Actor profile

Joel Polis

3rd October 1951 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Acting

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.

26 Movies 55 TV Shows 83 Credits

Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

The Thing Expanded poster

The Thing Expanded 23rd April 2026 as Self

Chasing a Dream poster

Chasing a Dream 24th April 2009 as Dr. Aldicott

Fallen Angels poster

Fallen Angels 5th October 2007 as Horace Millhouse

Swallow poster

Swallow 9th February 2004 as Agent Miller

Alien Hunter poster

Alien Hunter 19th July 2003 as Copeland

Attraction poster

Attraction 22nd April 2001 as William

Rocket's Red Glare poster

Rocket's Red Glare 27th August 2000 as Col. Mitchell

Tumbleweeds poster

Tumbleweeds 24th November 1999 as Vice Principal

The Thing: Terror Takes Shape poster

The Thing: Terror Takes Shape 8th September 1998 as Self

The Sleepwalker Killing poster

The Sleepwalker Killing 28th April 1997 as Asst. Atty. Jimmy

Prison of Secrets poster

Prison of Secrets 16th March 1997 as Brad

Dark Angel poster

Dark Angel 10th September 1996 as Jastrow

Twilight Man poster

Twilight Man 26th July 1996 as Harper

It's My Party poster

It's My Party 22nd March 1996 as Tim Bergen

Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story poster

Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story 10th December 1995 as Bill Handel

Serial Killer poster

Serial Killer 5th October 1995 as Jack Blund

Deadly Medicine poster

Deadly Medicine 11th November 1991 as Dr. George Reardon

The Rookie poster

The Rookie 7th December 1990 as Lance

My Blue Heaven poster

My Blue Heaven 17th August 1990 as U.S. Attorney

Burning Bridges poster

Burning Bridges 6th May 1990 as Dr. Paletsky

Those She Left Behind poster

Those She Left Behind 6th March 1989 as Kerns

True Believer poster

True Believer 17th February 1989 as Dean Rabin

Best Defense poster

Best Defense 20th July 1984 as First Agent

All The Kids Do It poster

All The Kids Do It 24th April 1984 as Coach

Born Beautiful poster

Born Beautiful 1st November 1982 as Ted

The Thing poster

The Thing 25th June 1982 as Fuchs

Growing Up Fisher poster

Growing Up Fisher 23rd February 2014 as Richard Barr

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. poster

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 24th September 2013 as The Banker

Rizzoli & Isles poster

Rizzoli & Isles 12th July 2010 as Starbridge Warden

The Forgotten poster

The Forgotten 22nd September 2009 as Judge Cooperman

Castle poster

Castle 9th March 2009 as John Raglan

The Unit poster

The Unit 7th March 2006 as Administrator

Bones poster

Bones 13th September 2005 as Mario Trivisonno

Boston Legal poster

Boston Legal 3rd October 2004 as Attorney Eric Yavitch

CSI: NY poster

CSI: NY 22nd September 2004 as Clark Risenhoover

Stargate Atlantis poster

Stargate Atlantis 15th July 2004 as Elson

NCIS poster

NCIS 23rd September 2003 as Ronald Ostrowski

Mister Sterling poster

Mister Sterling 10th January 2003 as Quinn

Without a Trace poster

Without a Trace 26th September 2002 as Joel Landers

CSI: Miami poster

CSI: Miami 23rd September 2002 as Robert Wynn

The Best Sex Ever poster

The Best Sex Ever 3rd May 2002 as Donald

The Guardian poster

The Guardian 25th September 2001 as Jerry Lazar

Boston Public poster

Boston Public 23rd October 2000 as Dawson

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation poster

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 6th October 2000 as Silvio Peters

Bull poster

Bull 15th August 2000

The Invisible Man poster

The Invisible Man 9th June 2000 as John Castagnacci

Angel poster

Angel 5th October 1999 as Captain Franklin

Judging Amy poster

Judging Amy 19th September 1999 as Dr. Eaton

L.A. Doctors poster

L.A. Doctors 21st September 1998 as ER Doctor

Dharma & Greg poster

Dharma & Greg 24th September 1997 as Colonel Glickman

Ally McBeal poster

Ally McBeal 8th September 1997 as Attorney Woodson

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction poster

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction 25th May 1997 as Dr. Sapperstein (segment "Morning Sickness")

The Pretender poster

The Pretender 19th September 1996 as Agent Russell Gillson

7th Heaven poster

7th Heaven 26th August 1996 as Ted Jacob

Star Trek: Voyager poster

Star Trek: Voyager 16th January 1995 as Ny Terla

Touched by an Angel poster

Touched by an Angel 21st September 1994 as Garland Ketter

Chicago Hope poster

Chicago Hope 18th September 1994 as Sidney Herman

Party of Five poster

Party of Five 12th September 1994 as Dr. Michael Frieder

One West Waikiki poster

One West Waikiki 4th August 1994

Diagnosis: Murder poster

Diagnosis: Murder 29th October 1993 as Larry Macklin

The Larry Sanders Show poster

The Larry Sanders Show 15th August 1992 as Ron

Home Improvement poster

Home Improvement 17th September 1991 as Wes Davidson

Beverly Hills, 90210 poster

Beverly Hills, 90210 4th October 1990 as Pharmacist

Law & Order poster

Law & Order 13th September 1990 as Dr. Joel Friedman

Northern Exposure poster

Northern Exposure 12th July 1990 as Matthew Miller

Capital News poster

Capital News 9th April 1990 as Vartan

Doogie Howser, M.D. poster

Doogie Howser, M.D. 19th September 1989 as Jack Fogle

Alien Nation poster

Alien Nation 18th September 1989 as Carl Peterson

Seinfeld poster

Seinfeld 5th July 1989 as Reilly

Matlock poster

Matlock 3rd March 1986 as Gary Benton

Misfits of Science poster

Misfits of Science 4th October 1985 as Lonnie / Dwayne

The Twilight Zone poster

The Twilight Zone 27th September 1985 as (segment "The Uncle Devil Show")

Moonlighting poster

Moonlighting 3rd March 1985 as Frank Herbert

Fatal Vision poster

Fatal Vision 18th November 1984 as Brian Murtagh

The Hitchhiker poster

The Hitchhiker 23rd November 1983 as Carl

Scarecrow and Mrs. King poster

Scarecrow and Mrs. King 3rd October 1983

St. Elsewhere poster

St. Elsewhere 26th October 1982 as Jeff Hassett

Remington Steele poster

Remington Steele 1st October 1982 as Eldon Veckmer

Cheers poster

Cheers 30th September 1982 as Gary

Cagney & Lacey poster

Cagney & Lacey 25th March 1982

T. J. Hooker poster

T. J. Hooker 13th March 1982 as John Jenkins