This face is nothing to brag about. I don't know what it is that these people see in my face.
Dennis Farina
When I first started out acting, I didn't have anything to lose. I had another career. If I fell on my face, I could say, 'I'll see ya,' and go back to working.
When I first got into acting, I never had any long-term goals, never had any plan. I just thought it would be a good way to make some extra money.
For some reason or another, 'Richard Diamond, Private Eye,' still sticks out in my mind. I don't think I particularly liked that show, but for some reason, he sticks in my mind.
My best year was probably 1948, and after that, it's been downhill for me.
I've probably played more non-police roles than people realize.
I've worked on what I think are good things.
Sometimes I do pinch myself about the life I've had.
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.
I like being in the '60s.
It was a great time, and I liked the guys. I liked getting up every morning and being a cop.
Maybe it's because I was too much reality, but I'm not interested in seeing too much reality anymore. I'd rather watch a Dean Martin concert and let the world go by.
I'd love to do a Western. A real Western like John Ford used to do. There's not too many of them made, so I don't know if I'll ever get to do that. They're awfully hard movies to make.
Car chases usually don't involve major criminals - they're usually guys afraid of getting another traffic ticket.
I read the script and try not to bring anything personal into it. I make notes, talk to the director and we decide what kinds of shades should be in the character.
The cast was huge, but I never saw anybody.
I had seen 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' and I thought that was a different kind of film than I'd seen before, with that kind of editing and slick camera movements.
You can't act for the editing. You have to leave that to him. So you just go in and do the scene the way you think is right or whatever you're directed to do, and leave the rest of that technical stuff up to the director.
I don't need to see the old school to remember it and the teachers there. They changed the way that I've always looked at life and learning.
I learned a long time ago: You're in the entertainment business. You're not in the reality business. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other.
Sometimes you can take those dramatic roles and maybe interject a little humor into them, and I think the reverse also works.
I'm very lucky. I'm the most fortunate guy that I know.
You can change a person's life in an instant; put him in a movie, and you start thinking differently, you want to be in another movie. It's like an addiction almost.
Everybody wants to look in the mirror and see Cary Grant looking back at them, but that's just not the case.
Acting is a work in progress for me. I just try to keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open, especially with the people I've worked with.
I even played a part in 'Miami Vice.'
The most credible police shows I've ever seen were 'Barney Miller' on TV and 'The French Connection' movie. They showed the tedious side of police work.
This isn't the most handsome face in the world, and there are a lot of younger guys out there, but I keep hanging in there.
I think first impressions are important when you pick up a script.
If you did something, and it wasn't right, you definitely found out about it. And they were pretty smart people, both my parents, so you didn't get too much by them.
When they released Sidewalks of New York, there were some shots with the towers they were going to take out, and Ed told them no. I don't think they can deny the towers were a part of New York.
My mother and sisters cooked Italian food, and I never heard of half of the dishes you see in these Italian restaurants. I just go in and order spaghetti.
Usually you're in movies with a lot of dissolves and things, but this was kind of quick, more jarring than usual. I thought it would be fun to be in a movie that's unconventional. Then I met Guy and I liked him. I think he's a good man.
People are always telling me to shut up about Chicago.
I wasn't so sure about signing up for 'Law & Order.' I liked the show, but another TV series? I'll tell you, though, it's been great, and I had no idea how popular the show was.
Am I a good actor? I don't think about it. But I'm working on it.
I have - and you gotta believe this - hardly ever met anybody in Hollywood who's not nice. There are some people I don't like, but everybody has been very nice.
Do whatever you're directed to do, and leave the rest of that technical stuff up to the director.
There's not too many offers that come my way about being in a musical.
As far as carrying the American banner, you just do what's right for the kids.
I don't know if I have a technique. I'm just trying to remember the words.
I don't like to be talked into anything. I don't want to be cajoled.
I have a home in Arizona. I go a couple months a year, but basically Chicago is my home.
I know people who go back and check themselves, but it drives me crazy. Everybody wants to look in the mirror and see Cary Grant looking back at them, but that's just not the case.
I love England and the historical aspect of it.
I think all actors are supposed to be character actors.
I wanted to do Buddy Faro as a small budget movie. They said no. So I wanted to do it as a series of recurring TV movies, and they said no. So I agreed to do it as a series.
I've tried writing. Two days later I'd go visit it and say, Jesus Christ, who wrote this crap?
The British have slang words, as we do, but it was fun.
There's a whole catalogue of actors that never went to acting school.
