Jon Polito has died from cancer. He was 65 years old.
The veteran character actor known for his roles in Coen brother movies like “The Big Lebowski,” and other notable appearances on television shows like “Seinfeld” and “Modern Family,”passed away Thursday at the City of Hope hospital in southern California of cancer, his manager announced, according to the Hollywood Reporter. (RELATED: Gene Wilder — Actor Who Played Willy Wonka — Dies At 83)
(Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
Polito was first diagnosed in 2010 with multiple myeloma.
The actor played a lot of cop and gangster roles. For two seasons on the NBC cop drama “Homicide: Life on the Street,” Polito played Baltimore detective Steve Crosetti.
When asked in 2005 about being typecast, Polito said he didn’t mind.
“You know, it’s a funny thing,” Polito said. “I don’t have a problem. First of all, my theory is there are only gangsters and cops. There are also fathers, but they are really boring unless some tragedy happens to the father.”
“I don’t mind typecasting, but I will not do the same thing over again.”