Dino Ortolani
Encyclopedia
Dino Ortolani, played by Jon Seda
, is a fictional character who appeared in three episodes of the HBO series Oz
. Although he dies in the first episode of the series, which is more or less centered on his character, his death has a strong impact on the rest of season 1.
The epitome of a macho Italian
gangster, Ortolani is homophobic
and hotheaded. He is also the nephew of Nino Schibetta
and the cousin of Peter Schibetta
. He is in prison for shooting and nearly killing Ryan O'Reily
as well as murdering another Irish gangster in the process.
he is somewhat admired by Aryan Brotherhood
leader Vernon Schillinger
(the feeling is not mutual). When Ortolani learns that Ryan O'Reily is alive and coming to Oz, he schemes to have his old enemy killed (and later almost succeeds in drowning O'Reily in one of the bathroom toilets before his conscience gets the better of him).
Ortolani nearly cripples a gay
inmate, Billie Keane, who flirted with him in the shower. This enrages Billie's brother, Jefferson Keane
, the leader of the Homeboys gang, who plots to kill Ortolani in retaliation.
Tim McManus
lets Ortolani know that every prisoner and guard in Oz either hates him or is scared of him (or both), something he does not seem to mind. So, as punishment for beating up Billie he sends him to work in the AIDS
ward, hoping to teach him a lesson in tolerance. While he serves time in the AIDS ward, Ortolani develops an infatuation for Dr. Gloria Nathan
.
Although Ortolani is initially appalled by the AIDS patients, he begins to like one of them, Emilio Sanchez. Sanchez eventually asks Ortolani to help him die and end his suffering. Ortolani doesn't agree immediately, but returns later to do as Sanchez asked him. He disconnects Sanchez from his life support
and smothers him.
McManus and Nathan throw him into isolation ward and have him drugged. Keane then gives the order to Johnny Post
and O'Reily to kill him. O'Reily uses his connections to allow Post entry to the hole, and Post then pours flammable liquid onto the drugged and restrained Ortolani and sets him on fire, burning him to death.
Ortolani is portrayed as a callous, hotheaded bigot, but he occasionally revealed some positive characteristics. Throughout the episode, Ortolani is seen to feel some admiration for new inmate Kareem Said
, whom he watches during his lectures to the Muslim
inmates. And just before he is about to smother Sanchez, Ortolani tells Said, "It's too bad you're of the wrong color," before taking off. Ortolani is shown to care very much for his children and tells his wife Ginny that he doesn't want them around in Oz. He also cares for his wife but has difficulty in expressing it. It is suggested by Rebadow during his interrogation with Lenny Burrano
that God told him that Dino Ortolani wanted to kill himself for being in prison for the rest of his life, away from his wife and kids. By smothering Sanchez and allotting himself to be placed in the hole, he knew this would happen.
He makes his second appearance in the final episode of season 1 in a brief hallucination by Tim McManus during the riot.
in Episode #54, "A Day in the Death".
Jon Seda
Jonathan Seda is an American actor, possibly best known for his role as Detective Paul Falsone on NBC's: Homicide: Life on the Street....
, is a fictional character who appeared in three episodes of the HBO series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
. Although he dies in the first episode of the series, which is more or less centered on his character, his death has a strong impact on the rest of season 1.
Character overview
Prisoner #96C382. Convicted December 12, 1996 - One count of murder in the first degree, assault with a deadly weapon. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.The epitome of a macho 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...
gangster, Ortolani is homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
and hotheaded. He is also the nephew of Nino Schibetta
Nino Schibetta
Antonino "Nino" Schibetta, played by Tony Musante, is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #95S604. Convicted December 12, 1995 - Two counts of conspiracy to commit murder...
and the cousin of Peter Schibetta
Peter Schibetta
Peter Schibetta is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, portrayed by Eddie Malavarca.-Character overview:Prisoner #98S112. Convicted May 19, 1998 - Five counts of extortion: money laundering. Sentence: 35 years, eligible for parole in 20....
. He is in prison for shooting and nearly killing Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily is a main character in the television series Oz. He was portrayed by Dean Winters from 1997 to 2003.-Character overview:Prisoner #97P904. Convicted July 12, 1997 - Two counts of vehicular manslaughter, five counts of reckless endangerment, possession of a controlled substance,...
as well as murdering another Irish gangster in the process.
Season 1
Ortolani runs the kitchen for Italian mafioso Nino Schibetta. He dislikes the black inmates, unconcerned with the fact that they constitute the majority of the kitchen staff. He is disliked and feared by most of the staff and inmates, although because of his toughness and undisguised racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
he is somewhat admired by Aryan Brotherhood
Aryan Brotherhood
The Aryan Brotherhood, also known as The Brand, the AB, or the One-Two, is a white supremacist prison gang and organized crime syndicate in the United States with about 20,000 members in and out of prison...
leader Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger is a fictional character, played by American actor J. K. Simmons, on the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #92S110. Convicted October 21, 1992 – Aggravated assault in the first degree. Sentence: Eight years, eligible for parole in five...
(the feeling is not mutual). When Ortolani learns that Ryan O'Reily is alive and coming to Oz, he schemes to have his old enemy killed (and later almost succeeds in drowning O'Reily in one of the bathroom toilets before his conscience gets the better of him).
Ortolani nearly cripples a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
inmate, Billie Keane, who flirted with him in the shower. This enrages Billie's brother, Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane aka Tizi Ozuo is a fictional character in the HBO prison drama Oz played by American actor Leon Robinson.-Character overview:...
, the leader of the Homeboys gang, who plots to kill Ortolani in retaliation.
Tim McManus
Tim McManus
Tim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
lets Ortolani know that every prisoner and guard in Oz either hates him or is scared of him (or both), something he does not seem to mind. So, as punishment for beating up Billie he sends him to work in the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
ward, hoping to teach him a lesson in tolerance. While he serves time in the AIDS ward, Ortolani develops an infatuation for Dr. Gloria Nathan
Gloria Nathan
Dr. Gloria Nathan is a fictional character played by Lauren Vélez, on the HBO drama Oz.- Character overview :Dr. Gloria Nathan is the Chief Attending Physician of Oz. A good person, she deals with conflict all the time, whether it is from the inmates such as Ryan O'Reily, or state medical boards....
.
Although Ortolani is initially appalled by the AIDS patients, he begins to like one of them, Emilio Sanchez. Sanchez eventually asks Ortolani to help him die and end his suffering. Ortolani doesn't agree immediately, but returns later to do as Sanchez asked him. He disconnects Sanchez from his life support
Life support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
and smothers him.
McManus and Nathan throw him into isolation ward and have him drugged. Keane then gives the order to Johnny Post
Johnny Post
Johnny Post is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz.-Character overview:Johnny Post is a member of the Homeboys, Oz's African American drug dealers. He despises the Italians, an attitude he displays up until he is murdered by them.-Season 1:Post is Jefferson Keane's right hand man in the...
and O'Reily to kill him. O'Reily uses his connections to allow Post entry to the hole, and Post then pours flammable liquid onto the drugged and restrained Ortolani and sets him on fire, burning him to death.
Ortolani is portrayed as a callous, hotheaded bigot, but he occasionally revealed some positive characteristics. Throughout the episode, Ortolani is seen to feel some admiration for new inmate Kareem Said
Kareem Said
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
, whom he watches during his lectures to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
inmates. And just before he is about to smother Sanchez, Ortolani tells Said, "It's too bad you're of the wrong color," before taking off. Ortolani is shown to care very much for his children and tells his wife Ginny that he doesn't want them around in Oz. He also cares for his wife but has difficulty in expressing it. It is suggested by Rebadow during his interrogation with Lenny Burrano
Lenny Burrano
Lenny Burrano is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Skipp Sudduth.-Character overview:Burrano is an Italian-American lead investigator who previously served as a correctional officer.-Season 1:...
that God told him that Dino Ortolani wanted to kill himself for being in prison for the rest of his life, away from his wife and kids. By smothering Sanchez and allotting himself to be placed in the hole, he knew this would happen.
He makes his second appearance in the final episode of season 1 in a brief hallucination by Tim McManus during the riot.
Season 6
In the sixth and final season, his spirit co-narrated with Augustus HillAugustus Hill
Augustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
in Episode #54, "A Day in the Death".