Eli Thompson

Sheriff Elias "Eli" Thompson
Birthplace	Atlantic City
Birthdate	Unknown
Affiliation	Atlantic County Sheriff's Office (S1-S2) Nucky Thompson The Commodore (S2)
Actor	Shea Whigham

Elias "Eli" Thompson (played by Shea Whigham), is the former Atlantic County Sheriff and the younger brother of Atlantic City crime boss Nucky Thompson.

Biography

Background

As the brother of the beloved treasurer of Atlantic County Treasurer, Nucky Thompson, Eli not-surprisingly, manages to find his way into the position of Sheriff. He and his brother are an effective duo when it comes to keeping A hold on the reigns of the city's corrupt government and underworld. Unspoken tension exists between the brothers however, with rivalry and resentment lurking just below the fascade of smiling exteriors.

Season 1

Main article: Eli Thompson Season 1

Season 2

Main article: Eli Thompson Season 2

Season 3

Main article: Eli Thompson Season 3

Relationships

Family

• June Thompson: Wife
• William Thompson: Son
• Michael Thompson: Son *
• Patrick Thompson: Son
• Brian Thompson: Son
• Dermott Thompson: Son
• Kathleen Thompson: Daughter
• Nora Thompson Daughter
• Anne Thompson Daughter
• Edith Thompson: Daughter
• Ethan Thompson: Father (deceased)
• Elenore Thompson: Mother (deceased)
• Nucky Thompson: Older brother
• Susan Thompson: Sister (deceased)
• Mabel Thompson: Sister-in-law (deceased)

Work

• Mickey Doyle: Current partner, Nucky's bootlegging manager
• Damien Fleming: Alderman
• Edward Bader: Atlantic City Mayor
• Jimmy Darmody: Former co-conspirator, boss of the organization (deceased)
• Jim Neary: Atlantic County Treasurer, co-conspirator (deceased)
• The Commodore: Financial backer, co-conspirator (deceased)
• Leander Cephas Whitlock: Financial backer, co-conspirator
• Al Boyd: Former Alderman, co-conspirator
• Halloran: First Deputy, traitor, convicted murderer
• Victor Sickles: Corrupt Tabor Heights Sheriff, bootlegging associate (deceased)

Victims

• Hans Schroeder: Murder victim, baker's assistant, beaten to death with brass knuckles
• George O'Neill: Murder victim, Atlantic City Alderman, beaten to death with a wrench
• Three Gyp Rosetti goons Nora Thompson

Memorable Quotes

• "I AM the law, Georgie-boy!" ("Boardwalk Empire")
• "I have eight kids!" (repeated line)
• (to a meeting of KKK members) "Loose the dunce caps. You too, Cyclops." ("Anastasia")
• "What am I, the repudiated?" ("Nights in Ballygran")
• "...how do you rest your spleen?" ("Belle Femme")
• "That is one uppity shine." ("21")
• (to Nucky, over the phone) "All alone, big brother? How does it feel?" ("Ourselves Alone")
• Nucky: "Et tu, Eli?"
  • Eli: "What?"
  • Nucky: "Shakespeare. Julius Caesar."
  • Eli: "There was a character named Eli?" ("To the Lost")
• (about his brother) "Jesus Christ, just kill him. What is he King fuckin' Neptune? Put a bullet in his head- get it over with!" ("Peg of Old")
• "Put a bullet in me. Get it over with. "Cause I know you will sooner or later. And I'm sick of waiting for it." ("Sunday Best")

Possible Continuity Error

In Sunday Best Emily lists the names of Eli's children as the following: Kathleen, Nora, Ann, Edith, Brian, Patrick, Dermott and William. There is no mention of Michael. Later June has the children introduce themselves to Margaret, Emily and Teddy. Of the four boys there William, Dermott and Brian introduce themselves but the boy we know as Michael does not.

Michael is played by Charlie Plummer, (though never named aloud) in Season 2. Kevin Csolak has been added to the cast in Season 3 as the oldest Thompson son, William, with no explanation, other than the aging of the characters. The actor who played the 2nd son Patrick in Season 2, Matthew Broadley, has not been seen in Season 3. The role of Dermott, the dark-haired youngest son, was recast between Season 2 and 3 and again between episode 2 and 7. The two oldest Thompson daughters were also recast and aged between Season 2 and 3.

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

Season three appearances
"Resolution"	"Spaghetti and Coffee"	"Bone for Tuna"	"Blue Bell Boy"
"You'd Be Surprised"	"Ging Gang Goolie"	"Sunday Best"	"The Pony"
"The Milkmaid's Lot"	"A Man, A Plan..."	"Two Imposters"	"Margate Sands"

Origins

Eli Thompson bears similarities to the historical person Alf Johnson, who was Nucky Johnson's brother and was a county sheriff in the 1920s.