Dennis Farina dies at 69

Veteran actor Dennis Farina has died at the age of 69. The TV and movie star suffered a blood clot in his lung and passed away at a Scottsdale, Arizona hospital on Monday (22Jul13).
His publicist, Lori De Waal, has paid tribute to the lifelong Chicago Cubs baseball fan in a statement which reads: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of a great actor and a wonderful man. Dennis Farina was always warmhearted and professional with a great sense of humour and passion for his profession.
“He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues. We hope that he finds a new life where great roles are plentiful and the Cubs are always winning the pennant. We ask that the press refrain from contacting his family at this time so that they can mourn their loss together.”
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Farina spent 18 years as a city police officer before landing a job as a cop consultant for director Michael Mann.
The filmmaker cast Farina in his first movie, 1981’s Thief, and he went on to appear in his TV drama series Crime Story, before playing mobster Albert Lombard in Mann’s other hit TV show, Miami Vice.
Farina later established himself as a credible character actor and landed parts in Out of Sight, That Old Feeling, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, Midnight Run, in which he portrayed gangster Jimmy Serrano, and Get Shorty.
He also portrayed Detective Joe Fontana in long-running crime series Law & Order from 2004 to 2006.
His more recent TV credits include the cancelled HBO network drama Luck, with Dustin Hoffman, and hit comedy New Girl.
Farina had been filming upcoming comedy musical Lucky Stiff at the time of his death.