Actor and tough guy Dennis Farina has died at the age of 69.  The cause was a blood clot in his lung according to his publicist Lori de Wall.  Farina played many roles in a career that didn’t begin until he was 40, but was best known for his role as Detective Joe Fontana in the New York City based crime drama, Law and Order.  He starred in that role from 2004-2006.  Farina, born February 29, 1944, was the most believable detective in the series that included actors Jerry Orbach and Jesse L. Martin, probably because of his real life experience.  Farina was a Chicago detective for many years until beginning his acting career. His movie credits include Midnight Run and Get Shorty.  Most recently, he starred alongside Dustin Hoffman in Luck, on HBO.  Farina died in Scottsdale, Arizona and his survived by his partner of thirty-five years, Marianne Cahill, three sons and six grand children.