---
name: "Joel Polis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/joel-polis"
fi1m_id: "joel-polis"
imdb_id: "nm0689177"
tmdb_id: 15418
wikidata_id: "Q330349"
roles: []
born: "3 October 1951"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 88
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-18T08:20:00.477882+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Joel Polis

## Identity

Joel Polis

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/joel-polis
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** joel-polis
- **IMDb ID:** nm0689177
- **TMDB ID:** 15418
- **Wikidata ID:** Q330349
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Polis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q330349, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0689177/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15418

Actor. Born 3 October 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

## Details

- **Born:** 3 October 1951, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Polis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q330349, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0689177/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15418

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Thing*](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md) (88)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Joel Polis is an American actor. Born on 3 October 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he studied at the University of Southern California, where he earned a BA, and at Yale University, where he received an MFA.

His first film role was as Fuchs in *The Thing* (1982). Polis has appeared in over one hundred television programmes and films, including a recurring role as Gary, the owner of a rival bar, in *Cheers*. Other credits include episodes of *Seinfeld* (1997), *Star Trek: Voyager* (1995), *NCIS*, *Bones* and *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*. His stage work includes productions at the Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory and the Pasadena Playhouse.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Cheers* (1982), Fi1m 88, as Gary — [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *The Thing* (1982), Fi1m 88, as Fuchs — [page](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md)

## Complete filmography (80)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Growing Up Fisher* (2014), series, as Richard Barr
- *Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.* (2013), series, as The Banker
- *Rizzoli & Isles* (2010), series, as Starbridge Warden
- *The Forgotten* (2009), series, as Judge Cooperman
- *Chasing a Dream* (2009), as Dr. Aldicott
- *Castle* (2009), series, as John Raglan — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *Fallen Angels* (2007), as Horace Millhouse
- *The Unit* (2006), series, as Administrator
- *Bones* (2005), series, as Mario Trivisonno — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/bones.md)
- *Boston Legal* (2004), series, as Attorney Eric Yavitch — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *CSI: NY* (2004), series, as Clark Risenhoover
- *Stargate Atlantis* (2004), series, as Elson
- *Swallow* (2004), as Agent Miller
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Ronald Ostrowski — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *Alien Hunter* (2003), as Copeland
- *Mister Sterling* (2003), series, as Quinn
- *Without a Trace* (2002), series, as Joel Landers
- *CSI: Miami* (2002), series, as Robert Wynn
- *The Best Sex Ever* (2002), series, as Donald
- *The Guardian* (2001), series, as Jerry Lazar
- *Attraction* (2001), as William
- *Boston Public* (2000), series, as Dawson
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Silvio Peters
- *Rocket's Red Glare* (2000), as Col. Mitchell
- *Bull* (2000), series, Actor
- *The Invisible Man* (2000), series, as John Castagnacci
- *Shadows* (2000), as Kapo
- *Tumbleweeds* (1999), as Vice Principal
- *Angel* (1999), series, as Captain Franklin
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Dr. Eaton
- *L.A. Doctors* (1998), series, as ER Doctor
- *Dharma & Greg* (1997), series, as Colonel Glickman
- *Ally McBeal* (1997), series, as Attorney Woodson — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/ally-mcbeal.md)
- *The Sleepwalker Killing* (1997), as Asst. Atty. Jimmy
- *Prison of Secrets* (1997), as Brad
- *The Pretender* (1996), series, as Agent Russell Gillson
- *Dark Angel* (1996), as Jastrow
- *7th Heaven* (1996), series, as Ted Jacob
- *Twilight Man* (1996), as Harper
- *It's My Party* (1996), as Tim Bergen
- *Never Say Never: The Deidre Hall Story* (1995), as Bill Handel
- *Serial Killer* (1995), as Jack Blund
- *Star Trek: Voyager* (1995), series, as Ny Terla
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Garland Ketter
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Sidney Herman
- *Party of Five* (1994), series, as Dr. Michael Frieder — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/party-of-five.md)
- *One West Waikiki* (1994), series, Actor
- *Diagnosis: Murder* (1993), series, as Larry Macklin
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Ron — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)
- *Deadly Medicine* (1991), as Dr. George Reardon
- *Home Improvement* (1991), series, as Wes Davidson
- *Eddie Dodd* (1991), series, Actor
- *The Rookie* (1990), as Lance
- *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990), series, as Pharmacist — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/beverly-hills-90210.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Dr. Joel Friedman — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *My Blue Heaven* (1990), as U.S. Attorney
- *Northern Exposure* (1990), series, as Matthew Miller — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/northern-exposure.md)
- *Burning Bridges* (1990), as Dr. Paletsky
- *Capital News* (1990), series, as Vartan
- *Doogie Howser, M.D.* (1989), series, as Jack Fogle
- *Alien Nation* (1989), series, as Carl Peterson
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Reilly — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Those She Left Behind* (1989), as Kerns
- *True Believer* (1989), as Dean Rabin
- *Matlock* (1986), series, as Gary Benton
- *Misfits of Science* (1985), series, as Lonnie / Dwayne
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as (segment "The Uncle Devil Show")
- *Moonlighting* (1985), series, as Frank Herbert — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/moonlighting.md)
- *Fatal Vision* (1984), series, as Brian Murtagh
- *Best Defense* (1984), as First Agent
- *All The Kids Do It* (1984), as Coach
- *The Hitchhiker* (1983), series, as Carl
- *Scarecrow and Mrs. King* (1983), series, Actor
- *Born Beautiful* (1982), as Ted
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Jeff Hassett — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Remington Steele* (1982), series, as Eldon Veckmer
- *Cheers* (1982), series, as Gary — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *The Thing* (1982), as Fuchs — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-thing.md)
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Actor — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *T. J. Hooker* (1982), series, as John Jenkins

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/joel-polis