Bill McCoy (played by Pearce Bunting) is a ship Captain and bootlegger.
Biography
Season 1
McCoy is the first character we see in the series, appearing in the prologue portion of the series pilot. With his vessel at anchor in thick fog, McCoy, checks his pocket watch. A smaller boat approaches manned by Davey Murdoch, Simon and three other men, all working for New York organised crime boss Arnold Rothstein. McCoy asks them to hurry, worried about the coastguard. Murdoch tells him to get on with it. McCoy reveals his cargo, crates of Canadian Club Whiskey from Ontario. Simon keeps track of the number of crates loaded on a notepad and Murdoch tells him they are transporting liquid gold.
The reason for McCoy's presence in the harbour becomes clear when he meets with Atlantic City Treasurer Nucky Thompson at the boardwalk catch of the day attraction two days prior to the prologue. They joke about McCoy's recent visit to Canada. McCoy tells Nucky that he can supply Canadian Club Whiskey at 500 dollars a crate. Nucky offers to buy a 100 crate shipment for 35000 dollars every week. McCoy agrees and Nucky tells McCoy that Eli will be in touch about the particulars. McCoy stops Nucky from leaving, saying that he was expecting them to go for a drink. Nucky makes him smile by saying they have nothing to talk about now that Nucky has what he wanted. Nucky later sells the first shipment on to Rothstein. ("Boardwalk Empire")
Nucky counts money in his salon while McCoy plays cards with Aldermen George O'Neill and Jim Neary at the table. Alderman Boyd is playing the piano while Atlantic County Sheriff Eli Thompson sits next to his brother (Nucky) reading notes for his planned speech. Nucky chastises O’Neill and O’Neill says that prohibition puts them in uncharted territory. Neary toasts the Irish and their prodigious drinking and Nucky jokes that he personally drinks to forget, but can’t remember what. Damien Fleming arrives with his collections money for Nucky and says that his ward’s speakeasies have been packed with people of all ethnicities. Nucky observes that people want what they cannot have and Boyd is impressed by Nucky’s grasp of psychology. Fleming says his people cannot keep liquor on the shelves, Eli interjects that it should be hidden under the shelves, while Fleming goes on to say he needs to increase his order. Eli asks if McCoy is listening and McCoy responds that he needs to get another boat. Fleming asks the others to deal him into their game and Nucky asks when McCoy is leaving port. McCoy jokingly says he leaves at “the stroke of midnight on a sea of green.” Fleming wonders if McCoy means that the sea is green from money or from the dyed beer they will serve later. Nucky wonders how the preparation of the beer is progressing and Neary reassures him that the food colouring has arrived and is being mixed with the beer as they speak. Nucky jokes that they will need plenty of beer to get the Celts through Eli’s re-election speech. Boyd is surprised that Eli is speaking and Nucky repeats his earlier comparison to Daniel Webster. Eli is annoyed at the jest but Nucky continues, revealing that Eli is taking lessons. Fleming toasts to “the great orator” and O’Neill requests a sample. Eli refuses and Nucky says the Irish are a surly lot. O’Neill suggests giving Eli a drink and Neary jokes that he can have green beer. Nucky says anyone can drink as long as they pay and Neary assures him that they will. McCoy bursts into song replacing the words from "Danny Boy" with an ode to Nucky’s bootlegging success. ("Nights in Ballygran")
Season 2
McCoy remains loyal to Nucky during The Commodore's attempted coup in season 2. McCoy meets with The Commodore and his co-conspirators Jimmy Darmody and Eli Thompson. McCoy refuses to supply the Commodore despite the threat of pressure from the Coast Guard. He criticises The Commodore for backing out of his arrangement to transfer power to Nucky. McCoy sees the attempted coup as equivalent to a mutiny. ("A Dangerous Maid")
Nucky uses his relationship with New York gangster Arnold Rothstein to set up an agreement for McCoy to deliver to Waxey Gordon in Philadelphia. Gordon will hold the alcohol in Philadelphia until Rothstein's men transport it by road into Atlantic City. ("What Does the Bee Do?")
Nucky chairs a meeting of the key personnel in his bootlegging operation in the sitting room of his suite at the Ritz Carlton. Seated in the centre of the room are McCoy, Nucky’s bootlegging manager Chalky White, New York crime boss Arnold Rothstein and Rothstein's Philadelphia connection Waxey Gordon. At the edge of the room are Nucky’s driver and enforcer Owen Sleater, Rothstein's protégé Lucky Luciano, Luciano's associate Meyer Lansky and Philadelphia gangster Herman Kaufman. With Atlantic City blockaded by the coast guard they are there to arrange delivery of McCoy’s shipments via Philadelphia. If the clear skies hold McCoy is planning to weigh anchor close to shore near Philadelphia at 2 a.m. the following night. Waxey explains that he will transport the liquor ashore in speedboats and has a dozen of them at his disposal. He estimates that this step can be completed in under an hour. Nucky and McCoy worry about the coast guard around Philadelphia and Rothstein confirms that Waxey has assured their safety. Waxey states that the guarantee of plain sailing is what he is being paid for. Nucky gripes about Waxey’s twenty percent share. Rothstein explains that once ashore the crates will be put onto trucks by Waxey’s men. Waxey points out Kaufman as the supervisor for this step and states that the trucks will be driven to the border of Atlantic City where Luciano and Lansky will complete the journey. Luciano complains to Rothstein that Waxey should earn his share by having his men complete the journey. Waxey compares Luciano to a woman asking to be walked home and Kaufman jokes about needing a good night kiss. Luciano threatens Kaufman and Lansky quiets Luciano. Chalky tells Luciano that he will expect delivery around 5 a.m. and reminds Luciano to signal his arrival with flashing headlights. Rothstein looks at Nucky and Nucky nods his assent. McCoy later delivers the shipment as planned. ("The Age of Reason")
McCoy continues to deliver shipments for transport by Lansky and Luciano. ("Two Boats and a Lifeguard")
Relationships
- Nucky Thompson - Buyer
Memorable Quotes
- "So he bested you in the bargain and now you're fucking him over." - McCoy to The Commodore in "A Dangerous Maid"
- "See that scotch that keeps you warm at night? Don't you forget who put it there" - "A Dangerous Maid"
Appearances
| Season one appearances | |||
| Boardwalk Empire | The Ivory Tower | Broadway Limited | Anastasia |
| Nights in Ballygran | Family Limitation | Home | Hold Me in Paradise |
| Belle Femme | The Emerald City | Paris Green | A Return to Normalcy |
| Season two appearances | |||
| 21 | Ourselves Alone | A Dangerous Maid | What Does the Bee Do? |
| Gimcrack & Bunkum | The Age of Reason | Peg of Old | Two Boats and a Lifeguard |
| Battle of the Century | Georgia Peaches | Under God's Power She Flourishes | To the Lost |