in pop culture history and in the hearts of Breaking Bad fans. Margolis spoke fondly of the role and the unique challenge of playing an essentially mute character.

"People, even Bryan [Cranston] said to me, ‘Is it more difficult because you couldn’t speak?’ and it really wasn’t," Margolis told The Post in 2012. "We respond to things in our lives [with our faces] and we only use words when we need them. Sometimes you’ll respond to someone with a look if they say something stupid. I just let it happen inside and my face went with it."