History Trivia / Oz

* WrittenByCastmember: Donald Groves wrote two episodes for the fifth season.

** Resident ManipulativeBastard Ryan O'Reily (played by Creator/DeanWinters) and his mentally retarded older brother Cyril O'Reily (Scott William Winters) are brothers in real life. Their eldest brother, Bradford Winters, was series creator/head writer Tom Fontana's main collaborator for most of the series' run, as well.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Terry Kinney and Kathryn Erbe were married in real life during the show. They divorced in 2006.

* CreatorCameo: Since no one else was willing, the tattoo shown being done in the intro was actually done on series creator Tom Fontana. The artist actually had to keep going over the lines so they could get good takes and angles.

** Terry Kinney ([=McManus=]) and Creator/KathrynErbe (Shirley Bellinger) were married for 13 years and have two children together.

** Creator/JKSimmons' spouse Michelle Schumacher made guest appearances as Norma Clark. Their characters don't interact in any way, but Vern notes that Norma's letter is "stinking with cheap perfume" during a mail delivery scene.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: In season 3, one of the inmates writes his memoirs. He saves it on a disk, which is then intercepted. Today, the file would be sent via email or online submission form, and stored elsewhere.

** Creator/MichaelKennethWilliams auditioned for a role.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Tom Fontana said that Rick Fox would have been in more episodes if he'd played for New York Knicks instead of the Los Angeles Lakers.

** [[spoiler: On a similar note, Kareem Said was killed off when Creator/EamonnWalker was cast in ''Film/TheSumOfAllFears'']].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Marvel had intended to adapt all fourteen of Creator/LFrankBaum's ''Oz'' books but they stopped at six (the SeriesFauxfinale) due to declining sales.

* PowerTattoo: The "OZ" tat that we see getting done in the intro? Was ''actually'' done. [[http://www.tvworthwatching.com/blog/2010/05/03/oz-tom-fontana-tattoo.jpg On the arm of Tom Fontana, the series' creator]].
* ProductionPosse: A very large number of the actors from OZ also played main, recurring, or guest characters in the ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' franchise. This is likely because both series were filmed in New York rather than California, so it pulled from the same pool of actors.

** Resident Manipulative Bastard Ryan O'Reily (played by Creator/DeanWinters) and his mentally retarded older brother Cyril O'Reily (Scott William Winters) are brothers in real life. Their eldest brother, Bradford Winters, was series creator/head writer Tom Fontana's main collaborator for most of the series' run, as well.

* TheWikiRule: [[http://oztv.wikia.com/wiki/Oz_TV_Wiki The Oz Wiki]].

* FakeNationality: Adebisi is played by British actor Creator/AdewaleAkinnouweAgbaje of Nigerian descent.

* ProductionPosse: A very large number of the actors from OZ also played main, recurring, or guest characters in the ''Series/LawAndOrder'' franchise. This is likely because both series were filmed in New York rather than California, so it pulled from the same pool of actors.

** Terry Kinney ([=McManus=]) and Kathryn Erbe (Shirley Bellinger) were married for 13 years and have two children together.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor : According to the DVD commentary, Kristin Rohde, who plays Claire Howell, is a very sweet person, the exact opposite of Howell. The trope probably applies to several of the actors on the series.

* ProductionPosse: A very large number of the actors from OZ also played main, recurring, or guest characters in the series/''LawAndOrder'' franchise. This is likely because both series were filmed in New York rather than California, so it pulled from the same pool of actors.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
** [[spoiler: Said was killed off so early and out of nowhere in season six so that Creator/EamonnWalker could film the movie ''Film/TearsOfTheSun''.]]
** [[spoiler: Adebisi was killed off at the end of the first half of season four so that Creator/AdewaleAkinnouweAgbaje could film the movie ''Film/TheMummyReturns''.]]
*** Also the reason for Keller being PutOnABus for part of one season, when Creator/ChristopherMeloni was also working on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''. TheBusCameBack.
* TechnologyMarchesOn : In season 3, one of the inmates writes his memoirs. He saves it on a disk, which is then intercepted. Today, the file would be sent via email or online submission form, and stored elsewhere.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Tom Fontana said that Rick Fox would have been in more episodes if he'd played for New York Knicks instead of the Los Angeles Lakers.

*** Bonus points to Rita Moreno (Sister Pete) who has an Emmy, Oscar, Tony, Grammy, and Golden Globe for her singing roles.
* TheDanza: Chris Keller is played by Chris Meloni.

* FakeAmerican: Said is played by Brit actor Eamonn Walker.
* FakeNationality: Adebisi is played by British actor Adewale-Akinnouwe Agbaje of Nigerian descent.

* PlayingAgainstType: Zeljko Ivanek asked to play a villainous character in this because he was fed up with being type-cast as dull nice guys or {{Reasonable Authority Figure}}s. His subsequent career proves that it worked.

* RealLifeRelative: Resident Manipulative Bastard Ryan O'Reily (played by Dean Winters) and his mentally retarded older brother Cyril O'Reily (Scott William Winters) are brothers in real life.
** Their eldest brother, Bradford Winters, was series creator/head writer Tom Fontana's main collaborator for most of the series' run, as well.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: [[spoiler: Said was killed off so early and out of nowhere in season six so that Eamonn Walker could film the movie ''Film/TearsOfTheSun''.]]
** [[spoiler: Adebisi was killed off at the end of the first half of season four so that Adewale-Akinnouwe Agbaje could film the movie ''Film/TheMummyReturns''.]]
*** Also the reason for Keller being PutOnABus for part of one season, when Creator/ChristopherMeloni was also working on Series/LawAndOrderSVU. TheBusCameBack.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: [[spoiler: Said was killed off so early and out of nowhere in season six because Eamonn Walker wanted to be in ''Film/TearsOfTheSun''.]]
** Also the reason for Keller being PutOnABus for part of one season, when Creator/ChristopherMeloni was also working on Series/LawAndOrderSVU. TheBusCameBack.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Very large overlap with contemporary series:
** Rawls, Daniels, Burrell, Carver, Avon Barksdale, Brother Mouzone, Bodie, Lester and Herc from the cast of the "Series/TheWire" appear as prisoners, guards, community leaders or family members.
** Detective Stabler and Cassidy, Dr. Skoda and Dr. Huang, and Forensic Tech Ryan O'Halloran from ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'', also many of the baddies.
*** Speaking of Law and Order, Shirley Bellinger is Alex Eames on ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent''.
*** Tons of actors appeared on both OZ and some version of ''Series/LawAndOrder''. This is because both series filmed in New York rather than Los Angeles.
*** Alternatively it seems [[SpiderMan Jonah Jameson]] has finally redirected his hatred to someone else.
*** Oh, look, it's [[Series/TheCloser Chief Pope]]. And he's. . . ''[[RapeAsDrama oh]] my god''. . . *whimpers*
** Wait, you mean to tell me an Aryan Correctional Officer is also.. [[WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants PATRICK STAR?!]]
*** Not to mention [[{{WesternAnimation/Gargoyles}} Broadway]].
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL9duLVeFRM&feature=related Ryan O'Reily is the embodiment of mayhem]]
** Cyril may not like [[GoodWillHunting apples]] anymore.
** Adebisi and Hill eventually escaped Oz only to get [[{{Series/Lost}} trapped on a mysterious island together.]]
*** In an IronicEcho, Wrangler tells Augustus Hill, played by Harold Perrineau Jr., "if we don't get together, we gonna die apart." In LOST, Jack tells Michael, also played by Harold Perrineau Jr., "If we don't live together, we're gonna die alone."
*** Turns out the Warden was once married to Juliet, too. When he wasn't busting [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} ghosts]].
** It's a Series/{{Dexter}} reunion, too, with Sgt. Doakes on Death Row, Det. Batista running a gang, and Capt. LaGuerta serving as a doctor.

** Wait, you mean to tell me an Aryan Correctional Officer is also.. [[SpongebobSquarepants PATRICK STAR?!]]

* RetroactiveRecognition: The person Chico Guerra [[spoiler:hurls off a building in his crime flashback]] is none other than Peter Dinklage.