List of Boardwalk Empire characters

The following is a list of characters from the HBO television show Boardwalk Empire. The show dramatizes the prohibition era in Atlantic City and the early history of the American Mafia. Many of the characters on the show are fictional. Some are (loosely) based on historical figures; of these, some use the name of the person upon which they are based, while others have had their names changed for the program.

Characters

Main characters
Character Portrayed by Season(s) Character notes Based on
1 2 3 4 5
Enoch "Nucky" Thompson Steve Buscemi Main The corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and its most powerful political figure. Enoch L. Johnson[1]
James "Jimmy" Darmody Michael Pitt Main Stand-in Does not appear A former Princeton student who served in World War I. After returning home, Jimmy is hired by Nucky Thompson as his driver. Jimmy Boyd[2]
Margaret Thompson (formerly Schroeder, née Rohan) Kelly Macdonald Main A young Irish widow and mother, she turns to Nucky for help and eventually becomes his lover and later, his wife. Florence Osbeck[1]
Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller Michael Shannon Main A former Prohibition agent on the run after the murder of his former partner. Under the alias George Mueller, he inadvertently gets caught up in the conflict between Dean O'Banion and Al Capone. William Frank[1]
Elias "Eli" Thompson Shea Whigham Main Nucky's younger brother and former sheriff of Atlantic County. Alfred "Alf" Johnson[1]
Angela Darmody Aleksa Palladino Main Does not appear Jimmy's wife and the mother of his young son. No historical basis
Arnold Rothstein Michael Stuhlbarg Main Does not appear A powerful and intelligent New York gangster who enters into business with Nucky Arnold Rothstein
Al Capone Stephen Graham Main A low-level Chicago gangster with ambitions of leading the Chicago mob Al Capone
Charles "Lucky" Luciano Vincent Piazza Main A Sicilian-American gangster and close associate of Rothstein Charles "Lucky" Luciano
Lucy Danziger Paz de la Huerta Main Does not appear Nucky's mistress and a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer No historical basis[2]
Albert "Chalky" White Michael Kenneth Williams Main Nucky's counterpart in Atlantic City's black community No historical basis
Edward "Eddie" Kessler Anthony Laciura Main Does not appear Nucky's German personal assistant and valet. Louis Kessel[1]
Mickey Doyle Paul Sparks Main An Atlantic City bootlegger Mickey Duffy[1]
Commodore Louis Kaestner Dabney Coleman Main Does not appear Nucky's mentor and predecessor in Atlantic City, Jimmy's biological father. Louis Kuehnle[1]
Richard Harrow Jack Huston Recurring Main Does not appear A former Army marksman who allies with Jimmy and later Nucky. Disfigured during the war, he wears a mask over half of his face. No historical basis
Gillian Darmody Gretchen Mol Recurring Main Jimmy's mother and an old friend of Nucky's. She is also Luciano's former lover. No historical basis
Owen Sleater Charlie Cox Does not appear Recurring Main Does not appear An Irish immigrant and IRA member. He has an affair with Margaret, while working his way up in Nucky's organization. No historical basis
Gyp Rosetti Bobby Canavale Does not appear Main Does not appear Sicilian gangster backed by Joe Masseria, who challenged Nucky. No historical basis
Roy Phillips Ron Livingston Does not appear Main Does not appear A wealthy out-of-town businessman who finds himself getting involved with Gillian Darmody. No historical basis
Dr. Valentin Narcisse Jeffrey Wright Does not appear Main Harlem racketeer who challenges Chalky. Casper Holstein[3]
William "Willie" Thompson Ben Rosenfield Does not appear Recurring Main Eli's oldest son and Nucky's nephew who becomes an assistant U.S. Attorney in New York City. No historical basis

Recurring characters
Actor Character Season(s) Character notes Based on
Emily Meade Pearl Season 1 a prostitute and Jimmy Darmody's lover
Greg Antonacci Johnny Torrio Seasons 1–5 Capone's boss in Chicago Johnny Torrio[1]
Erik Weiner Agent Sebso Season 1 Van Alden's partner.
William Hill Alderman George O'Neill Seasons 1–2 One of Nucky's political cronies and ward bosses.
Robert Clohessy James Neary Seasons 1–2 One of Nucky's political cronies and ward bosses
Dominic Chianese Leander Whitlock Seasons 2-5 Atlantic City lawyer and ally to the Commodore
William Forsythe Manny Horvitz Season 2-3 Philadelphia gangster
Anna Katarina Isabelle Jeunet Seasons 1, 3 A French woman who owns an haute couture shop on the boardwalk.
Max Casella Leo D'Alessio Season 1 A Philadelphia gangster Doyle owes money to. Leo Lanzetta[1]
Edoardo Ballerini Ignacius D'Alessio Season 1 Leo's brother and another gangster Ignatius Lanzetta[1]
Anatol Yusef Meyer Lansky Seasons 1–5 A young protégé of Rothstein and partners with Luciano Meyer Lansky[1]
Joseph Riccobene Frankie Yale Seasons 1, 3–4 Brooklyn gangster Frankie Yale[1]
Kevin O'Rourke Edward L. Bader Seasons 1–4 Atlantic City mayor Edward L. Bader[1]
Dana Ivey Mrs. McGarry Season 1 A prominent leader of the Women's Suffrage and Temperance Movements. Susan B. Anthony[1]
Geoff Pierson Senator Walter Edge Seasons 1–3 New Jersey Senator who thwarts some of Nucky's plans. Senator Walter Evans Edge
Chris Mulkey Mayor Frank Hague Seasons 1–2 Corrupt Democratic Mayor of Jersey City & occasional political rival & ally of Nucky. Mayor Frank Hague
Pearce Bunting Bill McCoy Season 1-4 Sea captain and rum runner for Nucky Thompson Bill McCoy[1]
Tracy Middendorf Babette Seasons 1–3 Owner of Babette's Night Club
Natalie Wachen Lenore White Seasons 2–4 Beautiful wife of Chalky White, and mother to his three children.
Michael Zegen Benny Siegel Seasons 2–3, 5 A low-level criminal working card-games for Lansky and Luciano. Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
Glenn Fleshler George Remus Seasons 2–4 A major bootlegger based in Ohio; refers to himself in the third-person. George Remus
Julianne Nicholson Esther Randolph Seasons 2–4 Assistant Attorney General who investigates Nucky for election fraud. Mabel Walker Willebrandt
Christiane Seidel Sigrid Mueller Seasons 2–5 Wife of Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller.
Ivo Nandi Joe Masseria Seasons 2–5 New York mob boss who backs Rosetti against Nucky. Joe Masseria
Christopher McDonald Harry Daugherty Seasons 1–3 Campaign manager to Warren G. Harding, and later his Attorney General. Harry M. Daugherty
Daniel Cox (Season 1); Ed Jewett (Season 2 on) Jess Smith Seasons 1–3 Aide to Harry Daugherty. Jess Smith
Arron Shiver Dean O'Banion Seasons 3–4 Irish-American mob boss in Chicago and rival of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone. Dean O'Banion
Stephen Root Gaston Bullock Means Seasons 3–4 Con artist, FBI agent, and "fixer" for bootleggers. Gaston Means
James Cromwell Andrew Mellon Seasons 3–4 Secretary of the Treasury who testifies at a government hearing that, if Prohibition is to be effective, more money needs to be spent. Andrew Mellon
Meg Chambers Steedle Billie Kent Season 3 A young Broadway actress who begins an affair with Nucky. Killed in an explosion meant for Nucky. Billie Dove[4]
Chris Caldovino Tonino Sandrelli Seasons 3-5 Right-hand man to Gyp Rosetti and Mafia lieutenant.
Brian Geraghty James "Jim" Tolliver Season 4 FBI agent under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover posing as a corrupt prohibition agent under the name Warren Knox in Atlantic City. Killed by Eli after trying to blackmail him.
Eric Ladin J. Edgar Hoover Season 4 Director of the Bureau of Investigation. J. Edgar Hoover
Domenick Lombardozzi Ralph Capone Seasons 4-5 Al Capone's brother. Ralph Capone
Morgan Spector Frank Capone Season 4 Al Capone's level-headed brother. Frank Capone
Margot Bingham Daughter Maitland Season 4-5 Singer and ward of Dr. Valentin Narcisse who begins an affair with Chalky White.
Paul Calderon Arquimedes Season 5 Nucky Thompson's personal bodyguard
Giampiero Judica Salvatore Maranzano Season 5 Powerful New York Mafia boss at war with his right-hand man, Lucky Luciano. Salvatore Maranzano
John Ellison Conlee Louis Kaestner Season 5 The Commodore as a young man. Louis Kuehnle
Matt Letscher Joseph P. Kennedy Season 5 Boston businessman. Joseph P. Kennedy

Characters as performers
Actor Performer Episode Notes
Stephen DeRosa Eddie Cantor "Boardwalk Empire",

"Broadway Limited",
"A Return to Normalcy",
"A Dangerous Maid",
"You'd Be Surprised",
"Resolution"

 comedian and singer
Erin McGrath[5] Edith Day "Anastasia" "Alice Blue Gown" (from "Irene")
Malachy Cleary Warren Harding Hold Me In Paradise Senator
John Treacy Egan[6] Duncan O'Connor "Nights in Ballygran" "Carrickfergus"
A'Lisa Miles Mamie Smith "Home" "Crazy Blues"
Kathy Brier Sophie Tucker "Belle Femme" "Some of These Days"
Remy Auberjonois Hardeen "Paris Green" magician and escape artist (brother of Houdini)

Characters as athletes
Actor Athlete Episode Notes
Devin Harjes Jack Dempsey "What Does the Bee Do?"

"Peg of Old"

 boxer (heavyweight champion, 1919–26)

References
  1. Johnson, Nelson (2010). Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City. Plexus Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9666748-6-6.
  2. "Interview: 'Boardwalk Empire' creator Terence Winter". September 9, 2010.
  3. Moaba, Alex (2013-09-05). "'Boardwalk Empire': Jeffrey Wright On The Real-Life Racketeer Who Inspired His Season 4 Character (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-09-17.
  4. Billie Dove,
  5. Venutolo, Anthony, 'Boardwalk Empire' episode 4, 'Anastasia': Nucky's birthday bash and back room deals, The Star-Ledger, October 11, 2010
  6. Venutolo, Anthony, 'Boardwalk Empire' recap: Van Alden busts up Nucky's Celtic bash, The Star-Ledger, October 18, 2010
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