Dennis Farina

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Birthday: February 29, 1944

A stocky, forceful character player, Dennis Farina certainly looks like the popular idea of a cop with his weathered mug, ethnic air (Italian-American) and prominent, graying mustache. As well he should, this 18-year veteran of the Chicago police force was still a detective when he was introduced to producer-writer-director Michael Mann, a friend of a friend, who cast him in a supporting role in the dark, thoughtful crime drama "Thief" (1981). This successful performance led to work in Chicago regional theater (to which he has frequen…more

Full Biography

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Credits

Actor

The Case of the Hillside Stranglers
Angelo Buono
Crime Story
Lieutenant Mike Torello
Drug Wars: The Cocaine Cartel
Mike Cerone
Buddy Faro
Buddy Faro
Werewolf Concerto

Producer

Buddy Faro
Co-Executive Producer

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Career Milestones

2007
Co-starred in the mafia comedy thriller, "You Kill Me" directed by John Dahl
2005
Cast in the ensemble drama "Empire Falls," the HBO adaptation of Richard Russo's Pulitzer Prize winning novel
2004 to 2006
Replace Jerry Orbach on the hit NBC drama "Law and Order"; left show after two seasons to pursue other projects
2002
Appeared with Tim Allen in "Big Trouble"
2002
Had role in comedy "Stealing Harvard"