Dennis Farina, character actor extraordinaire, has passed away at the age of 69.
An 18 year veteran of the Chicago Police, Farina got his break in show business on the Michael Mann film THIEF in 1981. From there, Farina went on to make appearances in over 75 films including the first portrayal of Jack Crawford in Mann’s MANHUNTER followed by memorable roles in movies as varied as Barry Sonnenfeld‘s GET SHORTY, Steven Soderbergh‘s OUT OF SIGHT, Steven Spielberg‘s SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and Guy Ritchie‘s SNATCH. Aside from dozens of small parts in films, Farina was also a staple on television series ranging from MIAMI VICE, CRIME STORY, LAW & ORDER, and most recently a small stint on NEW GIRL.
Farina exuded a tough guy persona inherent in his Sicilian-American roots that typecast him as the tough mobster or cop. But Farina took to these parts and gave them the gravitas they needed. He was also an adept comedic actor as you can see in both SNATCH and GET SHORTY. He will be missed by movie fans but his acting talents will remain on film for years to come.
