Dennis Farina was a highly acclaimed and prolific actor, with a career spanning numerous film and television projects. He was a familiar face to audiences, appearing in a wide range of roles in both comedy and drama.
Farina's recent work included appearances in the feature films "The Grand", "Bottle Shock", and "What Happens in Vegas", as well as a stint on the NBC series "Law and Order" and the HBO miniseries "Empire Falls", for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Mini-Series.
Farina's notable film roles included his portrayal of the retired lawman father of Jennifer Lopez's character in Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight", and his performance as "Ray 'Bones' Barboni" in "Get Shorty", for which he received an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Male.
In 1998, Farina appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan", playing the pivotal role of "Col. Anderson", who convinces Tom Hanks' character to lead a squad deep into Nazi territory to rescue "Pvt. Ryan". He also co-starred with Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro in Guy Ritchie's darkly comedic crime drama "Snatch".
Farina's extensive filmography includes numerous other notable credits, including John Frankenheimer's "Reindeer Games", "Paparazzi", Martin Brest's "Midnight Run", and the Michael Mann film "Manhunter", among many others.
In addition to his film work, Farina was also recognized for his role in the critically acclaimed television series "Crime Story", and was a veteran of the Chicago theater, appearing in productions such as Joseph Mantegna's "Bleacher Bums" and "A Prayer For My Daughter", directed by John Malkovich.
Sadly, Farina passed away on July 22, 2013, at the age of 69, in Scottsdale, Arizona.