Dennis Farina (1944 – 2013)

Dennis Farina, a former Chicago cop turned successful actor, died today from a blood clot in his lung.

Farina served in the Chicago Police Department’s burglary division from 1967 to 1985. He became interested in acting after Michael Mann hired him as a police consultant (and giving him a small role) in the 1981 film Thief. Farina honed his acting chops on the Chicago theater scene for several years before Mann cast him in the lead role of Mike Torello on the NBC series Crime Story. The show was a solid hit in its first season, but was cancelled after its second season after NBC moved the show to Tuesday nights opposite Moonlighting. Farina would make memorable appearances (often playing mobsters or cops) in such films as Get Shorty, Snatch, Midnight Run and Out Of Sight. In addition to Crime Story, Farina’s TV output including stints on Law & Order, Unsolved Mysteries, New Girl, and the HBO series Luck.

Dennis Farina was 69.

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Memorable clips

Snatch:

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Get Shorty:

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Crime Story: