Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic(NEW YORK) — You may not know his name but you definitely know his face. Jon Polito, the veteran character actor who delivered memorable performances in over a hundred TV shows and films, has reportedly passed away at age 65.
Director John McNaughton revealed the news on his Facebook page, along with a photo of him with Polito. No cause of death was given.
Due to his short stature and bulldog features, Polito spent much of his career playing criminals and gangsters, in films like 1990’s Coen Brothers crime drama Miller’s Crossing. But Polito was also adept at comedy, which he proved in the Coen Brothers comedies Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski, as well as in guest appearances on dozens of TV shows like Seinfeld, Scrubs, Castle and Modern Family.
Polito’s most high-profile TV role was on the critically-acclaimed police drama Homicide: Life on the Street, in which he played Det. Steve Crosetti for two seasons, beginning in 1993, and in the 2000 TV movie. He also did considerable of video game and animated voiceover work.
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