Jon Polito

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Jon Polito
Born (1950-12-29) December 29, 1950 (age 74)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation Actor, voice actor
Years active 1981–present
Partner(s) Darryl Armbruster (2000-present)
Awards Cinequest Film Festival:
Maverick Spirit Event Award
2005
HRIFF:
Best Actor in a Short Film
2012

Jon Polito (born December 29, 1950) is an American actor and voice artist.[1]

Life and career

Polito was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing.[1] He appeared as Det. Steve Crosetti in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of Crime Story. Polito won an OBIE award in 1980 for his theater performances off Broadway and for his lifetime of work in film and television he received the Maverick Spirit Event Award at Cinequest Film Festival in 2005.[2] In 2012, he won the award for "Best Actor in a Short Film" at Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.[3]

Polito is openly gay.[4][5][6]

Homicide: Life on the Street

When Homicide began pre-production, Polito was asked to audition, and was initially reluctant - he didn't want move to Baltimore for the series, because he had just relocated from New York to Los Angeles. The script he received featured a dialogue scene between two detectives, one Polish American and the other Irish-American. Polito decided that the part he wanted was that of the Irishman, but he was told that he could not read for it. After reading for the part of the Polish-American detective, Polito added a message on his audition tape, saying that if the producers wanted to call him back, he would only be interested if he could take the part of the Irish detective. Series co-creators Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana did call him back, and they rewrote the character as an Italian, and cast him in the role. The other character, the Polish-American detective, was also rewritten, becoming Det. Meldrick Lewis, played by African-American actor Clark Johnson.[7]

Polito was written out of Homicide at the end of Season 2 (explained by his character taking extended leave). The reality behind the move was that the producers were under pressure from their network NBC to include a new female character (Megan Russert), hoping to gain broader appeal for the show (which rated poorly). Although Polito was unhappy about the character's departure, co-producer Tom Fontana assured him that he would be brought back later in the season. However, Polito's previous experiences with producers led him to mistrust Fontana's assurances, so he went to the media to express his unhappiness, speaking critically of the producers' handling of NBC's demands:

"I actually said in one newspaper, "The producers of the show are like the people on the Titanic," and the writer said, "You mean they're the captain of the ship?" and I said "No, no. They're on the iceberg saying, 'This way. Come this way.'" That's in print and that was wrong."[7]

Not surprisingly, the outburst caused a rift with Fontana, resulting in Polito being sacked from the show. The Crosetti character was killed off early in Season 3, with the explanation that the detective had committed suicide. This further infuriated Polito, who again complained to the media, triggering a public slinging match between him and Fontana. Interviewed about the situation in 2005, Polito expressed regret for his handling of the matter, and said that with hindsight, he realised that he should have trusted Fontana. He noted that he and Fontana subsequently patched up their differences, and as a result the Crosetti character returned to make a farewell appearance (as a spirit) in the valedictory special Homicide: The Movie.[7][8]

Filmography

Genre Year Title Role Episodes Notes
TV miniseries 1981 The Gangster Chronicles Thomas "Three Finger Brown" Lucchese
Film 1981 Gangster Wars Thomas "Three Finger Brown" Lucchese
Film 1982 The Clairvoyant Detective Sporaco a.k.a. The Killing Hour
TV film 1983 Running Out Joe Poswalsky
Film 1984 C.H.U.D. Newscaster
TV film 1984 A Good Sport Man in Taxi
Film 1984 The Princess and the Call Girl Private Detective
Film 1985 Compromising Positions Cop #1
TV film 1985 Death of a Salesman Howard
Film 1985 Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins Zack
Film 1986 Dream Lover Doctor James
TV series 1986 The Equalizer Gianni "Unpunished Crimes"
Film 1986 Highlander Detective Walter Bedsoe
TV film 1986 A Deadly Business Vitola
Film 1986 Fire with Fire Boss
TV series 1986–1988 Crime Story Phil Bartoli 16 episodes
Film 1987 Critical Condition Kline
TV series 1987 The Equalizer Carmack "Memories of Manon: Part 1"
"Memories of Manon: Part 2"
TV series 1987 Ohara Captain Ross 11 episodes
TV film 1988 Alone in the Neon Jungle Brad Stakowski
Film 1988 Homeboy Moe Fingers
TV series 1988 Miami Vice El Gato "Hostile Takeover"
"Redemption in Blood"
TV series 1988 Wiseguy Eddie Van Platt "Player to Be Named Now"
TV series 1989 The Equalizer David Pfieffer "Silent Fury"
TV film 1989 Livin' Large Sal
TV film 1989 Memories of Manon Carmack
TV series 1989 Trying Times Agent Caponello "Death and Taxes"
Film 1990 The Freshman Chuck Greenwald
Film 1990 Miller's Crossing Johnny Caspar
Film 1991 Barton Fink Lou Breeze
TV series 1991 Empty Nest Slocum "Harry's Got a Gun"
Film 1991 The Rocketeer Bigelow
TV series 1991 Tales from the Crypt Nikos Stano "Deadline"
Film 1992 Flodder in Amerika! Larry Rosenbaum
TV series 1992 Hearts Are Wild Leon 'Pepe' Pepperman 3 episodes
Film 1992 Leather Jackets Fat Jack
TV series 1992 Murder, She Wrote Lieutenant Peter DiMartini "The Dead File"
Film 1993 The Contenders Pedro Perusia
TV series 1993 Dinosaurs Ty Warner "Swamp Music" voice actor
TV series 1993 Fallen Angels Al Reseck "I'll Be Waiting"
TV series 1993 Homicide: Life on the Street Detective Steve Crosetti "Gone for Goode"
"Ghost of a Chance"
"Son of a Gun"
"A Shot in the Dark"
"Three Men and Adena"
"A Dog and Pony Show"
"And the Rockets' Dead Glare"
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
"The Night of the Dead Living"		 13 episodes total
TV series 1993 The Untouchables Tommy Palumbo "Railroaded"
Film 1994 Blankman Michael 'The Suit' Minelli
Film 1994 The Crow Gideon
TV film 1994 Girls in Prison Boss Johnson
TV series 1994 Homicide: Life on the Street Detective Steve Crosetti "Bop Gun"
"See No Evil"
"Black and Blue"
"A Many Splendored Thing"		 13 episodes total
Film 1994 The Hudsucker Proxy Mr. Bumstead
TV series 1994 Murder, She Wrote Lieutenant Peter DiMartini "A Murderous Muse"
TV film 1994 The Shaggy Dog Detective Al
TV series 1994 Viper Councilman Strand "Pilot"
TV series 1995 Burke's Law "Who Killed Cock-a-Doodle Dooley?"
Film 1995 Bushwhacked Agent Palmer
TV series 1995 Chicago Hope Detective Bill Ranford "Life Support"
Film 1995 Fluke Boss
TV series 1995 High Society Alvin Spalding "We Ought to Be in Pictures"
Film 1995 The Invaders Whitley, Metro HQ uncredited
TV series 1995 Mad About You Ralphy "My Boyfriend's Back!"
TV series 1995 NYPD Blue Paul Biaggi "One Big Happy Family"
TV series 1995 Dream On Louie "Significant Author"
"Flight of the Pedalbee"
"Toby's Choice"		 4 episodes total
TV series 1996 Dream On Louie "All About Louie" 4 episodes total
Film 1996 Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Ashcan voice actor
Film 1996 Just Your Luck Nick
TV series 1996 New York Undercover John Dennis "Andre's Choice"
TV series 1996 The Pretender Ben Hansel "A Virus Among Us"
TV series 1996 Roseanne Mr. Russo "Millions from Heaven"
TV series 1996 Swift Justice Tom Luddy "Supernote"
Film 1997 The Corporate Ladder Mr. Deacon
TV series 1997 Early Edition Louie DeFozio "The Cat"
TV series 1997 Fired Up Sam Harris "Domestic Bliss"
Short film 1997 Inside Out Paparazzi 27 minutes; included in the compilation film Boys Life 3
TV film 1997 Invasion Detective Kemper
Animated TV series 1997 Life with Louie "Louie's Harrowing Halloween" voice actor
TV series 1997 Night Man Al Capone "That Ol' Gang of Mine"
TV series 1997 Over the Top Mr. Hamstead "The Bee Story"
Film 1998 The Big Lebowski Da Fino
TV film 1998 The Defenders: Choice of Evils D.A. Al Orsini
TV series 1998 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Marv Fishland "Honey, She's Like a Fish Out of Water"
TV series 1998 Jenny Sid Bouchie "A Girl's Gotta Get It"
TV series 1998 Millennium Eddie Scarpino Giannini "Omerta"
TV film 1998 Money Play$ Lou Spano
Film 1998 Music from Another Room Lorenzo Palmieri
TV series 1998 New York Undercover Rinaldi "Drop Dead Gorgeous"
TV series 1998 Players Pappas "Mint Condition"
TV series 1998 Seinfeld Silvio "The Reverse Peephole"
Film 1998 Tale of the Mummy Parsons
TV series 1998 Veronica's Closet Mr. Lehman "Veronica's Dog Day Afternoon"
Film 1998 With Friends Like These... Rudy Ptak
TV film 1999 The Apartment Complex Dr. Caligari
Film 1999 Angel's Dance Uncle Vinnie
Film 1999 Carlo's Wake Uncle Gus
TV series 1999 Good vs. Evil Howard "Sunday Night Evil"
Video game 1999 Lands of Lore III Dark Army Orc / Elliott the Guard / Viscosa voice actor
TV series 1999 Nash Bridges Roland Margolis "Truth and Consequences"
Film 1999 Road Kill Jelly
Film 1999 Stuart Little Detective Sherman
Film 1999 The Green Mile "D" Block Prison Guard
Short film 1999 Surgeon General's Warning The Other Guy 8 minutes
Film 2000 The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle Schoentell
Film 2000 After Sex Naldo
Animated TV series 2000 Batman Beyond The Major "Betrayal" voice actor
TV series 2000 Early Edition Cliff Mourning "Snow Angels"
Film 2000 Flies on Cupid Giorgio Gagantano
TV film 2000 Homicide: The Movie Steve Crosetti
TV series 2000 The Invisible Man Eddie the Mammoth "Pilot"
Short TV film 2000 Nature Boy Mort Ruby 29 minutes; directed by Kari Skogland
Film 2000 Nowhere Land Frank
TV series 2000 Popular Caesar Croutons "Hard on the Outside, Soft in the Middle"
TV series 2000 The Pretender Constantin Falzone "Cold Dick"
Animated film 2000 The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas! Virgil voice actor
TV series 2001 The Chris Isaak Show Rhonda Parks "Our Place"
TV series 2001 The Chronicle Donald Stern "Pilot"
"What Gobbles Beneath"
"Here There Be Dragons"
"Baby Got Back"
"He's Dead, She's Dead"
"Bermuda Love Triangle"
"Only the Young Die Good"
"Bring Me the Head of Tucker Burns"
"Let Sleeping Dogs Fry"
"Take Me Back"		 22 episodes total
TV series 2001 The Drew Carey Show The Baby "Drew and the Baby" 3 episodes total; voice actor
Short film 2001 Frank's Last Dance Frank 18 minutes
TV series 2001 Gideon's Crossing Lou Peda "The Race"
Film 2001 The Man Who Wasn't There Creighton Tolliver
Film 2001 Mimic 2 Morrie Deaver
Film 2001 The Shrink Is In Judge Bob
Film 2001 The Tailor of Panama Ramón Rudd, the Banker
TV series 2002 Becker Leonard Nagle "Piece Talks"
Film 2002 Black Mask 2: City of Masks King
TV series 2002 The Chronicle Donald Stern "Touched by an Alien"
"Pig Boy's Big Adventure"
"The Cursed Sombrero"
"Tears of a Clone"
"I See Dead Fat People"
"Man and Superman"
"Hot from the Oven"
"The Stepford Cheerleaders"
"The Mists of Avalon Parkway"
"The King Is Undead"
"Hell Mall"
"A Snitch in Time"		 22 episodes total
TV series 2002 The Drew Carey Show Stansfield "The Curse of the Mummy"
"The Enabler"		 3 episodes total
TV series 2002 Gilmore Girls Father in Kirk's Film "Teach Me Tonight" 2 episodes total
Film 2002 29 Palms The Security Guard
TV series 2002 Push, Nevada Silas Bodnick "The Amount"
TV series 2002 She Spies Edward Malloy "Ice Man"
TV film 2002 Women vs. Men Desk Sergeant
Film 2003 The Box Michael Dickerson
TV series 2003 Crossing Jordan Dick "Wild Card"
TV series 2003 Dragnet Richard Maughm "The Silver Slayer"
TV series 2003 Gilmore Girls Pete "Happy Birthday, Baby" 2 episodes total
TV film 2003 Life on Parole Ernie
TV series 2003 The Lyon's Den Mr. Carpeggi "Trick or Treat"
Short film 2003 No Credits, No Peace The Network Executive 6 minutes
TV series 2003 Oliver Beene Mr. Rayfield "Dancing Beene" 2 episodes total
Film 2003 The Singing Detective Second Hood
Film 2003 View from the Top Roy Roby
TV series 2004 10-8: Officers on Duty Enzo Fontana "Wild and the Innocent"
Film 2004 Charlie the Ox Freddy Boon
TV film 2004 Gone, But Not Forgotten Sam Oberhurst based on the novel by Phillip Margolin
TV series 2004 It's All Relative Leonard "A Long Day's Journey Into Leonard's"
TV series 2004 Judging Amy D.A. Gerald Abner "Disposable"
"The Quick and the Dead"
TV series 2004 The Jury Johnny Pappas "The Boxer"
Film 2004 The Last Shot Wally Kamin
TV film 2004 The Mentalist Duesterberg
TV series 2004 My Wife and Kids Minister "The Wedding"
TV series 2004 Oliver Beene Mr. Rayfield "Oliver & the Otters" 2 episodes total
TV series 2004 Scrubs Mr. Summers "My Female Trouble"
Animated TV series 2005 Avatar: The Last Airbender Chief Arnook
Additional Voices		 "The Waterbending Master"
"The Siege of the North: Part 1"
"The Siege of the North: Part 2"		 voice actor
Animated TV series 2005 The Buzz on Maggie New Aldrin / New Pupert "Those Pesky Roaches" voice actor
TV series 2005 Desperate Housewives Charles Skouras "Love Is in the Air"
TV film 2005 Family Plan Gold
TV series 2005 Ghost Whisperer Joe Grimaldi "Pilot" 2 episodes total
Film 2005 The Honeymooners Kirby
Film 2005 Short Order
TV series 2005 Threshold Nicky Frost "The Order"
TV series 2005 Without a Trace Jimmy 'The Tooth' Fusco "Lone Star"
Film 2006 Big Nothing Agent Hymes
Short film 2006 Cleaners 10 minutes
Film 2006 Cutting Room Sandy
Film 2006 Flags of Our Fathers Borough President
Film 2006 Grilled Leon Waterman
Animated TV series 2006 Handy Manny Joe Bolotero "Supremoguy/Tool Talk" voice actor
Animated film 2006 Happily N'Ever After Wolf 1 voice actor
Film 2006 The Alibi Jimmy the Photographer a.k.a. Lies & Alibis
TV series 2006 Masters of Horror Montesquino "Haeckel's Tale"
Film 2007 American Gangster Rossi
Film 2007 Cougar Club Mr. Archibald
Video game 2007 Dead Head Fred Ulysses S. Pitt voice actor
TV series 2007 Medium Vincent Discala "Better Off Dead"
Short film 2008 Animated American Max Rabbit 15 minutes
Film 2008 Bart Got a Room Bob
TV series 2008 Chocolate News Harvey Silverstein "Episode #1.7"
Animated TV series 2008 Chowder Funjl / Guy "The Moldy Touch/The Heavy Sleeper" voice actor
TV series 2008 Do Not Disturb R.J. "Dosing"
TV series 2008 Ghost Whisperer Joe Grimaldi "First Do No Harm" 2 episodes total
TV series 2008 Las Vegas The Cleaner "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast"
Film 2008 The Marconi Bros. Lou Burns
TV film 2008 Rock Monster The Colonel
TV series 2008 Two and a Half Men Mr. Sharipa "He Smelled the Ham, He Got Excited"
TV series 2008 Raising the Bar Judge Dominick Ventimiglia "Hang Time"
"Out on the Roof"
"Roman Holiday"
"Shop Till You Drop"		 10 episodes total
TV film 2009 Citizen Jane Detective Romer
Short film 2009 Locker 13 Don Dillon 15 minutes
TV series 2009 Monk George Gionopolis "Mr. Monk Fights City Hall"
TV series 2009 Raising the Bar Judge Dominick Ventimiglia "Hair Apparent"
"I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi, Honey"
"Fine and Dandy"
"Trust Me"
"Trout Fishing"
"Bobbi Ba-Bing"		 10 episodes total
Film 2009 Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion Captain Sludge
Film 2010 Burning Palms Ned
Animated short film 2010 DC Showcase: The Spectre Police Captain voice actor; 13 minutes
Animated TV series 2009 Glenn Martin, DDS "We've Created a Mobster" voice actor; 2 episodes total
Animated TV series 2010 Glenn Martin, DDS Vito Renzuli "Life Swap" voice actor; 2 episodes total
Film 2010 The Grind HIM
Film 2010 The Last Godfather Don Bonfante
TV series 2010 The Mentalist Duesterberg "Red Herring"
Film 2010 Stiffs John "The Prince" Monaco
Short film 2010 The Talking Head Mr. Opportunity 19 minutes
Film 2010 Venus & Vegas Frank
Film 2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part I Orren Boyle
Animated film 2011 Batman: Year One Commissioner Loeb voice actor
Animated TV series 2011 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien DN Alien Mizaru / Mizaru "Simian Says" voice actor
TV series 2011 Funny or Die Presents Eddy "Episode #2.1" segment United States Police Department
TV series 2011 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Gino "Frank's Brother"
Short film 2011 Jonny Boy Jonny Boy 7 minutes
Film 2011 Son of Morning Mr. Bordasche
Animated TV series 2011 ThunderCats Conquedor "Berbils" voice actor
Short film 2012 Anti-Muse Anti-Muse Directed by John M Goodner
TV series 2012 Bunheads Sal Russano "Money for Nothing"
"No One Takes Khaleesi's Dragons"
TV series 2012 Franklin & Bash Lucky Louie "Jango and Rossi"
TV series 2012 Mike & Molly Frankie Moranto "Thanksgiving Is Canceled"
Film 2012 From the Head Vinnie
Film 2013 Gangster Squad Dragna
Video game 2013 Batman: Arkham Origins G.C.P.D. Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb voice actor
TV series 2014 Castle Harold Metzger "That 70's Show"
Film 2014 Big Eyes Enrico Banducci
TV series 2014 Modern Family Earl Chambers "Won't You Be Our Neighbor"
"The Closet Case"

References

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External links

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  5. ↑ http://www.newnownext.com/name-dropping-with-jason-stuart-jon-polito/09/2010/
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaW1mgk8PSU
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