Stuart Margolin passes away at 82

Two-time Emmy winner, actor Stuart Margolin, profoundly known for his performance as Evelyn 'Angel' Martin in 'The Rockford Files,' has passed away at 82 of natural causes in Staunton on Monday.

The news of his demise was confirmed by his family members to Variety, a US-based news outlet.

According to Variety, Margolin also starred in Days of Heaven and S.O.B. movies and the television shows M*A*S*H, The Fall Guy, Cannon, Hill Street Blues, and 30 Rock.

Margolin's stepson, "Bosch: Legacy" actor Max Martini, posted a touching tribute to the veteran actor on Instagram and described how his immediate family was by his side in his final moments: "The two most profound moments in my life... the birth of my kids and being bedside as my step-father passed this morning. My mother, brother and I holding his hands."

Margolin made his acting debut in the early 1960s, appearing as a guest star on shows like "The Gertrude Berg Show" and "Ensign O'Toole," which both aired in black and white. Before landing a recurring role on "Love, American Style," which he even helmed an episode of in 1973, he went on to make intermittent appearances on shows including "Bewitched," "That Girl," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "The Partridge Family."

The growing star, however, got his big break when James Garner cast him opposite him in a recurring role as sidekick Deputy Mitchell on NBC's 1971 series "Nichols."

According to Variety, Margolin and Garner's friendship beyond the screen led to him being offered a part in "The Rockford Files," an NBC series that featured private investigator and former con man Jim Rockford as he solved crimes. In the show, Angel, played by Margolin, is a habitual liar who made friends with Jim while incarcerated.

In the 1990s, he appeared in several "Rockford Files" TV movies in a similar capacity.

The multi-hyphenate also served as the director of several TV episodes, including three episodes of "Intelligence" in the early 2000s, seven episodes of "The Love Boat," and two episodes of "Wonder Woman" from 1977.

Among Margolin's most recent works are "What the Night Can Do," which he co-wrote and starred in under the direction of her stepson Christopher Martini, and "Home," a short film he voiced and was featured in earlier this year.