Dennis Farina
A Chicago cop turned character actor whose lived-in authenticity made him a beloved fixture in crime dramas and comedies alike.
1944–2013 (age 69)·American actor·Birthday: February 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Dennis Farina didn't just play cops and gangsters; for 18 years, he was one. A native Chicagoan, he served on the city's police force, later working in the burglary division. His entry into acting was almost accidental, coming through a connection with director Michael Mann, who hired him as a consultant. Farina's rough-hewn charm and unmistakable voice—pure Chicago—landed him a role in Mann's 'Thief.' He never looked back, leaving the force for a full-time acting career. He brought a weary, knowing credibility to every part, whether as the gruff Lt. Mike Torello in 'Crime Story,' the slick mobster Jimmy Serrano in 'Midnight Run,' or the endearingly out-of-touch FBI agent on 'Law & Order.' Farina never lost his everyman edge, becoming one of Hollywood's most reliable and distinctive faces, a guy who looked like he'd seen it all because, in many ways, he had.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Dennis was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dennis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Dennis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Died at 69
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Starred as Lieutenant Mike Torello in the influential television series 'Crime Story' from 1986 to 1988.
- Delivered a memorable comedic performance as mob boss Jimmy Serrano in the classic film 'Midnight Run.'
- Served as a series regular on the final season of 'Law & Order,' playing Detective Joe Fontana.
- Transitioned from an 18-year career as a Chicago police detective to a successful film and television actor.
Did You Know?
He was still working as a Chicago police detective when he got his first film role in Michael Mann's 'Thief.'
He often played characters with Chicago ties, a nod to his own deep roots in the city.
He hosted a reality TV series called 'Unsolved Mysteries' for two seasons.
Before acting, he served in the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division.
“I'm from Chicago. I'll always be from Chicago. My style is Chicago.”
