Expert: Erik Smith - 9/28/2006

Question
I liked Dennis Farina ever since he was on Crime Story. Where is he now?

Answer
Hi Robert,

Dennis left "Law & Order" after the end of last season. From Dick Wolf's live blog on September 17, 2006:

* * *
First of all, I've known Dennis for more than 20 years since I was running Miami Vice and he was on Crime Story.
We'd been taking for 3 years about collaborating, but he made no bones that episodic TV was a grind.

But when Jerry was leaving the show because of his illness, I called him again. He said, "I don't know. I'm no Jerry. I don't think I can be here for years and years." Frankly almost a year ago in January he called and said, "Dick, I'm really anxious to get back to feature films. I want to give you plenty of notice to be released."

If an actor asks to be released far enough in advance and in a professional manner, I don't have problem. I didn't want him to curtail other opportunities. He's already made one movie , about to start another. It's a mutually amicable parting and I would work with him again in a heart beat.
* * *

He's got three movies lined up, according to imdb.com:
- "Purple Violets", directed by Edward Burns
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491109/
- "You Kill Me", directed by John Dahl
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796375/
-  "The Grand", directed by Zak Penn
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427998/

Contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Erik Smith