Eli Zabitz
Encyclopedia
Eli Zabitz is a fictional character, played by David Johansen
, on the HBO prison series Oz
.
Before sent to Oz, Eli was a Jewish skilled chef in a high-class restaurant. His focus of food preparation was Culinary art
which made him in the fellow prisoner's minds, "good with a knife." In the flashback scene he is shown wearing a traditional white chef's uniform. He is the father of several children who he tells Keller are all a "Perella" in reference to Perella Weinberg Partners, an international corporate financial firm, something that which he is very proud of. After being criticized by his boss, he splashes a frying pan of boiling oil and meat onto the groin of the head chef when he is distracted in the kitchen talking on the phone. After throwing the hot oil onto his boss he mocks his injured boss, calling him a "cry baby" for showing pain. This may demonstrate that Eli has sociopathic tendencies. An inmate serving time at Unit B Eli Zabitz was hired by Vern Schillinger to lie to Tobias Beecher
about his son's death. This gives Eli the false impression that the Aryan Brotherhood
will protect him from Keller in case of retribution. When Keller reveals that he will kill him he comments that Eli "will be joining his ancestors" in reference to the Holocaust. Vernon comments that he hired Eli because he thought "the Jews were supposed to be tough" but Robson is corrected by Robson saying, "Those are only the Israelis".
, Tobias Beecher goes to Zabitz. Knowing that he has friends who may know something about the kidnapping, Beecher pays Zabitz to ask his friends. Then, Schillinger pays Zabitz to tell Beecher that Christopher Keller kidnapped and killed Gary. Beecher believed him and tried to kill Keller. Schillinger asks James Robson to kill Zabitz because he knows too much. Keller learns that Zabitz lied and wants to kill him. Keller and Robson meet Zabitz inside a computer storage room to kill him, the same room that Keller murders Ronald Barlog
and Keller himself was stabbed. The room is sound proof and has no security cameras inside. They start arguing over whether Keller or Robson will fulfill the contract. After realizing that Robson, one of his supposed protectors has also been sent to murder Zabitz, he has a heart attack and dies. Completely bemused by Zabitz's death, Keller and Robson simply leave. Vernon Schillinger is amused after hearing that Zabitz died of a heart attack and not being stabbed to death by Robson.
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
, on the HBO prison 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...
.
Character overview
Prisoner 96Z858, Eli Zabitz. Convicted April 1, 1996 for aggravated assault. Sentence of nine years up for parole in six.Before sent to Oz, Eli was a Jewish skilled chef in a high-class restaurant. His focus of food preparation was Culinary art
Culinary art
Culinary art is the art of preparing and cooking foods. The word "culinary" is defined as something related to, or connected with, cooking. A culinarion is a person working in the culinary arts. A culinarian working in restaurants is commonly known as a cook or a chef. Culinary artists are...
which made him in the fellow prisoner's minds, "good with a knife." In the flashback scene he is shown wearing a traditional white chef's uniform. He is the father of several children who he tells Keller are all a "Perella" in reference to Perella Weinberg Partners, an international corporate financial firm, something that which he is very proud of. After being criticized by his boss, he splashes a frying pan of boiling oil and meat onto the groin of the head chef when he is distracted in the kitchen talking on the phone. After throwing the hot oil onto his boss he mocks his injured boss, calling him a "cry baby" for showing pain. This may demonstrate that Eli has sociopathic tendencies. An inmate serving time at Unit B Eli Zabitz was hired by Vern Schillinger to lie to Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
about his son's death. This gives Eli the false impression that the 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...
will protect him from Keller in case of retribution. When Keller reveals that he will kill him he comments that Eli "will be joining his ancestors" in reference to the Holocaust. Vernon comments that he hired Eli because he thought "the Jews were supposed to be tough" but Robson is corrected by Robson saying, "Those are only the Israelis".
Season 4
When Gary and Holly Beecher are kidnapped by Hank SchillingerHank Schillinger
Henry "Hank" Schillinger, played by Andrew Barchilon, is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz.-Character overview:His father Vern Schillinger is an inmate who runs the Aryan Brotherhood within Oz. An amoral drug addict, Hank, like his younger brother Andrew, has been raised on white...
, Tobias Beecher goes to Zabitz. Knowing that he has friends who may know something about the kidnapping, Beecher pays Zabitz to ask his friends. Then, Schillinger pays Zabitz to tell Beecher that Christopher Keller kidnapped and killed Gary. Beecher believed him and tried to kill Keller. Schillinger asks James Robson to kill Zabitz because he knows too much. Keller learns that Zabitz lied and wants to kill him. Keller and Robson meet Zabitz inside a computer storage room to kill him, the same room that Keller murders Ronald Barlog
Ronald Barlog
Ronald "Ronnie" Barlog was a prisoner on HBO's Oz in Season 4. He was played by Brian Bloom.-Character overview:Barlog was arrested for grand theft auto and sentenced to 13 years in prison. When he was brought to Oz, he recognized an old acquaintance, Chris Keller...
and Keller himself was stabbed. The room is sound proof and has no security cameras inside. They start arguing over whether Keller or Robson will fulfill the contract. After realizing that Robson, one of his supposed protectors has also been sent to murder Zabitz, he has a heart attack and dies. Completely bemused by Zabitz's death, Keller and Robson simply leave. Vernon Schillinger is amused after hearing that Zabitz died of a heart attack and not being stabbed to death by Robson.