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Donaldo Guglielmo "Dennis" Farina (born February 29 , 1944 in Chicago, Illinois ) is an Italian - American Film and Television Actor , starring since 2004 as Detective Joe Fontana on NBC 's '' Law & Order ''. He is a Character Actor , often Typecast as a Mobster or Police officer—the latter an appropriate choice, as Farina was an officer of the Chicago Police Department serving from 1967 to 1985 . When Farina quit the force, he was a detective.

Farina was born in Chicago to a large Italian family and had two brothers and three sisters. He is father of three sons, Dennis, Joseph and Michael, from his first marriage.

Farina actually got his start working for director Michael Mann as a police consultant on his early works, which led to an interest in acting when Mann cast him in a small role. Farina proceeded to moonlight as an actor in the Chicago theater scene before Mann chose him for his '' Crime Story '' series.

Other movies in Farina's filmography include '' Manhunter '', '' Midnight Run '', '' Get Shorty '', '' Out Of Sight '', '' Saving Private Ryan '', '' Big Trouble '', '' Snatch '', and '' The Mod Squad ''.


TRIVIA

  • His role on '').



  • In his first episode of '' Law & Order '', his partner Detective Ed Green ( Jesse L. Martin ) says that when he first saw Farina's character, he "didn't know if he was a cop or a wise guy." This was a joking reference to Farina's having played mobsters so many times.


  • One of his most well-known movie characters is Jimmy Serrano, the mob boss from '' Midnight Run ''.



co stars Steve Ryan and Bill Smitrovich ]]


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