Mike Batayeh obit

Mike Batayeh, ‘Breaking Bad’ Actor and Comedian, Dies at 52

He was among the first wave of Western comics to perform for audiences in Dubai.

 

He was not on the list.

Mike Batayeh, who portrayed the laundromat manager Dennis Markowski in Breaking Bad and performed comedy sets around the world, has died. He was 52.

The actor died June 1 of a massive heart attack, his family told The Hollywood Reporter.

“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that my sisters and I announce the passing of our dear brother,” his family wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many.”

Batayeh is perhaps best known for his work on Breaking Bad, in which he played the manager of the Lavandería Brillante laundromat. The company served as Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) cover for the huge meth lab that Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) used when they worked for the Pollos Hermanos owner/drug kingpin. His character was burned alive in prison in order to keep him from telling the DEA what he knew about Gus’ empire.

The actor had appeared on such other TV shows as Everybody Loves Raymond, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Shield, Sleeper Cell and Touch. He also had roles in films including American Dreams, Gas, American East, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan and Detroit Unleaded.

Batayeh was among the first wave of Western comics to perform for audiences in Dubai, where he filmed a comedy special for Showtime Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.

Survivors include his five sisters, Ida Vergollo, Diane Batayeh-Ricketts, MaryAnn Joseph, Madeline Sherman and Theresa Aquino, and many nephews and nephews.

 

Actor

 

    Prank of America (2018)

    Prank of America

        Nacho

        TV Movie

        2018

 

Dirty (2016)

Dirty

 

    Fernando

 

    2016

 

Namour (2016)

Namour

 

    Sammy

 

    2016

 

Sharia (2016)

Sharia

 

    Rajiv Mehta

 

    2016

 

Battle Creek (2015)

Battle Creek

 

    Fred

 

    TV Series

 

    2015

 

Misled (2015)

Misled

 

    Ziad

 

    2015

 

Lorenzo Richelmy in Marco Polo (2014)

Marco Polo

 

    Sanga

 

    TV Series

 

    2014

 

A Chronicle of Tahrir Square (2014)

A Chronicle of Tahrir Square

 

    Doctor Yossef

 

    Short

 

    2014

 

Kevin Chamberlin, Peyton List, Cameron Boyce, Skai Jackson, Debby Ryan, and Karan Brar in Jessie (2011)

Jessie

 

    Sal

 

    TV Series

 

    2013

 

Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013)

Real Husbands of Hollywood

 

    Claude

 

    TV Series

 

    2013

 

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

 

    Ref

 

    TV Series

 

    2013

 

Viva America (2013)

Viva America

 

    Miguel

 

    Short

 

    2013

 

EJ Assi and Nada Shouhayib in Detroit Unleaded (2012)

Detroit Unleaded

 

    Mike

 

    2012

 

Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad (2008)

Breaking Bad

 

    Dennis Markowski

 

    TV Series

 

    2011–2012

 

Kiefer Sutherland, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and David Mazouz in Touch (2012)

Touch

 

    Arnie's Friend

 

    TV Series

 

    2012

 

Fly While Arab

 

    Agent Lewis

 

    Short

 

    2011

 

This Narrow Place (2011)

This Narrow Place

 

    Ali

 

    2011

 

In Fidelity (2010)

In Fidelity

 

    Waiter

 

    Short

 

    2010

 

The Apostles

 

    TV Movie

 

    2008

 

AmericanEast (2008)

AmericanEast

 

    YaYa

 

    2008

 

Adam Sandler in You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

You Don't Mess with the Zohan

 

    Fry Cook (uncredited)

 

    2008

 

Life (2007)

Life

 

    El Repetito

 

    TV Series

 

    2007

 

Oded Fehr and Michael Ealy in Sleeper Cell (2005)

Sleeper Cell

 

    Ziad

 

    TV Series

 

    2005–2006

 

David Caruso, Eva LaRue, Rex Linn, Omar Benson Miller, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, and Jonathan Togo in CSI: Miami (2002)

CSI: Miami

 

    Rodrigo Garza

 

    TV Series

 

    2006

 

Pepper Dennis (2006)

Pepper Dennis

 

    Doug Pimple

 

    TV Series

 

    2006

 

Night Stalker (2005)

Night Stalker

 

    Todd Hoffman

 

    TV Series

 

    2006

 

American Dreamz (2006)

American Dreamz

 

    Terrorist Director

 

    2006

 

Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)

The Bernie Mac Show

 

    Man

 

    TV Series

 

    2005

 

Gas (2004)

Gas

 

    Hector

 

    2004

 

Michael Chiklis in The Shield (2002)

The Shield

 

    Yervant

 

    TV Series

 

    2004

 

Elliott Gould, Joely Fisher, Adam Arkin, and Holland Taylor in Baby Bob (2002)

Baby Bob

 

    Sam-Hater #2

 

    TV Series

 

    2003

 

Dylan Baker, Lizzy Caplan, Kellie Waymire, and David Henrie in The Pitts (2003)

The Pitts

 

    Carlos

 

    TV Series

 

    2003

 

Catherine Bell and David James Elliott in JAG (1995)

JAG

 

    Mr. Ghazzawi - Kuwaiti Lawyer

 

    TV Series

 

    2002

 

Archie Kao, Reggie Rolle, Danny Slavin, Valerie Vernon, and Cerina Vincent in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (1999)

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy

 

    Cadet #1

 

    TV Series

 

    1999

 

Traylor Howard, Ryan Reynolds, Suzanne Cryer, Nathan Fillion, and Richard Ruccolo in Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998)

Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place

 

    Ticket Scalper #2

 

    TV Series

 

    1998

 

Something So Right (1996)

Something So Right

 

    Delivery Man (as Mike Batay)

 

    TV Series

 

    1998

 

Danielle Fishel, Ben Savage, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong in Boy Meets World (1993)

Boy Meets World

 

    Transient (as Mike Batay)

 

    TV Series

 

    1998

 

Peter Boyle, Brad Garrett, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts, and Ray Romano in Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)

Everybody Loves Raymond

 

    Cab Driver (as Mike Batay)

 

    TV Series

 

    1998