Dennis Farina Biography Quotes 26 Report mistakes

Early Life and Police Career
Dennis Farina was born on February 29, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, into a close-knit Italian American family whose values of hard work and loyalty would anchor him throughout his life. Before he ever set foot on a soundstage, he served his city. In 1967 he joined the Chicago Police Department and spent nearly two decades in uniform and plainclothes, gaining an unvarnished understanding of crime, neighborhoods, and the people who navigate both. The cadence of his speech, the way he wore a suit, and the steady confidence that later defined his screen presence all drew on those formative years in Chicago.

From Police Work to Performance
Farina came to acting late and almost by accident. While still a police officer, he crossed paths with filmmaker Michael Mann, who was seeking authenticity for a movie set in the Chicago underworld. Farina initially advised as a technical consultant and soon found himself in front of the camera in Mann's film Thief (1981). Audiences noticed the natural ease with which he inhabited the world of cops and criminals; there was no pretense in his work, only lived-in truth. By the mid-1980s, after nearly eighteen years on the force, he left the department and committed to a full-time acting career.

Breakthrough on Television
Television quickly became the platform where Farina's authenticity was unmistakable. He appeared in Miami Vice as recurring mob figure Albert Lombard, trading electric scenes with stars Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas and showing a flair for both menace and wry humor. His breakout arrived with Michael Mann's Crime Story (1986-1988). As Lt. Mike Torello, a relentless Chicago cop pursuing crime boss Ray Luca, Farina drew on his police experience to create a character both tough and human, surrounded by a creative team that included fellow former detective and producer Chuck Adamson. The series earned a devoted following and established him as a magnetic lead.

Feature Film Highlights
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Farina built a distinctive filmography. He was memorably dangerous and funny as mob boss Jimmy Serrano opposite Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in Midnight Run (1988). In Manhunter (1986), Mann's cerebral thriller, he portrayed FBI veteran Jack Crawford with a calm authority that grounded the film. His comedic bite sharpened in Get Shorty (1995), where he matched John Travolta, Gene Hackman, and Rene Russo scene for scene as the irascible Ray "Bones" Barboni under the direction of Barry Sonnenfeld. He brought warmth and romantic charm opposite Bette Midler in That Old Feeling (1997), and he added rueful heart to Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight (1998) as Karen Sisco's father, playing beautifully against Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney. In Guy Ritchie's Snatch (2000), his turn as Cousin Avi became a cult favorite, his gruff timing and incredulous asides punctuating the film's kinetic energy. Later, he returned to ensemble comedy with Sonnenfeld's Big Trouble (2002). Across genres, he was the rare performer who could be believably dangerous one moment and winningly funny the next.

Later Television Work
Farina returned to network television as Detective Joe Fontana on Law & Order from 2004 to 2006, stepping into the iconic franchise following the tenure of Jerry Orbach's beloved Lennie Briscoe. Paired notably with Jesse L. Martin's Detective Ed Green and working alongside Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy, Farina gave Fontana a cosmopolitan edge, subtle humor, and a moral spine. He led the stylish private-eye series Buddy Faro (1998), created by Mark Frost, showcasing his effortless cool in a leading role. In 2008, he hosted a new run of Unsolved Mysteries, bringing a steady, empathetic voice to cold cases for a new audience. He continued to diversify with prestige cable and modern sitcoms: on HBO's Luck (2012), he appeared opposite Dustin Hoffman, and on New Girl he made a vivid impression as Walt Miller, the charmingly roguish father of Nick, played by Jake Johnson, sharing scenes with Zooey Deschanel and the ensemble cast.

Personal Life
Farina maintained close ties to Chicago even as his career took him from Hollywood to New York soundstages. He was a devoted father to his three sons, Dennis Jr., Michael, and Joseph, and cherished his role as a grandfather. In his later years he shared his life with longtime partner Marianne Cahill, and friends and collaborators often remarked on his courtesy, his loyalty, and the gentlemanly warmth that stood in contrast to the tough characters he portrayed. The combination of streetwise realism and kindness off camera made him a colleague others trusted and admired.

Final Years and Legacy
Dennis Farina died on July 22, 2013, in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 69, from a pulmonary embolism. Tributes poured in from across film and television, including collaborators from the Michael Mann circle, his Law & Order family, and directors like Steven Soderbergh and Guy Ritchie who prized his singular screen presence. He left behind a body of work that bridges real-world experience and cinematic craft: a catalog of cops, crooks, and fathers whose authenticity never felt manufactured. For audiences, he remains the emblem of a particular American charisma forged in Chicago precincts and burnished on the soundstage. For peers, he set a standard of professionalism and generosity. His legacy endures in the roles that continue to feel lived-in, immediate, and human, and in the path he created for performers who bring their full lives to the art.

Our collection contains 26 quotes who is written by Dennis, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Funny - Writing - Freedom - Parenting.