The Michael Mann poll

I'd have to check on who the others are, but Dennis Farina was a copy and J.J. Johnston (who acted in the first stage production of Mamet's American Buffalo) spent 18 months in prison on a drug offense.

(*cop, not copy)

That is awesome

John Santucci, the detective who gets up in James Caan's face the most in the interrogation room, was a jewel thief. Mann used him again in Miami Vice and most prominently in Crime Story, as the main villain's chief henchman. He was good, in a goofy Tony Sirico/Burt Young kind of way.

yeah he was very memorable on Crime Story, and played off vv well with Anthony Denison and Ted Levine. that show kinda fell apart when it headed to Vegas iirc but the casting was so good throughout. Farina, Smitrovich, dork-era Stephen Lang, Polito, Andrew Dice Clay(!)

Good interview with Mann about the Thief casting, hiring criminals and cops to play the other side, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX7994EbIQ8

feel like Michael is going to miss a real opportunity if he doesn't have a scene in Heat 2 where someone is driving down a freeway at night, hardwired for revenge/pursuing a vicious crook, while "Scarecrow" by Ministry plays on the soundtrack for a solid minute straight.

Add it to the pile:
A Michael Mann moment