A heavy set, bald character player who often sports a distinctive, pencil-thin moustache and is frequently cast as gangsters or cops, Polito appeared on Broadway in "American Buffalo" (1977), "Curse of the Aching Heart" (1982) and the 1984 revival of "Death of a Salesman" (which was broadcast on CBS in 1985) and starred in the original Hartford Stage Company production of "Other People's Money". He made his film debut in The Clairvoyant and played Tommy Lucchese in the TV series The Gangster Chronicles. Polito is best known for his roles in two films by the Coen Brothers: as obsequious yet vicious crime lord Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing and as the toadying Lou Breeze in Barton Fink.
Appears in most of the Coen Brothers movies. Was fired from Homicide: Life on the Street by series producer Tom Fontana due to a disagreement. Is of Italian descent.