Joseph Fontana
Encyclopedia
Det. Joe Fontana is a fictional character
portrayed by Dennis Farina
on NBC's
long running drama series Law & Order
.
. Fontana is partnered with Det. Ed Green
and, for a brief time, with Det. Nick Falco
while Green was recovering from a gunshot wound. He is commanded by Lt. Anita Van Buren
.
Fontana was named after Homicide: Life on the Street
producer Tom Fontana
, a close friend of Law & Order producer Dick Wolf
.
neighborhood of Chicago
, was an officer of the Chicago Police Department
(as was Farina himself) before coming to New York. He left his posting in Chicago because of conflict with a superior officer, although he refused to elaborate further. He had never been married. Prior to partnering with Green, Fontana worked with a homicide squad in The Bronx
.
Fontana is known for his flashy lifestyle — he drives a silver Mercedes-Benz
SL500, is fond of impeccably tailored suits, and often carries a 'walking-around' money roll of several thousand dollars. That is initially cause for suspicion with his new coworkers, who wonder how he can afford those expensive things on his salary, but apparently they are later satisfied of his honesty. On multiple occasions he bemoans job-related damage to expensive articles of clothing. In the episode "License to Kill", he says, "Ugh, there goes a perfectly good pair of Gucci
loafers" as he tramples through the snow to investigate for evidence. Although Fontana pays a great deal of attention to his appearance, he has his limits; in one episode, for example, he sees a woman who had died after having liposuction
, and says he would rather go on the South Beach Diet
.
Fontana was originally a very dry character, but this made him unpopular with fans, so he was given a better sense of humor.
. Owing to Fontana's manner and apparent wealth, Green wonders if Fontana is a "wiseguy" (mobster) or a cop. Given time, however, Green warms up to Fontana, and the two establish a strong partnership. Fontana compliments Green on his appearance, and alludes to former partners not being "smooth". Green finds himself caught in the middle of a fight between Fontana and Van Buren more than once. On several occasions he also has conflicts with Jack McCoy
(e.g. L&O: "Ghosts"). Prior to partnering with Green, Fontana worked with a homicide squad in The Bronx
, although the episode "Ghosts" suggests that the Bronx may not have been Fontana's first stop in New York.
In 1995, he starts a two-year investigation into the murder of 12-year-old Sara Dolan. Convinced that her father was involved, Fontana does not let go of the case until another murderer confesses to the crime. Fontana questions his original judgment after extensive investigation, leading to the actuall killer being convicted after Mr. Dolan testifies in court. Publicly, Fontana claims to have no regrets about his original belief in Mr. Dolan's guilt because it was reasonable in light of the facts he had during the original investigation. At the end of the episode, though, he visits Mr. Dolan and tries to apologize only to be turned away (L&O: "Ghosts").
He gets entangled with his department when he repeatedly dunks a suspect's head into the toilet to force him to tell him where his kidnapped victim is (L&O: "Thinking Makes It So"). The evidence thus recovered is nearly thrown out, but thanks to ADA Alexandra Borgia
's efforts, Fontana is exonerated and the suspect is found guilty.
Fontana is in touch with his Italian
background, keeping a small Italian flag on his desk, next to the flag of Chicago. He mentions traveling to Italy
, and is fluent in the Italian language
(L&O: "Cry Wolf"). To gain a witness's trust, he falsely claims to have served in Vietnam
(L&O: "Paradigm" & "America. Inc.").
Fontana from time to time uses the phrase "We're authorized" or "I'm authorized" when dealing with people from whom he needs something (such as medical records or access into a room) and who are hesitant to give him what he wants. It is usually successful and the term became a popular catchphrase associated with the character.
When questioning witnesses, Fontana insists on respect for his partner and himself. His response to disrespect is an intimidating change of manner, speaking to the person at extremely close range with insults or veiled threats. He considers it insulting to be called a "cop".
Fontana's departure from the show comes when he retires and is replaced by Green as senior detective.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
portrayed by Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina is an American actor of film and television and former Chicago police officer. He is a character actor, often typecast as a mobster or police officer. His most known film roles are those of mobster Jimmy Serrano in the comedy Midnight Run and Ray "Bones" Barboni in Get Shorty...
on NBC's
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
long running drama series Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
.
Character overiew
Joe Fontana is a homicide detective in the 27th Detective Squad of the New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
. Fontana is partnered with Det. Ed Green
Ed Green
Edward "Ed" Green is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by Jesse L. Martin.-Character overview:...
and, for a brief time, with Det. Nick Falco
Nick Falco
Det. Nick Falco is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Michael Imperioli. Falco appears as the junior partner of Det. Joe Fontana at the end of season 15 after Fontana's partner, Ed Green , was shot in the line of duty...
while Green was recovering from a gunshot wound. He is commanded by Lt. Anita Van Buren
Anita Van Buren
Lt. Anita Van Buren is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order, portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson. By episode count, she is the longest-running character on the show...
.
Fontana was named after Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
producer Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana is an American writer and producer.-TV career:Fontana has been a writer/producer for such series as Oz , The Jury, The Beat, The Bedford Diaries, Homicide: Life on the Street, St...
, a close friend of Law & Order producer Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
.
Personality
Fontana, from the Little ItalyLittle Italy, Chicago
Little Italy is a neighborhood on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois. The current boundaries of Little Italy are Ashland Avenue on the west and Morgan Street on the east — bracketed by Harrison Street on the north and Roosevelt Road; i.e., 12th Street, on the south...
neighborhood of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, was an officer of the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
(as was Farina himself) before coming to New York. He left his posting in Chicago because of conflict with a superior officer, although he refused to elaborate further. He had never been married. Prior to partnering with Green, Fontana worked with a homicide squad in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
.
Fontana is known for his flashy lifestyle — he drives a silver Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
SL500, is fond of impeccably tailored suits, and often carries a 'walking-around' money roll of several thousand dollars. That is initially cause for suspicion with his new coworkers, who wonder how he can afford those expensive things on his salary, but apparently they are later satisfied of his honesty. On multiple occasions he bemoans job-related damage to expensive articles of clothing. In the episode "License to Kill", he says, "Ugh, there goes a perfectly good pair of Gucci
Gucci
The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...
loafers" as he tramples through the snow to investigate for evidence. Although Fontana pays a great deal of attention to his appearance, he has his limits; in one episode, for example, he sees a woman who had died after having liposuction
Liposuction
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty , liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body...
, and says he would rather go on the South Beach Diet
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a diet plan designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon as an alternative to low-fat approaches such as the Ornish Diet and the Pritikin Diet advocated by the American Heart Association in the 1980s. Although the original purpose of the diet was to...
.
Fontana was originally a very dry character, but this made him unpopular with fans, so he was given a better sense of humor.
Character highlights
Fontana initially has a rocky start with Green, who is still upset about the retirement of his old partner, Lennie BriscoeLennie Briscoe
Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach...
. Owing to Fontana's manner and apparent wealth, Green wonders if Fontana is a "wiseguy" (mobster) or a cop. Given time, however, Green warms up to Fontana, and the two establish a strong partnership. Fontana compliments Green on his appearance, and alludes to former partners not being "smooth". Green finds himself caught in the middle of a fight between Fontana and Van Buren more than once. On several occasions he also has conflicts with Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
(e.g. L&O: "Ghosts"). Prior to partnering with Green, Fontana worked with a homicide squad in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, although the episode "Ghosts" suggests that the Bronx may not have been Fontana's first stop in New York.
In 1995, he starts a two-year investigation into the murder of 12-year-old Sara Dolan. Convinced that her father was involved, Fontana does not let go of the case until another murderer confesses to the crime. Fontana questions his original judgment after extensive investigation, leading to the actuall killer being convicted after Mr. Dolan testifies in court. Publicly, Fontana claims to have no regrets about his original belief in Mr. Dolan's guilt because it was reasonable in light of the facts he had during the original investigation. At the end of the episode, though, he visits Mr. Dolan and tries to apologize only to be turned away (L&O: "Ghosts").
He gets entangled with his department when he repeatedly dunks a suspect's head into the toilet to force him to tell him where his kidnapped victim is (L&O: "Thinking Makes It So"). The evidence thus recovered is nearly thrown out, but thanks to ADA Alexandra Borgia
Alexandra Borgia
Alexandra Borgia is a fictional character, played by Annie Parisse, who appeared on the long-running NBC drama series Law & Order from 2005-2006.-Fictional character biography:...
's efforts, Fontana is exonerated and the suspect is found guilty.
Fontana is in touch with his Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
background, keeping a small Italian flag on his desk, next to the flag of Chicago. He mentions traveling to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and is fluent in the Italian language
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
(L&O: "Cry Wolf"). To gain a witness's trust, he falsely claims to have served in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
(L&O: "Paradigm" & "America. Inc.").
Fontana from time to time uses the phrase "We're authorized" or "I'm authorized" when dealing with people from whom he needs something (such as medical records or access into a room) and who are hesitant to give him what he wants. It is usually successful and the term became a popular catchphrase associated with the character.
When questioning witnesses, Fontana insists on respect for his partner and himself. His response to disrespect is an intimidating change of manner, speaking to the person at extremely close range with insults or veiled threats. He considers it insulting to be called a "cop".
Fontana's departure from the show comes when he retires and is replaced by Green as senior detective.