Margolis died following a brief illness at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, the outlet says.
Born in Philadelphia in 1939, Margolis attended Temple University for a short time before dropping out and moving to New York to pursue an acting career, according to his online biography.
Margolis was best known to modern audiences for his portrayals of aging crime boss Hector Salamanca on AMC's "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul." He also appeared in Brian DePalma's 1983 "Scarface" as the silently menacing henchman Alberto, and as the go-playing mathematics professor in 1998's "Pi" (Darren Aronofsky).
Margolis would go on to appear in Aronofsky's next five features, including the acclaimed "Requiem For A Dream" (2000).
in 2012, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his "Breaking Bad" role.
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