Actor and comedian Mike Batayeh, most remembered for his role in ‘Breaking Bad’ as the manager of Gus’s renowned laundry, has died. He was 52. According to Variety, his relatives informed that Batayeh died of a heart attack while sleeping in his Michigan home on June 1.
His family said, “It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that my sisters and I announce the passing of our dear brother. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many.” A memorial ceremony will be held on June 16 at 2 p.m. at the Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home in Plymouth, Mich, as per Variety.
Batayeh appeared in three episodes of AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ as Dennis Markowski, the manager of the Lavanderia Brillante laundromat, which also served as a meth lab for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Batayeh appeared on shows such as ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,’ ‘Sleeper Cell,’ ‘The Bernie Mac Show,’ ‘Boy Meets World,’ and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ during his acting career. He co-starred in Paul Weitz’s ‘American Dreamz,’ ‘Don’t Mess with the Zohan,’ ‘Gas,’ and played Mike in the 2012 film ‘Detroit Unleaded.’
The actor has performed and headlined in notable comedy clubs like New York’s Gotham and Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory, Comedy Store, the Improv, and the Icehouse. He was one of the first American comedians to perform for Middle Eastern audiences. Batayeh performed in Dubai, where he shot a Showtime Arabia special, as well as Egypt, Lebanon, Nazareth, and Jordan. The Jordanian royal family invited Batayeh to appear at the Amman International Comedy Festival two years in a row.
