“I just think 'Law & Order' is the gold standard. History is going to show that it's probably one of the best series of shows that has been on television.”

American actor and Chicago police detective

Dennis Farina was an American actor and former Chicago police detective. He was known for playing mobsters and police officers, and for moving from law enforcement into film and television. His career in entertainment began through his association with filmmaker Michael Mann, who used him as both an actor and a technical advisor. After supporting roles in Mann's Thief (1981) and Manhunter (1986), he was cast as Lieutenant Mike Torello in the NBC series Crime Story, also produced by Mann.