Julio Oscar Mechoso, character actor known for 'Seinfeld,' 'Miami Vice' roles dead at 62

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Veteran character actor Julio Oscar Mechoso died Nov. 25 of a heart attack. He was 62.

The Miami native, whose death was reported by the Miami Herald, made his screen acting debut in 1979 on the sitcom "¿Qué pasa, U.S.A.?"

A gifted and versatile performer in both drama and comedy, Mechoso appeared in dozens of films, including "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Legend of Zorro," "Jurassic Park III," "Last Weekend" and co-starred in TV series "Greetings From Tuscan," "Cane and Damon."

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He also appeared in John Bruno-helmed "Virus" alongside William Baldwin, Joanna Pacula and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Known mostly for playing gangsters and cops, Mechoso was a favorite of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who worked with him in five films and TV series, most recently on the El Rey drama series "Matador" and "From Dusk Till Dawn."

Mechoso’s extensive resume also includes guest stints on "Coach," "Miami Vice," "Seinfeld," "Grey’s Anatomy," "Ghost Whisperer," "Without a Trace," "Nip/Tuck," "CSI," "The Big Bang Theory" and most recently, "Madam Secretary" and "Life In Pieces."

“He was a utility player who could do anything, be a lead in a sitcom like 'Greetings From Tucson' and then a vicious Mexican narco trafficker in Kingpin and then a quirky demon who works part-time as a limo driver taking souls to Hell in 'From Dusk Till Dawn,'" producer Juan Carlos Coto told the Miami Herald. “He played them all with such spirit and such life that you just couldn’t top watching him.”

Mechoso also had several writing projects in the works, according to the Miami Herald, including a script about his teenage days at Miami’s Old Mutiny Hotel.