Angel Salazar, scarface actor and comedian, dies at 68

Actor Angel Salazar, best known for his roles in Brian De Palma's gangster productions ("Carlito's Way," "Scarface"), has passed away at the age of 68. He was also a professional comedian.

Angel Salazar was found dead in bed at a friend's house in Brooklyn, New York, over the weekend. The actor known as "Scarface" was 68 years old.

The news was reported by TMZ, which also spoke with Ann Wingsong, the actor's representative and close friend. She confirmed that Salazar died this past weekend. Although the official cause of death is not known, she revealed that the actor had been struggling with heart problems for some time.

Salazar rose to fame in 1983 as Chi Chi, the loyal assistant to Tony Montana (Al Pacino) in "Scarface." His character stays with Tony until the final raid on Montana's house, where he dies alongside his boss. Over the following years, he played many supporting roles in popular films, including "Punchline" with Tom Hanks and Sally Field.

Ten years after the premiere of "Scarface," he was back on set with De Palma and Pacino. The gentlemen worked together again on "Carlito's Way." In later years, he pursued a career as a comedian, even coining the catchphrase "Sheck it out," which he used while telling jokes to his audience.

According to foreign media reports, Angel Salazar remained professionally active, working on a film titled "The Brooklyn Premiere" directed by Eric Spade Rivas. Here, he also had the chance to work with a "Scarface" actor; one of the roles was played by Steven Bauer, who portrayed Manolo in the classic film.