Ángel Salazar (March 2, 1956 – August 11, 2024) was a Cuban-American comedian and actor. He was known for saying "Sheck it out" ("check it out") before, during, and after jokes. As an actor, he was best known for his role as Chi-Chi in the 1983 film Scarface.

Early life

Salazar was born in Cuba in 1956. He left the country as a teenager, swimming to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and eventually settling in New York City.

Career

Salazar first began performing stand-up comedy when he was eighteen, debuting his "check it out" line in his first open-mic appearance, and soon went on to acting. In his most famous role, he played Chi Chi in Scarface (1983); his other film credits included Punchline (1988) and Carlito's Way (1993). Salazar also appeared on Last Comic Standing and many HBO Comedy specials. His last film he was shooting was The Brooklyn Premiere by Brooklyn-born director Eric Spade Rivas, which had him reunite in scenes with Steven Bauer (Manolo from Scarface) for one more go as partners in crime. He continued to do stand-up throughout his life, with his last performance at the Reno, Nevada, location of the Laugh Factory in July 2024.

Personal life and death

Salazar divided his time between Florida and New York City. On August 11, 2024, he died while staying at a friend's residence in Brooklyn. He was 68 and had an enlarged heart.

Filmography

Film

Television

Documentary

Music video