July 22, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A publicist says native Chicago actor Dennis Farina, the police officer turned star of ''Law & Order,'' has died at 69.

Lori De Waal, his representative, says Farina died Monday morning in a Scottsdale, Ariz., hospital after suffering a blood clot in his lung. 

Farina, originally from Chicago,  got the Commitment to Chicago tribute in 2012 at the Chicago Film Critics annual awards.

Farina insisted his 2011 film "The Last Rites of Joe May" be shot in Chicago.

The film was the main event at the 2011 Chicago International Film Festival. At the time, Farina told ABC7's Janet Davies that he's thrilled with his career.

"I believe I'm the luckiest guy in the world, and I wake up and thank God for everything that's happening, you know, I don't take anything for granted," Farina said.

Born Feb. 29, 1944, in Chicago, he was a city police officer before turning to acting in his late 30s.

Farina appeared in films including "Get Shorty," ''Saving Private Ryan" and "Midnight Run."

Among his many TV portrayals was Det. Joe Fontana on "Law & Order." He starred in the 1980s cult favorite, "Crime Story" and most recently was in the HBO drama series "Luck."