Dennis Farina, who made star turns in blockbuster hits like 'Get Shorty' and 'Saving Private Ryan' died on Monday morning at age 69 in Scottsdale Arizona after suffering a blood clot in his lung, his publicist confirmed, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. A former Chicago police officer, his roles in "Reindeer Games," "The Mod Squad," and later in the hit show "Law and Order" as Detective Joe Fontana, made him a luminary figure in show business.
Farina served 18 years in the Chicago Police Department's burglary division from 1967 to 1985 prior to being an actor. When still a police officer, Farina's police partner was Chuck Adamson who later created the television series "Crime Story," and also wrote the hit show "Miami Vice." A few years before making the shift into acting, he began his work in show business working for director Michael Mann as a police consultant. His film debut was in Mann's 'Thief' in 1981. He was 37 at the time.
Farina won an American Comedy Award for his performance in "Get Shorty," directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and co-starring John Travolta and Danny DeVito. After a short stint on "Law and Order," Farina became the new host of "Unsolved Mysteries" when it returned to television in 2008. He replaced Robert Stack who died in 2003.
Farina was arrested on May 11, 2008 for carrying a loaded .22 caliber pistol through L.A. International Airport security, but by the next year, he was able to get the judge in the case to dismiss all charges leveled againsts him.
Farina accepted the Commitment to Chicago Award at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards show on January 7, 2012.
Farina was married to Patricia Farina from 1970 to 1980, and is survived by his three sons, one of whom Joseph is an actor.
