An American television, film and stage actor. He has appeared in over one hundred television programs and films during his career. Polis' first film role was the character 'Fuchs' in the science fiction film The Thing. He appeared in numerous television series including Cheers, Alien Nation, Northern Exposure, Star Trek: Voyager, Roseanne, Seinfeld, Chicago Hope, Boston Legal and CSI. He appeared in a recurring role on the television series Cheers as the mischievous Gary, owner of the rival bar, Gary's Olde Towne Tavern. Polis's theater credits include performances at the Astor Place Theatre, Hartford Stage, Old Globe Theater, South Coast Repertory, Mark Taper Forum, Odyssey Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, Lillian Theater and the Pasadena Playhouse.

Filmography

• Growing Up Fisher — Richard Barr
• Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — The Banker
• Rizzoli & Isles — Starbridge Warden
• Castle — John Raglan
• 2009Chasing a Dream — Dr. Aldicott
• The Forgotten — Judge Cooperman
• 2007Fallen Angels — Horace Millhouse
• The Unit — Administrator
• Bones — Mario Trivisonno
• Boston Legal — Attorney Eric Yavitch
• CSI: NY — Clark Risenhoover
• Stargate Atlantis — Elson
• 2004Swallow — Agent Miller
• 2003Alien Hunter — Copeland
• Mister Sterling — Quinn
• NCIS — Ronald Ostrowski
• CSI: Miami — Robert Wynn
• The Best Sex Ever — Donald
• Without a Trace — Joel Landers
• 2001Attraction — William
• The Guardian — Jerry Lazar
• Boston Public — Dawson
• Bull
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Silvio Peters
• 2000Rocket's Red Glare — Col. Mitchell
• 2000Shadows — Kapo
• The Invisible Man — John Castagnacci
• Angel — Captain Franklin
• Judging Amy — Dr. Eaton
• 1999Tumbleweeds — Vice Principal
• L.A. Doctors — ER Doctor
• Ally McBeal — Attorney Woodson
• Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction — Dr. Sapperstein (segment "Morning Sickness")
• Dharma & Greg — Colonel Glickman
• 1997Prison of Secrets — Brad
• 1997The Sleepwalker Killing — Asst. Atty. Jimmy
• 7th Heaven — Ted Jacob
• 1996Dark Angel — Jastrow
• 1996It's My Party — Tim Bergen
• The Pretender — Agent Russell Gillson
• 1996Twilight Man — Harper
• 1995Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story — Bill Handel
• 1995Serial Killer — Jack Blund
• Star Trek: Voyager — Ny Terla
• Chicago Hope — Sidney Herman
• One West Waikiki
• Party of Five — Dr. Michael Frieder
• Touched by an Angel — Garland Ketter
• Diagnosis: Murder — Larry Macklin
• The Larry Sanders Show — Ron
• 1991Deadly Medicine — Dr. George Reardon
• Eddie Dodd
• Home Improvement — Wes Davidson
• Beverly Hills, 90210 — Pharmacist
• 1990Burning Bridges — Dr. Paletsky
• Capital News — Vartan
• Law & Order — Dr. Joel Friedman
• 1990My Blue Heaven — U.S. Attorney
• Northern Exposure — Matthew Miller
• 1990The Rookie — Lance
• Alien Nation — Carl Peterson
• Doogie Howser, M.D. — Jack Fogle
• Seinfeld — Reilly
• 1989Those She Left Behind — Kerns
• 1989True Believer — Dean Rabin
• Matlock — Gary Benton
• Misfits of Science — Lonnie / Dwayne
• Moonlighting — Frank Herbert
• The Twilight Zone — (segment "The Uncle Devil Show")
• 1984All The Kids Do It — Coach
• 1984Best Defense — First Agent
• Fatal Vision — Brian Murtagh
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King
• The Hitchhiker — Carl
• 1982Born Beautiful — Ted
• Cagney & Lacey
• Cheers — Gary
• Remington Steele — Eldon Veckmer
• St. Elsewhere — Jeff Hassett
• T. J. Hooker — John Jenkins
• 1982The Thing — Fuchs

Appearances as themselves (3)

• 2026The Thing Expanded — Self
• 2016The Men of Outpost 31 — Self
• 1998The Thing: Terror Takes Shape — Self