Dennis Farina Dead: ‘Law And Order’ Actor Dies From Blood Clot At 69

Dennis Farina died this morning in Scottsdale, Arizona.

According to ABC, the actor’s sudden passing was caused by a blood clot on his lung. He was 69-years-old.

Farina’s publicist Lori DeWaal said in a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a great actor and a wonderful man. Dennis Farina was always warm-hearted and professional, with a great sense of humor 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.”

Farina was born in Chicago and didn’t plan on having a career in show business. CNN notes that Farina was working as a Chicago cop when director Michael Mann asked him to be a consultant for the movie Thief. Farina also has a small role as a thief in the movie and was quickly on his way to becoming a movie star.

Farina landed roles in movies like Snatch, Out Of Sight, Saving Private Ryan and Get Shorty, but his most famous roles came from TV shows. He played Lt. Mike Torello in the 80s show Crime Story and Det. Joe Fontana on Law And Order.

The actor’s latest role came on the show New Girl. He was also working on two movies, Author’s Anonymous and Lucky Stiff, at the time of his death.

Here are some clips from the movie Midnight Run. [Video contains strong language.]

[Image Via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]