The great Dennis Farina has died of a pulmonary embolism at 69.
I know Farina best from his work in two gangster-related films: the quirky, hilarious "Get Shorty" and the dark, gritty "Goodfellas." The man had a great sense of comic timing and a very natural, memorable screen presence. Like Joe Pesci, he could go from jovial to mean in an instant. In reading around, I just discovered that Farina used to be a cop. Imagine that.
RIP, Mr. Farina. You will be missed.
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I heartily recommend the films Snatch and Midnight Run for more Farina goodness. He also had small parts in Saving Private Ryan and Thief, which is a personal favorite.
ReplyDeleteI saw both "Snatch" and "Midnight Run." It's been a few years, though. I vaguely remember him in "Snatch," but I remember next to nothing about "Midnight Run," which I found forgettable. What role did Farina play in "Saving Private Ryan"? I don't recall.
ReplyDeleteHe had a small role as a military officer. A couple of lines, if I recall correctly--sort of like Ted Danson or Paul Giamatti.
ReplyDeleteYou should watch Snatch again. Farina has a lot of the best lines.
Heh. I should watch snatch again.
ReplyDeleteYes. Yes, I should.