Police officer-turned-actor Dennis Farina has passed away at age 69.
The Associated Press first reported Farina’s death via a release from his publicist. No cause of death was announced.
Farina served 18 years in the Chicago Police Department before becoming an actor. Farina was best known in recent years for appearing as detective Joe Fontana in Law & Order.
However, twice in his career Farina played disgruntled managers or head coaches who were deposed in favor of the movie’s protagonist, a somewhat bizarre typecast.
In 1994, Farina played Minnesota Twins manager George O’Farrell — who is fired by Billy Heywood so the 12-year-old can manage the big league club — in Little Big League. Then, in 1996, Farina played John Bailey — the New York Knicks head coach who quits so Whoopi Goldberg can coach an NBA team — in Eddie.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Dennis Farina
