Jon Polito

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Actor Jon Polito will talk to California Lutheran University students and community members from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, as part of the “Conversations With …” series.

The informal discussion on the craft of acting will be held in the Preus-Brandt Forum on the Thousand Oaks campus. Actor, writer and director Markus Flanagan, who teaches at CLU, will be the moderator for a one-hour talk followed by aquestion-and-answer session with the audience.

A veteran of more than 100 films, Polito is most recognized from his film work with the Coen brothers including roles in “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Big Lebowski” and “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” He also appeared in “The Crow,” “The Tailor of Panama,” “Big Nothing,” “Death of a Salesman,” “The Freshman” and the 2007 blockbuster “American Gangster.”

Polito, who is in remission from cancer, has also appeared in more than 50 television shows. He was a series regular on the critically acclaimed “Homicide, Life on the Street,” Michael Mann’s “Crime Story,” Syfy’s “The Chronicle” and Steven Bochco’s “Raising The Bar.” Notable guest-starring roles include the befuddled landlord Sylvio on “Seinfield” and his only role as a woman, Rhonda on “The Chris Isaak Show.”

He starred on Broadway with Faye Dunaway in “Curse of an Aching Heart” and with Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich in the 1985 Tony award-winning revival of “Death Of a Salesman.” Politoreceived the Best Actor OBIE Award in 1980 for his work in five very different off-Broadway performances and the Maverick Spirit Award at the 2005 Cinequest Film Festival for outstanding achievement in film and television in recognition of his full body of work.

The “Conversations With …” talks provide theater arts students and other aspiring actors with advice from professionals. They take the approach laid out in Flanagan’s book, “One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor’s Survival Guide,” which explains how to make it in the business of acting while staying sane and focused.

Donations will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit the CLU Theatre Arts Department.

Preus-Brandt Forum is located south of Olsen Road near Mountclef Boulevard. For more information, call 805-493-3415 or email info@westlakeactingstudio.com.