Enoch Malachi
"Nucky" Thompson is a fictional character and the
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
TV series ''
Boardwalk Empire
''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter and broadcast on the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and ...
'', portrayed by
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent Buscemi ( ,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself, some may insist that his pronunciation of his own name is "wrong" because it does not match the original Italian pronunciation as well. It is not uncommon for people to pronou ...
. Nucky is loosely based on former
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
political figure
Enoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson.
Nucky is employed as
treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance.
Government
The treasury o ...
of
Atlantic County
Atlantic County is a County (United States), county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534. , but in effect controls the region as a
political boss
In politics, a boss is a person who controls a faction or local branch of a political party. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves; most historical bosses did not, at least during the times of their greatest influence. Numerous off ...
. He is a corrupt and powerful
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
who leads a double life as a
gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
, and continuously struggles to meet his interests on both fronts. Charming and intelligent, he is adored by the people of Atlantic City, especially its poor and immigrant inhabitants, for his numerous acts of charity. However, in private he has a tight grip on the city's politics and
vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
. Throughout the series he is portrayed as a
Machiavellian
Machiavellianism or Machiavellian may refer to:
Politics
*Machiavellianism (politics), the supposed political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli
*Political realism
Psychology
*Machiavellianism (psychology), a personality trait centered on cold an ...
politician who makes his henchmen do the dirty work, while showing a more humane side to his friends and family. However, by the end of season 2 he is shown becoming more ruthless in order to compete in the violent
bootlegging business.
Buscemi won Best Actor in Dramatic Series at the
68th Golden Globe Awards
The 68th Golden Globe Awards were broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 16, 2011, by NBC. The host was Ricky Gervais. The nominations were announced on December 14, 2010, by Josh Duhamel, Katie Holmes ...
for his performance as Nucky. In flashbacks throughout the fifth season, he is played by Nolan Lyons as a child and
Marc Pickering
Marc Pickering is an English stage, film and television actor who appeared in '' Sleepy Hollow'', ''Calendar Girls'', and HBO's '' Boardwalk Empire''.
Early life and education
Pickering was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. He was first ...
as a young man.
Fictional biography
Enoch "Nucky" Thompson was born around 1870 and raised in
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, the eldest child of a poor
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the British ...
family. His father Ethan was an
abusive alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
who at one point scarred Nucky's hand with a fireplace poker. Nucky's sister Susan later died of
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
.
As a child, Nucky began working for local
political boss
In politics, a boss is a person who controls a faction or local branch of a political party. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves; most historical bosses did not, at least during the times of their greatest influence. Numerous off ...
"Commodore" Louis Kaestner (
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Wharton Coleman (born January 3, 1932) is an American actor.
Coleman's best known films include ''9 to 5'' (1980), '' On Golden Pond'' (1981), ''Tootsie'' (1982), '' WarGames'' (1983), '' Cloak & Dagger'' (1984), ''The Beverly Hillbillies ...
), who became his mentor in politics. For a time, Nucky attended
New Jersey State Normal School in
Trenton and planned on becoming a teacher. However, he left college and returned to Atlantic City, working his way up the ladder to become the deputy sheriff in the Commodore's
machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...
under the close watch of Sheriff Jacob Lindsay (
Boris McGiver).
Nucky became sheriff after he arranged for the Commodore to
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
Gillian Darmody (
Gretchen Mol
Gretchen Mol (born November 8, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She is known for her role as Gillian Darmody in the HBO series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). She also appeared in the films ''Rounders'' (1998), ''Celebrity'' ...
), who was only 13 years old at the time.
Fifteen years prior to the series' timeline, Nucky lost his infant son, Enoch Jr., to
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
, a tragedy that drove his wife, Mabel, to commit
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
.
Nucky helped raise
Jimmy Darmody
James Edison Darmody is a fictional character in the television show ''Boardwalk Empire'', played by Michael Pitt. He is one of the main characters in the first two seasons of the series. Unlike most of the other main characters in the series, Jim ...
(
Michael Pitt
Michael Carmen Pitt (born April 10, 1981) is an American actor, model, and musician. Pitt is known in film for his roles in ''Murder by Numbers'' (2002), Bernardo Bertolucci's '' The Dreamers'' (2003), Gus Van Sant's '' Last Days'' (2005), and M ...
), the Commodore's son with Gillian, and pulled strings to get him into
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...
. He is disappointed when Jimmy drops out to enlist in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, but still gives him a job as his personal driver after the war ends. When Jimmy finds out that Nucky enabled the Commodore to rape Gillian,
it creates a rift between them.
Season one
In the
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
, set the day before
Prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
is to take effect, Nucky – despite publicly supporting the ban of alcohol – conspires with other local politicians to profit from a
bootlegging scheme. He is assisted by his younger brother,
Atlantic County
Atlantic County is a County (United States), county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534. Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
Eli Thompson (
Shea Whigham
Franklin Shea Whigham Jr. (born January 5, 1969) is an American actor best known for portraying Elias "Eli" Thompson in the drama series ''Boardwalk Empire''. He also appeared in the first season of ''True Detective'' and the third season of ' ...
).
Nucky makes a deal with mobsters
Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 4, 1928), nicknamed "The Brain", was an American racketeer, crime boss, businessman, and gambler in New York City. Rothstein was widely reputed to have organized corruption in professional athleti ...
(
Michael Stuhlbarg
Michael Stewart Stuhlbarg ( ; born July 5, 1968) is an American actor. He is known as a character actor having portrayed a variety of roles in film, television and theatre. He has received several awards including two Screen Actors Guild Awards wi ...
),
Lucky Luciano
Charles "Lucky" Luciano (, ; born Salvatore Lucania ; November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an Italian-born gangster who operated mainly in the United States. Luciano started his criminal career in the Five Points gang and was instrumenta ...
(
Vincent Piazza
Vincent Piazza (born May 25, 1976) is an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of gangster Lucky Luciano in the HBO television series ''Boardwalk Empire''. He has also played Earl Hefner in the comedy-dra ...
) and
Johnny Torrio
John Donato Torrio (born Donato Torrio, ; January 20, 1882 – April 16, 1957) was an Italian born-American mobster who helped build the Chicago Outfit in the 1920s later inherited by his protégé Al Capone. Torrio proposed a National Crime Sy ...
(
Greg Antonacci
Gregory Gerald Antonacci (February 2, 1947 – September 20, 2017) was an American television actor, director, producer, and writer. He portrayed Johnny Torrio in ''Boardwalk Empire'' in every season, from 2010 to 2014, and as Phil Leotardo's ri ...
) to let them purchase his seaborne
liquor
Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...
shipments exclusively. However, Jimmy conspires with Torrio's driver,
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
(
Stephen Graham
Stephen Joseph Graham (born 3 August 1973) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in the film ''This Is England'' (2006) and its television sequels ''This Is England '86'' (2010), '' This Is England '88'' ( ...
), to rob Nucky's shipment to Rothstein after the mobster takes Nucky's
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
for over $90,000. The heist ends in bloodshed as Jimmy and Capone kill Rothstein's men.
Nucky gets Jimmy out of trouble, while privately reproaching him and banishing him from Atlantic City.
He later recruits Jimmy back from
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
when Rothstein seeks revenge for the robbery.
The truck heist also leads to Nucky being put under investigation by
Nelson Van Alden
Nelson Kasper Van Alden (alias George Mueller) is a fictional character in the HBO television series '' Boardwalk Empire'', portrayed by Michael Shannon. He is a puritanical, repressed, religious fundamentalist and agent for the Bureau of Prohibit ...
(
Michael Shannon
Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor, producer, musician, and theater director. He is an off beat actor known for his on-screen versatility, performing in both comedies and dramas. He became known for his frequent ...
), an agent from the
Bureau of Prohibition
The Bureau of Prohibition (or Prohibition Unit) was the United States federal law enforcement agency formed to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919, commonly known as the Volstead Act, which enforced the 18th Amendment to the United St ...
who suspects he knows more about the hijacking than he admits.
Nucky meets
Margaret Schroeder
Margaret Catherine Sheila Thompson is a fictional character in the HBO crime drama series ''Boardwalk Empire'', portrayed by Kelly Macdonald. An Irish immigrant living in 1920s Atlantic City, New Jersey, she is the mistress and eventual wife of ...
(
Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish actress. She is known for her roles in '' Trainspotting'' (1996), '' Gosford Park'' (2001), '' Intermission'' (2003), '' Nanny McPhee'' (2005), '' No Country for Old Men'' (2007), ''Boardwa ...
), a pregnant member of the
Women's Temperance League who seeks work for her
abusive husband, Hans (
Joseph Sikora
Joseph Sikora (born June 27, 1976) is an American actor best known for his starring role as Tommy Egan on the Starz series ''Power'' and its subsequent spin-offs and sequels, '' Power Book II: Ghost'' and '' Power Book IV: Force'', in which he ...
). Nucky is immediately taken with her and gives her some money. He has Hans killed after he beats her so badly that she
miscarries the child,
and gets her a job at a boutique after she gets out of the hospital.
Nucky and Margaret soon become lovers, and by the end of the season he informally adopts her children, Teddy and Emily. This creates tension between him and his former mistress, Lucy Danziger (
Paz de la Huerta
María de la Paz Elizabeth Sofía Adriana de la Huerta y Bruce (; born September 3, 1984), known professionally as Paz de la Huerta, is an American actress and model. She had roles in the films ''The Cider House Rules'' (1999) and ''A Walk to Re ...
). Margaret eventually learns the extent of Nucky's corruption, including his order to have Hans killed. She leaves him after they have a heated argument.
When Margaret finds out that Nucky had lost a child, however, she meets with him to express her sympathy, and he tells her that the time he spent with her and her children was the happiest of his life. Moved by his sincerity – and realizing that she and her children would likely starve without his support – Margaret renews their relationship.
Rothstein, seeking revenge for the robbery, employs the D'Alessio brothers to strike back at Nucky's enterprise. They first make their move by
lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...
a driver of Northside gangster Chalky White (
Michael K. Williams
Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He rose to fame in 2002 through his critically acclaimed role as Omar Little on the HBO drama series ''The Wire''. He has been described as a "singular pr ...
), one of Nucky's partners. Sometime later, two of the brothers rob one of Nucky's aldermen, George O'Neill, in broad daylight on the
Boardwalk
A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
. Later, they rob Nucky's
illegal casino, shooting Eli when he tries to intervene.
Nucky is forced to demote Eli while the heat blows over, and while he eventually reinstates his brother, their relationship is badly strained. A few days later, two of the D'Alessio brothers try to shoot Nucky as he is walking with Margaret on the boardwalk, but Nucky's butler, Eddie Kessler, deflects the gun away at the last second, and an innocent woman is shot in the shoulder. Nucky gets a break when
Mickey Doyle
Mieczyslaw "Mickey Doyle" Kuzik is a fictional character in the HBO TV series ''Boardwalk Empire''. He is played by Paul Sparks. Mickey Doyle is loosely based on Polish American mobster Mickey Duffy.
Mickey is a gangster in Prohibition-era Atla ...
, who has been partnered with the D'Alessios, double crosses them and gives information to Nucky about the conspiracy. Nucky has Chalky to arrange a false deal with
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky (born Maier Suchowljansky; July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983), known as the "Mob's Accountant", was an American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the ...
in the hopes of luring the D'Alessios out of hiding. Chalky captures Lansky and two of the D'Alessios when they meet with him, including one of the would-be shooters from the attempt on Nucky's life. Both D'Alessios are killed and Lansky is allowed to leave with a message for Rothstein.
At the end of the season, Nucky and Rothstein come to a truce: all will be forgiven and Nucky will use his political connections to help Rothstein dodge a federal indictment for
fixing the 1919 World Series in exchange for $1 million and for Rothstein giving up the remaining D'Alessio brothers, whom Nucky quickly has tracked down and killed. As Nucky rings in the new year of 1921 with Margaret at his side, Jimmy, Eli and the Commodore conspire to overthrow him and take over Atlantic City.
Season two
A few months later, Nucky is arrested for
voter fraud
Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election manipulation, voter fraud or vote rigging, involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share of ...
concerning his behind-the-scenes role in the election of
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Edward L. Bader
Edward Lawrence Bader (June 8, 1874 – January 29, 1927) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey for much of the Roaring Twenties, when the city was arguably at the peak of its popularity as a vacation sp ...
(
Kevin O'Rourke
Kevin Hjortshøj O'Rourke, (born 25 March 1963) is an Irish economist and historian, who specialises in economic history and international economics. Since 2019, he has been Professor of Economics at New York University Abu Dhabi. He was Profe ...
), with corruption and murder charges soon to follow. Nucky suspects that the Commodore, Jimmy and Eli are plotting against him, a suspicion that is confirmed when his cronies defect to Jimmy's side. After the Commodore suffers a debilitating
stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
, Eli panics and goes to Nucky for help, but Nucky gets into a violent argument with his brother and disowns him. Shortly afterward, one of Jimmy's men makes an attempt on Nucky's life.
Following his father's death, Nucky resigns as treasurer and tells Jimmy and the Commodore that they have won. It is a ruse, however; soon afterward, he sets in motion a plan to drive Jimmy and his partners out of business. He has his new driver, Owen Sleater (
Charlie Cox
Charlie Thomas Cox (born 15 December 1982) is an English actor. He is known for portraying Matt Murdock / Daredevil in several projects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, including lead roles in the television series ''Daredevil'' (201 ...
), blow up the warehouse containing Jimmy's alcohol, and persuades Chalky to instigate a
strike
Strike may refer to:
People
* Strike (surname)
Physical confrontation or removal
*Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm
*Airstrike, military strike by air forces on either a suspected ...
among the city's Black service workers, leaving the
speakeasies
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an illicit establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, or a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies.
Speakeasy bars came into prominence in the United States d ...
and restaurants too understaffed to serve alcohol. Nucky then travels with Owen to
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
to sell
Thompson machine guns to the
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...
in exchange for Irish whiskey.
Jimmy is left with no product or customers, while Nucky becomes the most powerful bootlegger in Atlantic City.
By this time, the
U.S. Attorney's Office has found damning evidence of Nucky's crimes. Nucky gives Margaret temporary guardianship of a valuable piece of real estate so that she and the children will be taken care of should he go to prison. Emily contracts
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
, which Margaret believes is
divine retribution
Divine retribution is supernatural punishment of a person, a group of people, or everyone by a deity in response to some action. Many cultures have a story about how a deity exacted punishment upon previous inhabitants of their land, causing th ...
for their sins;
she considers cleansing her soul by testifying against Nucky, which would send him to the
electric chair
An electric chair is a device used to execute an individual by electrocution. When used, the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes fastened on the head and leg. This execution method, ...
. Nucky tells her that he wants to marry her and become a better man, while admitting that marrying her would make her
unable to take the stand against him. The next day, Margaret sees him teaching Emily to walk in her leg braces, and realizes that he loves her and her children. They get married that afternoon at Margaret's church.
Jimmy meets with Nucky to apologize for his treason, offering to help. On Nucky's order, Jimmy and
Richard Harrow
Richard Harrow is a fictional character on the television series '' Boardwalk Empire'', played by the actor Jack Huston.
Fictional biography Backstory
Richard was a sharpshooter in the US Army during World War I. He was badly disfigured during t ...
(
Jack Huston
Jack Alexander Huston (born 7 December 1982) is a British actor. He appeared as Richard Harrow in the HBO television drama series '' Boardwalk Empire''. He also had a supporting role in the 2013 film '' American Hustle'', portrayed the eponym ...
) kill Alderman James Neary (
Robert Clohessy
Robert Clohessy (born June 10, 1957) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Correctional Officer Sean Murphy on the HBO prison drama '' Oz'' from seasons 3–6, in addition to playing Officer Patrick Flaherty on the NBC police pro ...
), the prosecution's main witness. The U.S. Attorney's Office is forced to drop the charges. Nucky then visits Eli and makes him a deal: he will plead guilty to the voter fraud case and be sentenced to two years in prison, thus protecting Nucky from being charged again. That night, Nucky calls Jimmy and tells him that he has kidnapped Manny Horvitz (
William Forsythe), the man who killed Jimmy's wife Angela (
Aleksa Palladino
Aleksa Federici Palladino (born September 21, 1980) is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her lead roles in '' Manny & Lo'', ''The Adventures of Sebastian Cole'', ''Find Me Guilty'', Angela Darmody in the HBO crime series '' ...
). It is a trap, however: when Jimmy arrives, Nucky's men hold him at gunpoint, and Nucky shoots him twice in the head, killing him.
The next day, Nucky lies to Margaret about reconciling with Jimmy, a lie she immediately sees through. To punish him, Margaret signs over the deed to his real estate – which he had planned to use in a lucrative road construction deal – to her church.
Season three
In 1923, Nucky faces trouble from
Gyp Rosetti
Giuseppe Colombano "Gyp" Rosetti is a character in the HBO TV series '' Boardwalk Empire'', portrayed by Bobby Cannavale. Rosetti is a New York City gangster who works for Joe Masseria (Ivo Nandi). Hot-headed, easily offended and prone to bouts o ...
(
Bobby Cannavale
Roberto Michael Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for various television roles, including leading roles in ''Third Watch'', ''Vinyl'', and ''Mr. Robot'', as well as recurring roles in ''Will & Grace'', which wo ...
), a
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
gangster who works for
Joe Masseria
Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria (; January 17, 1886April 15, 1931) was an early Italian-American Mafia boss in New York City. He was boss of what is now called the Genovese crime family, one of the New York City Mafia's Five Families, from 1922 t ...
(Ivo Nandi). Due to political turmoil involving
U.S. Attorney General
The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
Harry M. Daugherty
Harry Micajah Daugherty (; January 26, 1860 – October 12, 1941) was an American politician. A key Ohio Republican political insider, he is best remembered for his service as Attorney General of the United States under Presidents Warren G. Hardin ...
(
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald (born February 15, 1955) is an American film, television, theatre and voice actor.
McDonald is best known for playing the villainous professional golfer Shooter McGavin in the 1996 comedy ''Happy Gilmore''. Other notable ...
), whom Nucky pays $40,000 a month to protect him from any criminal investigations, Nucky agrees to simplify his operation and sell exclusively to Rothstein. Infuriated, Rosetti takes over Tabor Heights, a small town on the road between Atlantic City and New York where convoys stop for gas. He then blockades any of Nucky's alcohol deliveries from going through. The feud escalates when Rosetti hijacks a convoy, killing eleven of Nucky's men.
Rothstein sends
Benjamin Siegel (
Michael Zegen
Michael Jonathan Zegen (born February 20, 1979) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''Rescue Me (American TV series), Rescue Me'' (2004–2011), ''Boardwalk Empire'' (2011–2014), and ''The Marvelous Mr ...
) to kill Rosetti, but the hit is unsuccessful. However, it does force Rosetti to flee Tabor Heights and go back to New York.
Back home, Nucky's marriage to Margaret is now no more than a public show, and Nucky spends much of his time in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
with his mistress Billie Kent (
Meg Chambers Steedle). When Eli is released from prison, Nucky gives him a job in a liquor warehouse, but wants nothing to do with him personally. This changes when Eli is able to anticipate Rosetti's ambush, even though he is unable to stop it.
After an
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
dinner with the family, Nucky reconciles with Eli and they go back to working together.
In
Washington, D. C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
, Daugherty plans to
indict
An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use the felonies concept often use that of an ...
Nucky for bootlegging to make him a scapegoat for the corruption charges facing the
Harding Administration
Warren G. Harding's tenure as the 29th president of the United States lasted from March 4, 1921 until his death on August 2, 1923. Harding presided over the country in the aftermath of World War I. A Republican from Ohio, Harding held office du ...
. Nucky goes to
Treasury Secretary
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Andrew Mellon
Andrew William Mellon (; March 24, 1855 – August 26, 1937), sometimes A. W. Mellon, was an American banker, businessman, industrialist, philanthropist, art collector, and politician. From the wealthy Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...
(
James Cromwell
James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American actor and activist. Some of his best-known films include ''Babe'' (1995), '' Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996), ''L.A. Confidential'' (1997), '' The Green Mile'' (1999), ''The Queen'' ...
) and convinces him to have
George Remus (
Glenn Fleshler
Glenn Fleshler (born September 5, 1968) is an American actor. On television he is noted as a recurring cast member on ''Boardwalk Empire'' who portrayed real-life bootlegger George Remus, for appearing on '' Billions'', and as Errol Childress in ...
) arrested in exchange for Nucky illegally running Mellon's distillery in
West Overton
West Overton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Marlborough. The river Kennet runs immediately north of the village, separating it from the A4 road. The parish includes the village of Lockeridge, a ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Remus has direct ties to Daugherty's accomplice
Jess Smith
Jesse W. "Jess" Smith (1871 – May 30, 1923) was a member of President Warren G. Harding's Ohio Gang. He was born and raised in Washington Court House, Ohio, where he became a friend of Harry M. Daugherty.John Wesley Dean, ''Warren G. Hard ...
(Ed Jewett), causing further problems for Daugherty and leaving Nucky in the clear.
Rosetti convinces Masseria to provide him with extra men to take over Atlantic City. Acting on a tip from Gillian, who wants revenge for Jimmy's murder, Rosetti bombs Nucky's favorite restaurant in order to kill him, Rothstein and Luciano. All three survive the explosion, but Billie is killed.
Nucky organizes a meeting with the
East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
crime bosses to seek support for killing both Rosetti and Masseria. Everyone at the meeting declines, however, and the job is left to Owen. However, Luciano and Lansky alert Masseria to Nucky's attempted hit in exchange for Masseria financing their
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
operation. As Owen enters a
Turkish bathhouse
A hammam ( ar, حمّام, translit=ḥammām, tr, hamam) or Turkish bath is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited ...
to murder Masseria, the crime lord's men ambush and kill him and shipped back to Nucky in a crate. From Margaret's grief-stricken reaction to Owen's death, Nucky deduces that the two had been having an affair.
Nucky narrowly escapes being killed by Masseria's men and recruits White and Capone to provide men to fight back against Rosetti. An all-out gang war ensues, with massive casualties on both sides. Rothstein tries to convince Masseria to end his support for Rosetti in exchange for Nucky giving up 99% of the profits from Mellon's distillery. The agreement is a trap, however; as part of his deal with Nucky, Mellon has Rothstein arrested. White and Capone send their men to ambush Masseria's gang as they leave Atlantic City, resulting in a bloodbath. Meanwhile, Harrow unexpectedly storms the Artemis Club, massacring many of Rosetti's men and managing to rescue Tommy Darmody, who is held at gunpoint. Rosetti and two of his men are able to escape, but his second in command, Tonino Sandrelli (Chris Caldovino), kills Rosetti so Nucky will spare him. Nucky tries to reconcile with Margaret, who has left him and taken the children. Margaret rebuffs him, however, and refuses to accept money from him.
Season four
In 1924, Nucky has made peace with Masseria and Rothstein, and is a silent partner in Chalky's nightclub on the Boardwalk. He travels to
Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
to look into investing in a distillery run by
Bill McCoy William McCoy or MacCoy may refer to:
*W. F. McCoy (1886–1976), Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
*William McCoy (bootlegger) (1877–1948), American rum-runner during Prohibition
*William McCoy (congressman) (died 1864), American ...
(Pearce Bunting), but rejects the deal, believing the location is too high-profile. He changes his mind and becomes part owner, unaware that McCoy has killed one of his investors.
He also takes on Luciano and Lansky as partners in the distillery. While in Florida, he begins an affair with speakeasy owner Sally Wheet (
Patricia Arquette
Patricia Tiffany Arquette (born April 8, 1968) is an American actress. She made her feature film debut as Kristen Parker in '' A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' (1987). Her other notable films include ''True Romance'' (1993), ''Ed Wo ...
).
Nucky's empire faces a new threat in
BOI Agent James Tolliver (
Brian Geraghty
Brian Timothy Geraghty (born May 13, 1975) is an American actor, known for his roles in the 2005 film '' Jarhead'', the 2008 film ''The Hurt Locker'', and in the 2012 film ''Flight'', along with his recurring role in the HBO drama series '' Board ...
), who infiltrates his distribution network by posing as a corrupt Prohibition agent.
When Nucky sends Eddie to
Penn Station Pennsylvania Station is a name applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals.
Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may also refer to
Current train stations
* Baltimore Penn Station
* Pennsylvania Station (Cinc ...
to deliver money to
Ralph Capone
Ralph James Capone (; born Raffaele James Capone, ; January 12, 1894 – November 22, 1974) was an Italian-American Chicago mobster and an older brother of Al Capone and Frank Capone. He got the nickname "Bottles" not from involvement in the C ...
(
Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi (, ; born March 25, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Herc in ''The Wire'', and is also known for his roles in ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), ''Entourage'', and ''The Irishman'' (2019).
Care ...
), Tolliver detains and
blackmail
Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
s him into revealing Nucky's arrangement with the Capones. Eddie returns to Nucky's house and commits suicide.
Days later, Nucky has an uneasy reunion with Margaret and tells her of Eddie's death.
Meanwhile, Nucky gets Eli's son Willie (
Ben Rosenfield
Ben Rosenfield is an American actor and musician, best known for playing Willie Thompson on the fourth and fifth seasons of HBO's period crime drama series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2013–2014). His first role was in the Off-Broadway stage adapta ...
) off a murder charge by framing his college roommate and
bribing
Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corr ...
the
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
district attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...
.
Nucky gets Willie a job in the mayor's office. Tolliver finds out the truth, however, and tells Eli he will put Willie in prison unless he informs on Nucky. Eli becomes Tolliver's spy,
and arranges for Nucky to attend a meeting with Masseria in which both will be arrested.
Chalky asks for Nucky's backing in a war with heroin kingpin
Valentin Narcisse
Dr. Valentin Narcisse is a fictional character from the HBO TV series '' Boardwalk Empire'', portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. He is a prominent and highly educated underworld figure based in Harlem, New York and a Black nationalist orator, active in ...
(
Jeffrey Wright
Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Belize in the Broadway production of ''Angels in America'', for which he would win a Tony Award, and its HBO miniseries adaptation, for which he woul ...
). Nucky refuses to get involved, but Chalky becomes more insistent after Narcisse tries to kill him and brutalizes his mistress, Daughter Maitland (Margot Bingham). Nucky learns that Lansky is smuggling Narcisse's heroin on Masseria's orders and meets with Masseria and Narcisse in order to get his cut of the profits. Nucky orders Bader to have two sheriff's deputies drive Chalky to Philadelphia, but Bader is now supporting Narcisse and orders the deputies to kill Chalky. They fail, however, and Chalky shows up at Nucky's door demanding answers.
To make amends, Nucky orders Harrow to kill Narcisse, and in return pulls strings to have Gillian convicted of murder so Harrow can take custody of Tommy.
The hit goes awry, and Harrow and Chalky's daughter are killed.
Nucky begins to suspect that Eli is informing on him,
and cancels the meeting with Masseria. He arranges to go with Sally to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, but first confronts Eli. Nucky pulls a gun on his brother, but after Willie walks in and Eli reveals Tolliver's blackmail, Nucky cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. When Eli kills Tolliver, Nucky sends him to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
under Capone's protection and goes to Cuba with Sally.
Season five
In 1931, Nucky travels between Cuba, New York and New Jersey, planning to go into the legal liquor business in anticipation of the end of Prohibition.
In Cuba, he bumps on Meyer Lansky and an attempt is made on his life afterwards. He suspects that Luciano and Lansky are behind it.
This forces him to travel to New York, where he confronts Luciano's boss,
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano (; July 31, 1886 – September 10, 1931) was an Italian-American mobster from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss who led what later would become the Bonanno crime family in New York City. ...
. He also tries to start a partnership with Mayflower Grain Inc., but they turn him down. Desperate, he tries to convince
Joseph Kennedy
Joseph Patrick Kennedy (September 6, 1888 – November 18, 1969) was an American businessman, investor, and politician. He is known for his own political prominence as well as that of his children and was the patriarch of the Irish-American Ken ...
(
Matt Letscher
Matthew Letscher is an American actor, director and playwright, known for his roles as Captain Harrison Love in the 1998 American swashbuckler film ''The Mask of Zorro'' and as Colonel Adelbert Ames in the 2003 American film '' Gods and General ...
) to get involved in the legal liquor business in Cuba, but Kennedy declines.
Nucky goes back to Atlantic City, where he befriends a bellboy named Joe Harper (
Travis Tope
Travis Tope (born November 11, 1991) is an American film and television actor, known for playing Chris Truby in the film '' Men, Women and Children'', Nick Strain in ''The Town That Dreaded Sundown'', Joe Harper/Tommy Darmody in the series '' Bo ...
), who reminds him of himself as a young man.
Meanwhile, Margaret visits him for the first time in years to ask for his help in dealing with Rothstein's widow, who is blackmailing her. He gives her money in return for her help in driving down stock prices for Mayflower, where she now works. Soon afterward, Sally is murdered by
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. police and Nucky is informed by Capone that Luciano has betrayed Maranzano and wants Nucky himself killed.
Nucky goes to meet with Maranzano, in hopes of joining forces with him against Luciano, but he ends up surviving another attempt on his life, this time backed by his old friend Torrio. Nucky declares war on him and Luciano. He has Siegel kidnapped to force a meeting with Luciano and Lansky, who kidnap Willie in retaliation. At the meeting, Luciano threatens to kill Willie. Desperate to save his nephew, Nucky gives Luciano control of his empire in Atlantic City, and arranges to have Maranzano killed. That night, he receives a letter from Gillian, who is now in a
sanitorium
A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
, begging him for help.
In the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
, Nucky
short-sells Mayflower's stock with Margaret's help, and he makes a huge profit. He plans to leave Atlantic City forever, and says goodbye to Eli, leaving him with a bag of money. He refuses to help Gillian get out of the sanatorium, but offers to establish a
trust fund
A trust is a legal relationship in which the holder of a right gives it to another person or entity who must keep and use it solely for another's benefit. In the Anglo-American common law, the party who entrusts the right is known as the "settl ...
for her should she get out on her own.
On Nucky's last night in Atlantic City, he gets a call from the police, who have arrested Harper. Nucky bails him out and offers to give him money, but Harper angrily rejects the gesture. Hours later, Harper confronts Nucky and reveals who he truly is: Tommy Darmody, Jimmy Darmody's son and Gillian's grandson. Tommy accuses Nucky of betraying Gillian and guns him down. Nucky dies as
IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...
agents, who had followed him the entire evening, identify themselves and arrest Tommy. The arrival of the agents is a reference to the eventual fate of the real Enoch Johnson, who was imprisoned in 1941 on
tax evasion
Tax evasion is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to reduce the taxp ...
charges.
Casting
In casting the role of Nucky Thompson (based upon real-life Atlantic City political boss
Enoch L. Johnson
Enoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson (January 20, 1883December 9, 1968) was an Atlantic City, New Jersey, political boss, a sheriff of Atlantic County, New Jersey, a businessman and a crime boss who was the leader of the political machine that controlle ...
), Winter wanted to stray from the real life of Johnson as much as possible. "If we were going to cast accurately what the real Nucky looked like, we'd have cast
Jim Gandolfini."
The idea of casting
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent Buscemi ( ,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself, some may insist that his pronunciation of his own name is "wrong" because it does not match the original Italian pronunciation as well. It is not uncommon for people to pronou ...
in the lead role came about when Scorsese mentioned wanting to work with the actor, whom Winter knew well having worked with him on ''The Sopranos''. Winter sent the script out to Buscemi, who responded very enthusiastically. "I just thought, 'Wow. I'm almost sorry I've read this, because if I don't get it, I'm going to be so sad.' My response was 'Terry, I know you're looking at other actors'... and he said, 'No, no, Steve, I said we want you.
Explained Scorsese, "I love the range he has, his dramatic sense, but also his sense of humor."
Reception
Buscemi has won and been nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Nucky Thompson. He was nominated for a
Award at the
63rd and
64th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in prime time television programming from June 1, 2011 until May 31, 2012, were held on Sunday, September 23, 2012 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. ABC televised the cere ...
. In addition, Buscemi won Best Actor in Dramatic Series at the
68th Golden Globe Awards
The 68th Golden Globe Awards were broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 16, 2011, by NBC. The host was Ricky Gervais. The nominations were announced on December 14, 2010, by Josh Duhamel, Katie Holmes ...
, while also getting nominated at the 69th and 70th Awards. The cast won the
at the
17th and
18th Screen Actors Guild Awards
The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2011, were presented on January 29, 2012 at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California for the sixteenth co ...
while being nominated at the
19th,
20th and 21st. Buscemi won the
two years in a row from 2011 to 2012, while also being nominated in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
References
External links
Nucky Thompson Bioat HBO.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Nucky
Boardwalk Empire
Fictional characters from New Jersey
Television characters introduced in 2010
Fictional businesspeople
Fictional characters based on real people
Fictional crime bosses
Fictional gamblers
Fictional gangsters
Fictional murderers
Fictional murdered people
Fictional Republicans (United States)
Fictional political bosses
Drama television characters
Cultural depictions of the Mafia
American male characters in television
Fictional money launderers
Fictional victims of domestic abuse
Fictional Irish American people