Dino Ortolani

Dino Ortolani
First appearance	"The Routine" (episode 1.01)
Last appearance	"A Day in the Death..." (episode 6.06) (Spirit)
Reason/Cause	Murdered by Johnny Post
Details
Prisoner No.	96C382
Aliases	None
Gender	Male
Age	27 (Deceased)
Date of Conviction	December 12, 1996
Date of Death	July 13, 1997
Affiliations	The Sicillians
Spouse	Jeanie Ortolani (Widow)
Children	2
Relatives	Paolo Ortolani (Father) Maria Ortolani (Mother) Nino Schibetta (Uncle, deceased) Angie Schibetta (Aunt, deceased) Peter Schibetta (Cousin, deceased)
Kill Count	2
Episode Count	3 Episodes
Portrayed by	Jon Seda

"Being popular has never been a big concern of mine."

―Dino Ortolani

Dino Ortolani was the false protagonist featured in Oz. He was a Story Arc character and Ryan O'Reily's main antagonist in the pilot episode. Portrayed by Jon Seda.

Character Summary

"Prisoner number 96C382, Dino Ortolani. Convicted December 12, '96 - One count murder in the first degree, assault with a deadly weapon. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."

―The Narrator

Ortolani is a member the Sicillians in Em City, Ortolani is a strong, fearless, and violent man who is one of the most feared inmates in Oz given his short temper. He initially appears as the sponsor of Oz's true protagonist — Tobias Beecher. Beecher's story line isn't covered as much in the pilot, so it isn't completely clear that he is the protagonist in the beginning. Ortolani receives significantly more screen time in the final segment of the episode, which leads the viewer to believe that Ortolani is the main character.

Ortolani is actually the main antagonist of Ryan O'Reily in the pilot. As seen in Ortolani's crime flashback, he is sent to murder O'Reily, who is the leader of a rival gang to the Sicillians. Ortolani's trouble making downward spiral in Oz helps his nemesis O'Reily gain the upper hand on him, which results in his demise at the end of the pilot.

Plot Summary

Season 1

Dino Ortolani is a short tempered man that runs the kitchen for Nino Schibetta. He dislikes the black inmates unconcerned with the fact that they constitute the majority of the kitchen staff. Ortolani is a sponsor for Tobias Beecher, a lawyer who is incarcerated for vehicular manslaughter. Ortolani shows no interest in Beecher and makes it clear to him that they aren't friends. However, he does give Beecher some tips on surviving in Oz. He is hated and feared by most of the staff and the inmates but is somewhat admired by Vernon Schillinger (the feeling is not mutual). Ortolani and the Wiseguys are playing cards and Joey D'Angelo, a soldier for the Sicillians joins them. D’Angelo tells Ortolani that Ryan O'Reily is alive and coming to Oz. He schemes to finish what he started on O'Reily. However, Schibetta tells him to not do anything unless he gives the order. Meanwhile a homosexual inmate, Billie Keane decides to make a move on Ortolani. Ortolani is extremely homophobic and severely beats Billie in the showers. Ortolani is subdued by several officers who have trouble putting him down. After knocking out several officers and slamming an officers face into a wall and scalding his face with hot water, Ortolani is finally beaten to submission. This incident enrages Keane’s brother, Jefferson, the leader of the Homeboys who plots to have Ortolani killed 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 Keane, 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.

Ortolani killing Sanchez.

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. While Ortolani thinks about Sanchez's request, he see's his ex-rival, O'Reily. O'Reily begins to provoke him and Ortolani beats up O'Reily and attempts to drown him in the toilet. However, he doesn't do it and let's him go. Ortolani makes up his mind and decides to kill Sanchez out of mercy. He disconnects him from his life support and smothers him. The prison alarms go off and the guards put a beating on Ortolani in the hallway. McManus tries to stop them but fails and they proceed to beat him. Ortolani is then thrown in the hole filled with rage. McManus and Dr. Nathan come in to his cell and Ortolani is violent and unstable. McManus holds down Ortolani while Dr. Nathan sedates him with drugs to calm him down. He is heavily unconscious and begins to settle down. Keane then gives the order to have Johnny Post kill him. O'Reily uses his connections to allow Post inside the hole, and pours flammable liquid onto the sedated and restrained Ortolani and sets him on fire, burning him to death.

Ortolani is portrayed as a callous temperamental bigot seething with hatred and anger, 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. It is suggested by Rebadow during his interrogation with Lenny Burrano that God told him that 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 allowing himself to be placed in the hole, he knew this would happen.

Later, during the riot of Em City, Ortolani appears in a hallucination had by McManus.

Season 6

Ortolani's ghost returns to co-narrate an episode with Hill. All he does is just talk about causes of death in America.

Appearances

Season 1

• The Routine (Death)
• Visits, Conjugal and Otherwise (Corpse)
• A Game of Checkers (Hallucination)

Season 6

• A Day in the Death... (Spirit)

Kill Count

Personal

• Mickey: Shot to death. (1996)
• Emilio Sanchez: Suffocated to death. (1997)

Gallery

Ortolani as seen in his crime flashback.

Ortolani and the cockroach.

Ortolani feeding Emilio Sanchez.

Ortolani being taunted by O'Reily.

Ortolani having a visit with his wife Jeanie.

Dr. Nathan preparing to sedate Ortolani in solitary.

Ortolani's mugshot. Note the other photo of his corpse.

The End of Dino Ortolani.

Ortolani as seen in McManus' hallucination.

Ortolani in the Afterlife.

The Sicilians
Antonio Nappa - Chucky Pancamo - Nino Schibetta - Peter Schibetta - Dino Ortolani - Frank Urbano - Salvatore DeSanto - Joey D'Angelo - Don Zanghi - Mario Seggio