Enoch Malachi "Nucky" Thompson, played by Steve Buscemi, is the protagonist of the series Boardwalk Empire. He is very loosely based on the real New Jersey politician Enoch L. Johnson (1883-1968), who was in control of Atlantic City for three decades, between 1911 and 1941.
Nucky is a corrupt Republican politician and gangster. He begins the series as the Treasurer of Atlantic County, New Jersey. His brother, Eli Thompson is the Atlantic County Sheriff. Nucky, following on the steps of his predecessor and mentor, Louis Kaestner, is the boss of a political and criminal organization that controls every business (whether legal or illegal) and aspect of life in Atlantic City. Nevertheless, the shrewd and charming Nucky is as beloved by the people of Atlantic City as he can be, shaking all the right hands, kissing all the right babies, and investing no small part of his money back on those same businesses, parties and charity alike. His popularity is particularly high among Irish immigrants (himself being the eldest son of one) and the African-American community, which he controls through his ally Chalky White. Very little happens in "The World's Playground" that he doesn't know about. In addition, Thompson's political influence extends well beyond his official jurisdiction in Atlantic County, as he managed two successful election campaigns for Walter Edge sending him to the US Senate as well as making sure he was appointed governor, and he is reputed to have the last say among the New Jersey's delegation when it is time to nominate a new Republican presidential candidate.
Nucky has had a troubled personal life. His sister Susan Thompson died of tuberculosis when they were children. His father Ethan Thompson was physically abusive during his childhood. He became involved in politics during his teens under the wing of Commodore Louis Kaestner, whom he eventually succeeded when he was convicted of election fraud in 1912. Nucky's first wife Mabel Thompson killed herself in 1913 after losing their infant son. He has been consumed by his work since but has had superficial relationships with girlfriends. He had a casual relationship with former Ziegfield Follies dancer Lucy Danziger for three years by 1920. He also treated Jimmy Darmody as a surrogate son and protégé when he was growing up, partly out of guilt in his role in exposing his mother Gillian Darmody to being raped by The Commodore when she was only 13, which resulted in Jimmy's conception.
Half corrupt politician, half gangster, and all greedy, Nucky senses the opportunity to further increase his fortune and power through bootlegging when Prohibition becomes official nationwide on January 16, 1920. His expectations are proven right, but at the same time the new business turns out to be more challenging than expected, and consumes his personal life as the gangs competing for a share of the profit become more and more violent.
Biography
Background
Most likely born in the 1870s, Nucky is the first son of Ethan and Elenore Thompson. He has a younger brother, Eli, and a sister, Susan. Susan was a sickly child and died of tuberculosis during Nucky's childhood. He and Eli were jealous of the attention Susan got from Elenore because of her illness. Ethan was alcoholic and abusive, though apparently only to Nucky. When Nucky was a child and his baseball glove was stolen by a group of four older children, his father forced him to challenge them to a fight. They were twice his size and Nucky ended up in the hospital for 11 days. On his ninth birthday, Nucky went to reach for food before his father and his father responded by searing the flesh of Nucky's right palm with a hot poker before reminding him that "Daddy eats first."
Nucky began working in politics in the 1890s under Commodore Louis Kaestner's wing. Like Kaestner, Nucky is nominally a Republican but his politics are dominated by self-interest and maintaining a stable economy for Atlantic City. Kaestner was the boss of the political and criminal organization that controlled protection rackets, informal welfare, and election rigging in the city. He held the post of Atlantic County Treasurer but controlled the Mayor, the City Council, and the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office, and had influence in state and federal government.
Nucky worked to procure women for The Commodore's parties and was responsible for setting The Commodore up with 13-year-old Gillian Darmody after he saw her in a May 1 parade in 1897. Gillian was raped by The Commodore and became pregnant with his child. She named her son Jimmy. Nucky felt responsible for the boy and made an agreement with Gillian to always look out for Jimmy. He was an active figure in Jimmy's childhood taking him on hunting trips and preparing him as an eventual successor to lead the organization.
Nucky's first wife Mabel Thompson.
Nucky was the Atlantic County Sheriff from 1908 to 1912. During this period he married Mabel Thompson. In 1912, the Atlantic City organization was the target of a campaign of depuration lead by the then Democratic Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson; Nucky and The Commodore made a deal under which The Commodore would take the fall and go to jail for a number of years, while Nucky would succeed him as County Treasurer and take control of the organization, ensuring that things continued the same and The Commodore still received a share of the profits.
Enoch Jr. and Mabel's tombstone, as seen in A Return to Normalcy.
Shortly after Nucky took over, Mabel gave birth to their first and only child, a son named Enoch Jr., on December 16, 1912. Enoch Jr. was a small and frail child and Nucky was terrified of holding or even looking at him. Being busy with his new appointment, Nucky opted to leave the baby alone with his mother for days. It wasn't until several days later when Nucky returned home and finally decided to hold him. To his horror, he discovered that Enoch Jr. had been dead for days and that Mabel, in complete denial, had continued to dress him, wash him, and act as if he were alive. After Enoch Jr.'s funeral Mabel fell into a severe depression and ultimately committed suicide on January 19, 1913, severing her wrists with Nucky's shaving razor.
Nucky immersed himself in his work and built up the financial ties of the organization to the community, ensuring that all residents and businesses paid their dues. His brother was elected Sheriff after he became Treasurer. In 1916 he paid for Jimmy to attend Princeton University. He was shocked and disappointed when Jimmy dropped out of Princeton and enlisted in the US Army. Jimmy did not discuss his reasons for leaving and Nucky assumed that he was unable to handle the academic pressure. Jimmy's college girlfriend Angela Ianotti moved to Atlantic City and gave birth to his son Tommy in 1917. Nucky helped to support the family while Jimmy was fighting in World War I. Meanwhile, Jimmy was injured by shrapnel from a German grenade near the end of the war and did not return to Atlantic City until January 1920. Nucky hired him as a driver upon his return.
Season 1
- Main article: Nucky Thompson Season 1
Nucky Thompson (center) meets just as Prohibition is enacted with NYC gangsters Arnold Rothstein and Lucky Luciano (right) and Chicago's Big Jim Colosimo and Johnny Torrio in order to trade illegal liquor. ("Boardwalk Empire")
Just as Prohibition begins in January 16, 1920 Nucky makes preparations to enter bootlegging and profit from what he correctly predicts to be an extremely lucrative business. However, his first deal to supply alcohol to New York City crime boss and gambling legend Arnold Rothstein is thwarted by the ambitions of Jimmy Darmody. He and Al Capone steals the alcohol as it passes through Hammonton, New Jersey and sells it to Chicago crime boss Johnny Torrio instead and at the same time hands over Nucky's distillery operation to the prohibition agents, keeping them busy while they make their move in Hammonton. The hijacking is bloody and ends with four of Rothstein's men killed and one badly wounded, who identifies Jimmy before he dies. The incident results in a feud between Nucky and Rothstein, who blames Nucky for the hijacking, a political scandal that compromises the Republican prospects in the 1920 Atlantic City local election as well as tipping Nucky's
hand to the Bureau of Prohibition, attracting the attention of senior prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden. Nucky responds by exiling Jimmy, who takes refuge in Chicago under the protection of Torrio.
The difficulties of the bootlegging business continues when Nucky hands over the distilling operation to Chalky White instead of keeping Mickey Doyle whom Nucky doesn't want to be connected to anymore following his arrest. In retaliation and in a plan to get back his business, Doyle relays information to his partners, the D'Alessio brothers about Chalky and they try to have him killed but ends killing his driver. Chalky is furious, but Nucky makes it clear to him that the last thing they need in an election year is a race war. Chalky reluctantly agrees and the task of finding the responsible is handed over the Eli Thompson.
Nucky begins a serious relationship with Margaret Schroeder, a poor Irish immigrant and mother of two, pregnant with her third child. Nucky meets her when she approaches him for help regarding her abusive husband, Hans Schroeder. After Margaret suffers a miscarriage as a result of one of Hans' beatings, Nucky has him murdered and framed for Jimmy's hijacking and momentarily putting a stop to the speculations that the current administration of Atlantic City is soft on crime, although Van Alden is not convinced. At first Nucky is not interested in a romance with Margaret seeing that it could cause trouble, but she impresses him with her wit, education, energy, and conviction in the following months, in contrast to his much more dull current girlfriend, Lucy
Danziger. Margaret moves into a house paid for by Nucky and he enjoys the chance to play the family man with her and her children. However, she struggles to come to terms with his criminality and they eventually break up following a failed assassination attemp carried out by the D'Alessio brothers on orders from Rothstein as well as her accusation that Nucky murdered her Husband.The D'Alessios also shoot Nucky's brother Eli and threaten to bring down his organization, prompting him to recruit Jimmy back as an enforcer, Jimmy also brings scarred war veteran Richard Harrow back from Chicago whom acts as a bodyguard for Nucky and his family's bodyguard following the attempt on his life.During the year old memories comes back to haunt Nucky when he visit his childhood home were his father is still living.
Nucky burning his childhood home to the ground.
Nucky is reminded of all the horrible things that his father did to him and that he always appreciated his other son more. Following his father's declining health, Nucky proposes they give the house to his alderman Damien Fleming seeing as his father doesn't need it anymore, but after a final insult by his father Nucky instead decides to burn his home and by extension his past to the grounds.
Nucky strikes a deal with Warren Harding's campaign manager, Harry Daugherty. ("Hold Me in Paradise")
Nucky also plans to improve road links to Atlantic City in order to facilitate the arrival of tourists and alcohol to town, and is incensed when Senator Walter Edge does not intend to give him the funding he needs, and instead plans to hand it to the mayor of Jersey City Frank Hague, where he silently owns a paving company. To counter this, he forges connections to the Warren Harding presidential campaign by delivering the New Jersey delegation at the 1920 Republican National Convention and concealing Harding's mistress in Atlantic City during the election season to avoid any scandals. In return he asks that Edge not be made Vice President and the Congress approves the road funding he wants.
Nucky's ally on the north side of Atlantic City Chalky White is in May visited by a kid posing as Mr. Louis(in reality Meyer Lansky) who visits Chalky with a proposition to cut Nucky out and offers to buy alcohol from him, though he is only there to find out information about Nucky's operation. Chalky dismisses the idea and believes Nucky has sent the kid to test his loyalty to him. Chalky brings this up with Nucky but he doesn't understand what he's talking about. This all become clear later when Mickey Doyle visits Nucky Thompson, whom after seeing the business with the D'Alessio brothers and Arnold Rothstein doesn't go as planned turns back to Nucky and offers to give him all the information he has about his opposing forces. Nucky comes up with a plan were Chalky will cut a deal with Meyer Lansky were also the D'Alessio brothers will attend to make a huge pickup of alcohol. The plan however goes awry when Chalky realizes that it was the D'Alessio brothers that had his driver killed earlier in the year and he only captures Matteo, Lucien and Lansky. The two brothers are killed at Chalky's warehouse but Lansky is released by Nucky so he can tell his boss about what he experienced in Atlantic City.
Arnold Rothstein and Nucky Thompson makes peace.
By the end of the year the war have reached a stalemate, with Rothstein's up and coming trial and the remaining D'Alessio brothers in hiding. However a business meeting is soon set up by Johnny Torrio to have Nucky and Rothstein meet so they can settle their dispute. Rothstein asks for Nucky's assistance
in escaping prosecution over his involvement in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. In exchange Nucky demands that Rothstein pay him $1,000,000 and give up the remaining D'Alessio brothers, Rothstein agrees to this when Nucky reveals he is a good friend with Chicago's states attorney Hartley Replogl.
Earlier in the year Nucky met with his mentor Louis Kaestner to discuss the upcoming election. seeing as mayor Bacharach is losing ground and popularity and that Eli is alleged by the press to be corrupt, Kaestner instructs Nucky to change both their mayoral candidate and sheriff so they can pretend to give a change to the community. Nucky offers a local construction business owner Edward Bader to run for Mayor which he accepts and gives his brother's job to his deputy Raymond Halloran, much to Eli's discontent.
During the election night Nucky uses a variety of well practiced election rigging techniques to ensure his incumbents retain their positions in the local elections and at the same time is pleased when Harding simultaneously takes the White House. He also reinstates his brother as sheriff in Atlantic City, believing this will solve their dispute.
He also reconciles with Margaret after their initial breakup, and they continue their relationship. However, his aloofness and perceived arrogance alienate The Commodore, his brother Eli, and Jimmy, and the three begin a plot to usurp his position.
Season 2
- Main article: Nucky Thompson Season 2
Nucky and his cronies plan to make millions with the construction of highways in New Jersey. ("21")
In mid-February 1921, The Commodore influences the Ku Klux Klan to attack Nucky's bootlegging connection, Chalky White. The attack coincides with Nucky investing heavily in cheap farmland, expecting the land value to skyrocket once the proposed highways begin construction in their place. Nucky's rivals turn his local political subordinates against him leading to his arrest for election fraud based on their testimony. He secures bail but is frustrated when The Commodore uses his connections in the Coast Guard to block his shipments of liquor from Bill McCoy. Fearing for his investments he places the land in Margaret's name, for safekeeping in case he is convicted.
Nucky suffers another setback when he in March 1921 is visited by Johnny Torrio's protegé Al Capone. Al is in town to inform Nucky that Chicago will no longer be buying alcohol from him, instead they will be buying from George Remus.
Nucky responds by forming a partnership with his past nemesis, Arnold Rothstein, and his connection in Philadelphia Waxey Gordon. They use Philadelphia's ports to land Nucky's shipments which is delivered to Atlantic City by Charlie Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Nucky also makes donations to Sinn Fein to maintain the support of his Irish American voting base. He employs ex-Irish Republican Army soldier Owen Sleater to replace Jimmy as his driver, bodyguard, and enforcer. He along with his attourney Isaac Ginsburg and loyal alderman Damien Fleming forms a plot, which involves adding the charge of human trafficking across state lines, to have the charges against him made at the federal level and then use his influence in the government to avoid conviction.
Nucky's plans to avoid prosecution are soon thwarted when Senator Edge puts pressure on the Harding administration, threatening to launch a sub committee to investigate the proposed bureau of veteran’s affairs if his current prosecutor, Charles Thorogood isn't replaced with a new one, someone out of Nucky's reach, and this comes in the form of the feared Esther Randolph.
Nucky is shot through the hand. ("Peg of Old")
The Commodore is incapacitated by a stroke but Jimmy and Eli continue to act against Nucky. He retaliates by having Owen blow up Mickey Doyle's bootlegging warehouse were Jimmy has all of his liquor stored, destroying their whole supply and causing problems for Jimmy. After the loss of their supply Eli seeing that Jimmy alienates the commodores financial backers, fears that the coup will fail and attempts to betray his co-conspirators but Nucky rejects his overture and the tension multiplies between the brothers. Enraged, Eli responds by pushing for Nucky's assassination and with the backing of Jimmy's trading partners and the eventual order from Jimmy himself another unsuccessful attempt is made on his life. After having recieved a bullet to the hand and Jimmy's hired assassin is about to give Nucky the coup de grace, the hitman is killed by special investigator Clifford Lathrop.
Ethan Thompson dies suddenly, Nucky visits his fathers open coffin, although he makes clear to his also attending brother that he's only there for their mother and sister, in the end however, despite his fathers cruel treatment of Nucky, he bursts out in tears when he's about to tie his fathers shoelace.
After having a meeting with Arnold Rothstein and Johnny Torrio Rothstein gives Nucky an advice to "do nothing" until the time is right. Needing time to regroup and money to fund retaliation, Nucky visits his opposing faction and explains that he's stepping down as head of his organization leaving it all in their hands. Now free of his position as County Treasurer, Nucky pretends to take his father's body to Ireland for burial in order to trade weapons for whiskey with the IRA which after some setbacks is a succesful plan.
Meanwhile, Margaret's daughter Emily is paralyzed by polio. This causes the (until then lapsed) Catholic Margaret to fear that she is being punished by God for her relationship with Nucky
Nucky returning from his trip to Ireland, subsequently floods Atlantic City with cheap but high quality liquor, thwarting Jimmy's fledgling bootlegging efforts. Nucky with the help of Chalky White also triggers a citywide strike by African-American workers that undermines Jimmy's leadership credentials and causes a rift between Jimmy and his bootlegging associates.
Nucky meanwhile is desperate to have his case dropped and pushes Isacc Ginsburg to try and work out a deal with the opposing witnesses. Ginsburg however is not as optimistical and don't believe that innocence is an option for Nucky and instead suggest he take the fall and serve his short-term. Nucky enraged by this fires Ginsburg immediately. Having no legal advicer, Nucky turns yet again to Arnold Rothstein to have his attourney Bill Fallon take over his defense, which he does.
Seeing as Nucky has triggered a citywide strike among African-Americans, he hires his shoeshiner, Harlan to work for him until the strike is over. While discussing his charges with Fallon, Harlan lingers and eventually Fallon realizes he wants to tell them something regarding their discussion. It turns out that Harlan was present when Nelson Van Alden drowned Nucky's mole Eric Sebso about a year ago. They take this information to prosecutor Esther Randolph, Nelson manage to escape but the threat of having the head of prohibition enforcement in Atlantic City testify against Nucky is gone.
Nucky and Margaret's wedding. ("To the Lost")
All of Nucky's succesful moves against the organization, coupled with Jimmy's wife being murdered by a disgruntled bootlegging partner, Manny Horvitz, drives Jimmy to attempt to reconcile with Nucky. Nucky allows Jimmy to end the strike in exchange for Jimmy convincing the key witnesses against him to drop their testimony—and failing that, to murder them. However, the guilt-striken Margaret also begins to seriously consider testifying against him. Nucky assures her loyalty with a marriage proposal, which she accepts.
A mistrial is declared as all witnesses recant or fail to give their testimony. Nevertheless, Nucky still murders Jimmy personally, unable to forgive his 6 months rebellion against him. He arranges for Eli to plead guilty to the charges in his place so that they cannot be tried again and promises him that he will look after his family.
Realizing that she was conned into marrying him and that his pretense to leave the criminal life was not real, Margaret gives the deed to all of Nucky's land to the Church. Having no idea that his land is not his property anymore, Nucky along with mayor Bader, Damien Fleming, Eddie Kessler and Ernie Moran drives out to "their" land and celebrates the future.
Season 3
- Main article: Nucky Thompson Season 3
Nucky's first argument with Gyp Rosetti. ("Resolution")
Nucky is succeeded by Damien Fleming as new County Treasurer but he remains in control of the organization, posing now as a philanthropist after he supposedly gave his land away. He also becomes one of the biggest bootleggers in the country by paying Harry Daugherty $40,000 a month for blocking any investigation against him and his allies. However, as scandals begin to plague the Harding administration, Daugherty suggests that Nucky keep a lower profile and pay him only through a courier, Gaston Means. Nucky's answer to the first piece of advice is to cancel all his liquor sales except Rothstein's, and he announces it to his buyers during an Ancient Egyptian-themed party in the family home on New Year's Eve 1922. Though many of the attendants are unhappy with the news, none of them take it as bad as Gyp Rosetti, a violent and extremely susceptible New York City gangster who takes everything personally and never forgets an insult.
Nucky and Billie in her apartment. ("Ging Gang Goolie")
Meanwhile, the distancing caused by the land deal fiasco has turned Nucky and Margaret's marriage into a farce. While they pretend to be a couple in public, Margaret lives with the children in the house (all while limiting their contact with Nucky as much as she can) and Nucky in his suite at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Nucky finds consolation in a young vaudeville actress from New York, Billie Kent, and even though she is a well known "free spirit" who does not promise Nucky fidelity or even to talk him about her personal life, he becomes increasingly obsessed with her, using Billie simultaneously as a substitute for Margaret's affection and as a way to shut out his guilt over killing Jimmy. Nucky's infatuation gets to the point where he neglects business to spend time with her and further her career. This has dramatic consequences when Rosetti takes over the strategic small town of Tabor Heights and uses it to block Nucky's liquor shipments to Arnold Rothstein. A deal is cut between Rosetti and Nucky in which Nucky will help keep his business intact with a one month-shipment to him, it however goes awry when Rosetti feels insulted by Nucky when he wishes him good luck and he once again settle down in Tabor Heights.
Meanwhile Eli also gets out of jail, and while Nucky is reluctant to give him another chance, Eli begins to earn his respect again when he deduces an ambush on a convoy by Gyp Rosetti ahead of time, even though he fails to stop it resulting in several of Nucky's men killed and their cargo stolen. For the deduction he is promoted to co-run the warehouse with Mickey Doyle.
Nucky makes an unlikely ally in Washington - Esther Randolph. ("Ging Gang Goolie")
Nucky makes a deal with a beefed up but reluctant Rothstein to take out Rosetti, who he knows is under the protection of feared NYC mob boss Joe Masseria. The attempt fails to kill Rosetti but temporarily drives him out of Tabor Heights, restoring the liquor trade for the moment.
Daugherty also tries to save his own skin when a sub comitee is launched to investigate if the efforts by the Bureau of Prohibition is undermined by the Department of Justice, by using Nucky as a scapegoat and indicting him for bootlegging, Nucky counters by forming an alliance with Gaston Means, Esther Randolph and US Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon to arrest the even bigger bootlegger George Remus instead, in return Nucky proposes that he runs the great Overholt distillery for Andrew Mellon, giving him a cut of the profit, which he agrees to. Later When Means informs Nucky that Daugherty's aide Jess Smith might implicate him in the case, he pays Means to murder Smith, which is accomplished when Smith commits suicide.
Nucky fights for his life when Gyp Rosetti's men invade the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. ("Two Imposters")
Rosetti successfully convinces Masseria to back him and provide him muscle in an attempt to wrestle Atlantic City from Nucky's hands. Gyp takes over Tabor Heights again, this time arranging boats to unload liquor there directly, and after learning about a planned dinner for Nucky, Rothstein and Luciano plants a bomb at Babette's that fails to kill either of them, but causes the death of Nucky's mistress Billie Kent. Injured and shaken by the loss, Nucky appeals to Rothstein and other mobsters to back him in a war against Rosetti and Masseria but they all turn him down feeling that business with Nucky is just more trouble then it's worth. To repsond to this, he has agent Sawicki provide him with information about Masseria's whereabouts and assigns Owen Sleater to kill him. But Masseria, having been tipped off, kills Owen and sends his body back in a liquor crate to Nucky's suite at the Ritz. Margaret's heartbroken reaction reveals to Nucky that the two had an affair, and she leaves with the children for Brooklyn at Nucky's behest. Mere minutes later, Gyp goes on a rampage through town beginning at the Ritz, injuring Nucky's butler Eddie and forcing the two to seek refuge with Chalky White on the north side of town. Eli, who was previously sent to Chicago by Nucky to make a deal with Torrio and bring back muscle to fight of Rosetti, cuts a deal with Al Capone instead and brings him and several of his men to Atlantic City.
Nucky and Eli look for Gyp Rosetti in The Artemis Club. ("Margate Sands")
A gang war sweeps the town for a week, leaving several bodies behind. After a conversation with his brother, Nucky comes up with a plan, and has Mickey Doyle call Rothstein and inform him about his distillery. Rothstein catches the bait and demands a 99% share of the production in exchange for convincing Masseria to withdraw his support, which he achieves by offering him a partnership dealing heroin. However, Nucky gets revenge on Rothstein twice by denouncing his takeover of the distillery to Mellon, who orders Rothstein's arrest as well as having all of Masseria's men as they are leaving killed, ruining their just-forged alliance. He and Eli then go to Rosetti's base in Gillian Darmody's brothel but find that most of the men have been already killed off by Richard Harrow; Gyp's second in command Tonino has however not escaped, and with him they cut a deal, pardoning him in exchange for killing Gyp and leaving Atlantic City forever. Nucky then heads to Brooklyn to forgive Margaret and to offer her to come back to a life with him. Margaret refuses to go back, and Nucky decides to drop his public persona entirely, confessing to his brother that they won't get involved with people they can't trust anymore.
Relationships
Family
- Main article: Thompson family
- Ethan Thompson: Father (deceased)
- Elenore Thompson: Mother (deceased)
- Elias "Eli" Thompson: Younger brother, former Atlantic County Sheriff, traitor
- Susan Thompson: Sister (deceased)
- Mabel Thompson: First wife (deceased)
- Margaret Schroeder: Second wife
- Enoch Thompson Jr.: Son (deceased)
- Teddy Schroeder: Stepson
- Emily Schroeder: Stepdaughter
- Anne Thompson: Niece
- Clarence: Maternal Uncle (deceased)
- Enoch: Maternal Uncle (deceased)
Personal life
- Lucille "Lucy" Danziger: Former girlfriend
- Annabelle: Former girlfriend
- Ukulele Girl: Lover
- Billie Kent: Lover (deceased)
Politics
- Commodore Louis Kaestner: Former mentor, rival (deceased)
- Gillian Darmody: Former prostitute, rival
- Chalky White: African American Community Leader and bootlegging partner
- Edward Bader: Atlantic City Mayor (Republican) and construction magnate, ally
- Harry Bacharach: Former Atlantic City Mayor (Republican)
- Damien Fleming: Atlantic City Alderman and Republican Ward Boss, ally, successor as treasurer
- Frank Hague: Jersey City Mayor (Democrat), ally,
- Harry Daugherty: Attorney General (Republican), ally, turned enemy
- Jess Smith: Department of Justice aide, ally (deceased)
- Walter Edge: New Jersey State Senator (Republican), enemy
- Edward Edwards: Governor of New Jersey (Democrat), enemy
- George O'Neill: Atlantic City Alderman and Republican Ward Boss, traitor (deceased)
- Jim Neary: Atlantic City Alderman and Republican Ward Boss, traitor (deceased)
- Al Boyd: Atlantic City Alderman and Republican Ward Boss, traitor
- Paddy Ryan: Chief Clerk of Atlantic City's fourth ward, traitor
- John McGarrigle: Sinn Fein fundraiser, ally (deceased)
- Ernie Moran: Order of Ancient Celts, Atlantic City businessman, ally
- George Baxter: Regional cutlery salesman and associate
- Harry Prince: Atlantic City businessman, friend
- Ray Halloran: Former Atlantic County Sheriff, Department of Justice informant, convicted murderer
Criminal organization
- Main article: Nucky's organization
- Arnold Rothstein: New York crime boss, bootlegging partner
- Waxey Gordon: Philadelphia crime boss, bootlegging partner
- Bill McCoy: Bootlegging supplier, ally
- Lolly Steinman: Casino manager, ally
- Mickey Doyle: Bootlegging manager, former rival
- Elias "Eli" Thompson: Current bootlegging soldier, Mickey Doyle's partner
- Manny Horvitz: Bootlegging manager and enforcer (deceased)
- Owen Sleater: Bootlegging manager and enforcer (deceased)
- Tunney: Bodyguard and driver (deceased)
Racketeering
- Johnny Torrio: Chicago crime boss, ally
- Daniel Fitzgerald: Irish whiskey exporter
- Bill Neilan: Irish Republican Army leader, arms dealing customer
- George Remus: Former bootlegging customer and rival (arrested)
- Richard Harrow: Former enforcer, former bootlegging rival
- Al Capone: Former bootlegging rival, ally
- Lucky Luciano: Former bootlegging customer and rival
- Meyer Lansky: Former bootlegging customer and rival
- Frankie Yale: Former customer
- Gyp Rosetti: Former customer and enemy (deceased)
- Tonino: Gyp's lieutenant
- Victor Sickles: Corrupt Tabor Heights Sheriff and ally (deceased)
Staff
- Edward "Eddie" Kessler: Assistant, bodyguard, driver
- Isaac Ginsburg: Ex-attorney
- Bill Fallon: Attorney
- Prudence: Housemaid
- Katy: Former housemaid
- Pauleen: Former cook
- Lillian: Nanny
- Harlan: Shoe care professional, one time butler
- Phillip: Footman
Law Enforcement
- Nelson Van Alden: Former prohibition agent, fugitive
- Eric Sebso: Prohibition agent, mole (deceased)
- Esther Randolph: Prosecutor on election rigging charges,
- Charles Kenneth Thorogood: Former prosecutor on election rigging charges, mole
- Solomon Bishop: Former prosecutor on election rigging charges
- Clifford Lathrop: Department of Justice investigator
- Agent Sawicki: Prohibition agent, mole
Victims
- Hans Schroeder: Ordered death, killed by Eli Thompson and Ray Halloran.
- Billy Winslow: Ordered death, killed by Eric Sebso.
- Pius D'Alessio: Ordered death, killed by Richard Harrow.
- Ignacious D'Alessio: Ordered death, killed by Richard Harrow.
- Leo D'Alessio: Ordered death, killed by Jimmy Darmody.
- Sixtus D'Alessio: Ordered death, killed by Al Capone.
- Jim Neary: Ordered death, killed by Richard Harrow.
- James "Jimmy" Darmody: Murder victim, one time friend and pupil, shot in the face and head for betraying Nucky.
- Nate: Ordered death, killed by Manny Horvitz.
- Rowland Smith: Murder victim, thief, shot in the back of the head for stealing booze from Nucky.
- 3 of Gyp Rosetti's unnamed gunmen, shot during a break-in.
- Random unnamed Rosetti gunman, shot in the back of the head.
- Gyp Rosetti: Ordered death, killed by Tonino Sandrelli.
Memorable Quotes
- "First rule of politics, kiddo: never let the truth get in the way of a good story." ("Boardwalk Empire")
- "In just a few hours liqour will be declared illegal by the distinguished gentlemen of our nation's congress... to those beautiful ignorant bastards!" ("Boardwalk Empire")
- "Do you know who dies for their countries? Fucking rubes." ("Boardwalk Empire")
- "You young fellas... no appreciation for the art of conversation." ("Boardwalk Empire")
- "Did the envelope catch on fire?" (receiving a roll of cash from the fire chief) ("The Ivory Tower")
- "You want to see how I do business? Show your face again in Atlantic City!" ("The Ivory Tower")
- "I used to think you'd own the world one day. You were like that kid in the Alger story, 'Ragged Dick'. You did everything right. And then..."
- "That imbecile is going to be the next President of the United States!" ("Hold Me in Paradise")
- "You know it's a shame you didn't see Hardeen last night. It's an entertaining act, but if he weren't Houdini's brother nobody'd give a fuck!
- "We all have to decide how much sin we can live with." ("A Return to Normalcy")
- "Success breeds enemies, which you'll discover soon enough after women win the vote."
- "You can tell me what ever you want, but don't scream, don't cry and don't throw anything..."
- "I do expect to have everything" ("Anastasia")
- "Seven years ago- almost eight- I'd just become treasurer. I was new to the job. Very busy. My wife had just given birth. We named him "Enoch"- after me. She wanted that. He was tiny, frail, and I was terrified to hold him. A week passed. I had my hands full with some county business or another. An audit... I was busy. Very busy. I came home one night. It was late. She was in the nursery rocking him in her arms. I crossed to them... She looked so calm, so contented. It gave me the courage to finally want to hold him. I pulled back the blanket... ... ... I looked at his face and I could tell right away he had been dead for days. She'd been caring for him nearly a week. Bathing him... changing his diapers, his bedclothes. I took him from her and cradled him in my arms. That was the only time I ever held him. We buried him in the churchyard, but she couldn't accept it. She'd completely broken with reality. Melancholia. I saw it, I knew it. But the doctor said time would heal her. And I was very...very busy. A few weeks later she slashed her wrists with my razor. The times with you and the children in the house... eating breakfast- just that- I've never been happier or more terrified in my life. And now you know more about me than any other person on earth." ("A Return to Normalcy")
- "I keep my promises, James. And I'll make one now. I will ruin you. All of you." ("A Dangerous Maid")
- (to Jimmy about his parents) "He never even asked her name. Just pointed to the one he wanted. The rest was understood." ("A Dangerous Maid")
- (to Eli, after he comes asking for a reconciliation) "Alright... we'll sort it out... But there is something I have to ask of you. I need you to get on your knees... Bend down to the ground... And kiss my fucking shoes, you piece of shit! You come crawling back here because you don't have the balls to finish what you started! [Slaps Eli] Fuck that little cocksucker you call a partner! Fuck his conniving cunt of a mother! Fuck that [slap] old man! I'll see his corpse in a ditch! [Double slap] AND FUCK YOU BROTHER!!" ("Gimcrack & Bunkum")
- "You don't know me, James. You never did. I..am not..seeking..forgiveness." ("To the Lost")
- "If we only elected good men, we'd never have leaders."
- (to Eli) "You think I'm bottomless don't you? You just keep reaching in. And no matter what you do it's alright. No. Matter. What. You sit down with my enemies. You make choices you can't ever take back. And still... still you call yourself 'my brother'. Don't you know how that hurts me?" ("Sunday Best")
- "What's that mean?" (repeated line)
- "Arnold Rothstein, Waxey Gordon, Frankie Yale, Peg Leg Lonergan and "Wild Bill Lovett" they're all coming, they are going to sit down and when the meeting is over Joe Masseria will be a dead man. Gyp Rosetti wont have anyone to protect him and i'll wear that fucking dagos guts like a neck-tie"
Appearances
| 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" |
| Season four appearances | |||
| "New York Sour" | "Resignation" | "Acres of Diamonds" | "All In" |
| "Erlkonig" | "The North Star" | "William Wilson" | "The Old Ship of Zion" |
| "Marriage and Hunting" | "White Horse Pike" | "Havre De Grace" | "Farewell Daddy Blues" |