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.

Cast

Main cast

Character	Portrayed by	Seasons
		1	2	3	4	5
Enoch "Nucky" Thompson	Steve Buscemi	Main
James "Jimmy" Darmody	Michael Pitt	Main		Stand-in		Does not appear
Margaret Thompson	Kelly Macdonald	Main
Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller	Michael Shannon	Main
Elias "Eli" Thompson	Shea Whigham	Main
Angela Darmody	Aleksa Palladino	Main		Does not appear
Arnold Rothstein	Michael Stuhlbarg	Main				Does not appear
Al Capone	Stephen Graham	Main
Charles "Lucky" Luciano	Vincent Piazza	Main
Lucy Danziger	Paz de la Huerta	Main		Does not appear
Albert "Chalky" White	Michael Kenneth Williams	Main
Edward "Eddie" Kessler	Anthony Laciura	Main				Does not appear
Mickey Doyle	Paul Sparks	Main
Commodore Louis Kaestner	Dabney Coleman	Main		Does not appear		Recurring
Richard Harrow	Jack Huston	Recurring	Main			Does not appear
Gillian Darmody	Gretchen Mol	Recurring	Main
Owen Sleater	Charlie Cox	Does not appear	Recurring	Main	Does not appear
Gyp Rosetti	Bobby Canavale	Does not appear		Main	Does not appear
Roy Phillips	Ron Livingston	Does not appear			Main	Does not appear
Dr. Valentin Narcisse	Jeffrey Wright	Does not appear			Main
William "Willie" Thompson	Ben Rosenfield	Does not appear		Recurring		Main

Recurring cast

Character	Portrayed by	Seasons
		1	2	3	4	5
Meyer Lansky	Anatol Yusef	Recurring
Johnny Torrio	Greg Antonacci	Recurring
Rose Van Alden	Enid Graham	Recurring		Does not appear
Ethan Thompson	Tom Aldredge	Recurring		Does not appear		Recurring
Mrs. McGarry	Dana Ivey	Recurring	Does not appear
Isabelle Jeunet	Anna Katarina	Recurring	Does not appear	Guest	Does not appear
Louanne Pratt	Johnnie Mae	Recurring	Does not appear
Agent Sebso	Erik Weiner	Recurring	Does not appear
Mary Dittrich	Lisa Joyce	Recurring	Does not appear
Pearl	Emily Meade	Recurring	Does not appear
Edward Bader	Kevin O'Rourke	Recurring				Does not appear
James Neary	Robert Clohessy	Recurring		Does not appear
Harry Daugherty	Christopher McDonald	Guest	Recurring		Does not appear
Leander Cephas Whitlock	Dominic Chianese	Does not appear	Recurring
Esther Randolph	Julianne Nicholson	Does not appear	Recurring		Guest	Does not appear
Manny Horvitz	William Forsythe	Does not appear	Recurring	Guest	Does not appear
Dunn Purnsley	Erik LaRay Harvey	Does not appear	Recurring			Does not appear
George Remus	Glenn Fleshler	Does not appear	Recurring		Guest	Does not appear
Katy	Heather Lind	Does not appear	Recurring		Does not appear
Joe Masseria	Ivo Nandi	Does not appear	Guest	Recurring		Guest
Billie Kent	Meg Chambers Steedle	Does not appear		Recurring	Does not appear
Gaston Bullock Means	Stephen Root	Does not appear		Recurring		Does not appear
Andrew Mellon	James Cromwell	Does not appear		Recurring	Guest	Does not appear
Julia Sagorsky	Wrenn Schmidt	Does not appear		Recurring		Does not appear
Sally Wheet	Patricia Arquette	Does not appear			Recurring
Ralph Capone	Domenick Lombardozzi	Does not appear			Recurring
Frank Capone	Morgan Spector	Does not appear			Recurring	Does not appear
James "Jim" Tolliver	Brian Geraghty	Does not appear			Recurring	Does not appear
Daughter Maitland	Margot Bingham	Does not appear			Recurring
Arquimedes	Paul Calderon	Does not appear				Recurring
Tommy Darmody/Slim	Travis Tope	Does not appear				Recurring

Main characters

Enoch "Nucky" Thompson

Main article: Enoch "Nucky" Thompson

Steve Buscemi portrays Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and its most powerful political figure. The character is based on Enoch L. Johnson.

James "Jimmy" Darmody

Main article: James Darmody

Michael Pitt portrays James "Jimmy" Darmody (seasons 1–2), a former Princeton student who served in World War I. After returning home, Jimmy is hired by Nucky Thompson as his driver. The character is based on Jimmy Boyd.

Margaret Thompson

Main article: Margaret Thompson

Kelly Macdonald portrays Margaret Thompson (formerly Schroeder, née Rohan), a young Irish widow and mother, she turns to Nucky for help and eventually becomes his lover and later, his wife. The character is based on Florence Osbeck.

Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller

Main article: Nelson Van Alden

Michael Shannon portrays Nelson Van Alden / George Mueller, 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. The character is based on William Frank.

Elias "Eli" Thompson

Main article: Elias "Eli" Thompson

Shea Whigham portrays Elias "Eli" Thompson, Nucky's younger brother and former sheriff of Atlantic County. The character is based on Alfred "Alf" Johnson.

Angela Darmody

Aleksa Palladino portrays Angela Darmody (seasons 1–2), Jimmy's wife and the mother of his young son.

In 1916, Angela is an artistic painter student at Princeton University who starts a romance with Jimmy Darmody. 1 day, she meets his mother Gillian and then witnesses Jimmy beat up Professor Noel Pearson, because he tries to grope Gillian, after that day, Jimmy is expelled from the university and joins the War Front in WW1, during this time, it is revealed that Angela is pregnant with Jimmy's child Tommy Darmody and at this time, also starts an affair with a photographer's assistant named Mary Dittrich, ending it once Jimmy comes back from war in 1918-1919. (Under God's Power She Flourishes)

When the series starts, Jimmy and Angela are living together for 1 month with a grown up Tommy and after New Years Eve 1919 is over and Prohibition has started, Angela persuades Jimmy to get a proper job or go back to Princeton to finish his studies but he refuses both, saying that he is too old for the latter and wants to be Nucky's top hitman, Angela however tells him to accept Paddy Ryan's assistant job for now. (Boardwalk Empire)

After Jimmy becomes a success as Nucky's top hitman, he starts to buy expensive gifts for the family including some presents for Tommy, Angela asks him how he earns so much money. (The Ivory Tower)

After Nucky warns Jimmy to leave Atlantic City because of the FBI investigating them, he tells Angela that he is leaving and says goodbye to her and Tommy, he also meets Robert and Mary Dittrich along the way, Angela tries to persuade him to stay with them or let her and Tommy come with him but he refuses and goes to Chicago all by himself. (Broadway Limited)

A month or so after Jimmy has left, Angela once again resumes her affair with Mary Dittrich and gets a sponsorship by Robert to put her paintings up and be a successful painter. 1 day, Gillian visits the house and gets Tommy drunk and sleepy, Angela confronts and talks to her about Jimmy leaving but Gillian just tells her to forget it and enjoy with her, Angela refuses and instead goes to the art studio to meet Mary and Robert. (Nights in Ballygran)

Angela visits a naked and lying in bed Mary in her apartment 1 night and tells her of her quest for a job and how she can't live with just Nucky paying her money every day and what happens if Robert, Gillian, Jimmy or even Nucky found about her love affair with Mary, Mary tells her to calm down and says that Robert has an art critic friend named Jonathan who is coming to assess Angela's paintings in Greenwich Village in a few days. Finding this out, Angela thanks Mary and the 2 then kiss passionately and have sex on the bed. (Home)

A few days later were no letters from Jimmy come, Angela and Gillian are at the apartment were the latter tells the former about finding a new job and providing help for herself and Tommy, Angela tells Gillian about the Greenwich Village place were her paintings would be sold but Gillian tells her to try and look into stenography instead. (Hold Me in Paradise)

Another few days later, Angela is at home entertaining Mary and Robert, the 2 women kiss as Robert watches jealously and opens a wine bottle, Robert then asks if they could initiate a threesome, their conversation is interrupted however by Jimmy returning home and telling Mary and Robert to leave which they do. After that Angela is groped on a bit by Jimmy, ending with the 2 having sex on the kitchen table. Later, Angela visits Robert for her paintings but he denies showing it to the public, calling it a cheap imitation of painter Mary Cassatt. (Belle Femme)

That night, Jimmy watches Angela paint and again has sex with her. 1 morning, Angela, Jimmy and Tommy take a walk on the boardwalk were they pass the Dittrich Studio, Tommy points to the picture of Mary Dittrich, calling her "mommy's kissing friend", Jimmy thinks that it is Robert and goes inside and violently beats him with a tripod camera as Angela, Mary, Tommy and the boardwalk residents shockingly watch. Later, Angela meets Mary who plans to leave to Paris with her and Tommy, Angela agrees, saying that Jimmy is becoming very violent recently. (The Emerald City)

The next day, Angela plans to leave Atlantic City finally, she goes to the Dittrich Studio and meets Mary who plans it fully, Robert hears it from a corner and jokes around. At home, whilst Jimmy visits Commodore Louis Kaestner and Gillian, Angela packs her luggage and suitcase and goes along with Tommy to the Dittrich Studio, however the guard there tells her that Mary and Robert have left to Paris already, hearing this, Angela returns home with Tommy to see that Jimmy is already there, he questions where they were gone and after Tommy goes to sleep, he confronts Angela. (Paris Green)

On October 31, 1920, Angela dresses Tommy up as a pirate for Halloween and after he leaves, talks with Jimmy about the recent events, Angela says that she is worried about him and his behaviour lately such as talking in his sleep and becoming a bit violent, she also tells him why he didn't send any letters to her whilst he was in France and Chicago. Jimmy apologizes for those things and asks Angela if Mary was her romantic partner to which she replies yes, saying that she was feeling lonely, Jimmy however comforts her and says everything is alright now. Later, Angela receives a letter from Mary in Paris who tells her that she is sorry for not getting her with them but at least she will still remember them. This causes Angela to throw the letter away and cut off her hair to forget Mary and the Dittrich family fully, Jimmy comes home later and is shocked at her new short hair but still lovingly strokes it. (A Return to Normalcy)

By 1921, Angela moves to a beach house in Atlantic City along with Tommy with Jimmy purchasing it and starting a life there. (21)

1 day, Gillian visits the house and talks with Angela whilst they're making lunch, Angela confronts Gillian about meeting them every time and about her behaviour with Jimmy but Gillian just insults her by telling her that she used to kiss Jimmy's penis when he was a baby, shocking her. (Ourselves Alone)

She shows her painting skills once again when she paints Richard 1 day, sketching 2 pictures of him without and with his mask on, she also learns that Richard also used to paint before he was in WW1 and the 2 talk about paintings in France and slowly form a friendly bond until Jimmy comes home with a sleeping Tommy. (What Does the Bee Do?)

She is with Jimmy at the Memorial Day Meeting, listening to Nucky and Harry Daugherty talk about WW1 and war veterans, she also soon listens to Jimmy give a speech about how it was like in the war. (Gimcrack & Bunkum)

A few days later, Angela, Jimmy and Tommy are at an antiques store were she tells Jimmy to buy a music recorder which he does and says that it will introduce Tommy to classical music in a good way, later Jimmy kisses her. At home, Angela gets a call from "Munya", Jimmy says it's from Manny Horvitz and goes into the next room to talk to him on the phone as Angela watches. (The Age of Reason)

A few more days pass by and 1 day, Angela decides to go to the beach with Tommy, Jimmy comes out of the shower and picks up a call from Al Capone, when Angela hears Jimmy swearing, she tells him to not do it in front of Tommy, she then leaves and Jimmy tries to come with her but because of his limp and him not changing, he punches the wall in rage. Angela at the beach meets a woman named "Molly", a sheriff's deputy tries to tell "Molly" to get out because of her short skirt but "Molly" disagrees with him, Angela pays the fine for her however and it is revealed that "Molly"'s real name is Louise who says to Angela that Molly is actually a character she is writing about, revealing herself to be a novelist, Angela is interested and befriends Louise. Later that night, Louise takes her to a party were a man tries to dance with Angela but Louise tells him to go away, after he has gone, Angela and Louise kiss and start dating with Angela having an affair behind Jimmy's back with her. Jimmy also reveals here what he does for a living and what's going to happen to him in being "The King of Atlantic City" and his conspiracy to Nucky. (Two Boats and a Lifeguard)

A few more days later, Angela and Jimmy have a discussion in the beach house where Jimmy says that he is leaving to town for a few business matters, saying that he is gone for a night or 2, Angela tells him that Tommy is living with Gillian for a few days and also tells him a joke about a hotel guest and reception person, Jimmy says it's funny and kisses her 1 more time before leaving. That evening, Angela brings Louise to the house were the 2 have sex (offscreen), Angela then goes to sleep in her bed after having a shower and Louise then goes inside the shower. As midnight approaches, Angela is attacked by Manny Horvitz, wanting his debt from Jimmy, he threatens to shoot her with his gun if she moves and asks if Jimmy is inside, at the same time Louise comes out and Manny shoots her with his pistol, thinking that she's Jimmy and accidentally killing her, Louise is soon revealed to Manny who is shocked at what he sees. Not wanting to have Angela survive and tell the authorities what she saw, Manny shoots her to death and leaves her dead body lying on top of Louise's before leaving the Darmody beach house. (Georgia Peaches)

Jimmy soon finds about Angela's death next episode and starts to get hallucinations of her whilst Gillian is pissed and tells an investigating deputy that Angela cheated on Jimmy before death, the deputy also asks Richard Harrow a question about Angela before leaving. (Under God's Power She Flourishes)

In a deleted scene which exists in a picture, Jimmy Darmody burns a few of Angela's paintings in a mad rage with Al Capone standing next to him and witnessing the event. (To the Lost)

1 year after Angela and Jimmy's deaths, Tommy is adopted by Gillian who says she is his new mother and opens up a brothel in Commodore Louis Kaestner's old mansion after his death, she makes Richard the caretaker and bodyguard of the mansion and Tommy's babysitter. 1 day, Richard shows Tommy Angela's old paintings he secretly took to the mansion and the 2 spend time sketching until Gillian comes into the room and takes Tommy to go to sleep. Later, Gillian confronts Richard about talking about Angela and Jimmy with Tommy and says to think that they never existed otherwise she will fire him from the mansion. Richard also kills Manny Horvitz for killing Angela and being a part of Jimmy's murder (Resolution). He then outright says it to Nucky Thompson, also telling him to keep it a secret which Nucky agrees with, Richard also makes a sitting Mickey Doyle keep it a secret as well. (Bone for Tuna)

Arnold Rothstein

See also: Arnold Rothstein

Michael Stuhlbarg portrays Arnold Rothstein (seasons 1–4), a powerful and intelligent New York gangster who enters into business with Nucky.

Al Capone

See also: Al Capone

Stephen Graham portrays Al Capone, a low-level Chicago gangster with ambitions of leading the Chicago mob.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano

See also: Lucky Luciano

Vincent Piazza portrays Charles "Lucky" Luciano, a Sicilian-American gangster and close associate of Rothstein.

Lucy Danziger

Paz de la Huerta portrays Lucy Danziger (seasons 1–2), Nucky's mistress and a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer.

As stated by Annabelle in Episode 6, Lucy was Nucky Thompson's mistress for many years before 1920.

Lucy is first seen dancing with Nucky at the New Years Eve Party in 1919 at the start of Prohibition. Later she runs and locks herself in the bathroom from Nucky who tells her to come out. She also later runs into and is briefly introduced to Margaret Schroeder by Nucky. (Boardwalk Empire)

Preparing for an evening out in Nucky's suite, Lucy recommends that Nucky grow a mustache like the actor Douglas Fairbanks. Margaret arrives to see Nucky. Lucy asks who the visitor is and Nucky ignores the question and asks Lucy to wait in the car. Margaret has come to ask Nucky for a job.

Later, Nucky entertains Lucy and a group of gamblers at Lolly Steinman's casino. Jimmy Darmody enters and gives Nucky 3000 dollars. Nucky takes the money to the roulette table and loses it all on a single bet. Lucy comforts Nucky and Jimmy is left alone at the table. (The Ivory Tower)

On the phone in his suite, Nucky agrees to make a donation of $1000 to the premature baby hospital on the boardwalk. Eddie Kessler goes to remove a tray from the bedroom and Nucky chastises Eddie for taking it before he said he was finished. Lucy confesses that she finds the premature baby hospital spooky and then mentions that Broadway impresario Flo Ziegfeld is in Atlantic City casting for a production. Nucky says he thought Lucy was finished with dancing. She asks if that is what he wants and he tells her to do whatever makes her happy. She says Nucky makes her happy and offers to have a baby for him. He is shocked and she asks if he thinks she would be a bad mother. He says she has a loving disposition but he is worried that it is not the right time. He asks if they can revisit the issue after the election and she agrees. She spills cream onto her breasts and licks it off, calling it delicious before undoing Nucky’s dressing gown and telling him he looks delicious too. Nucky entertains guests in his suite at the Ritz Carlton. Eddie Cantor sings while Lucy and friends dance. Aldermen Jim Neary, George O'Neill and Damien Fleming are also there. Eli Thompson arrives and Nucky takes him aside.

At La Belle Femme, the manager Madame Jeunet tells her new employee Margaret Schroeder that they have an important customer and gives her a selection of items to take through to the dressing room. Inside, she is met by an impatient Lucy. Lucy asks Margaret to undress her before recognising Margaret. Margaret introduces herself; Lucy is unimpressed and gives Margaret instructions to take a cloak to the tailors. Posing nude Lucy demands a “step-in” and is annoyed when Margaret does not recognise the item she means. Pointing it out, Lucy then demands that Margaret bend down to help her into the negligee. Lucy asks Margaret’s opinion; she calls the garment flattering. Lucy reveals that she heard Nucky making the phone call to get Margaret the job. Margaret calls Nucky kind and Lucy insults Margaret by saying that Nucky is susceptible to charity cases. (Broadway Limited)

At the Ritz Carlton Hotel Nucky Thompson is standing in front of the bath room mirror practicing a surprised response for the birthday party he is throwing himself. His assistant Eddie Kessler calls from the bedroom of Nucky’s suite. Nucky is startled and asks how long Eddie has been there. Eddie has brought the guest list for Nucky to review. Nucky maintains that he was practicing a speech for the restaurant workers association when Eddie came in. Lucy comes in and announces that she is going shopping. Nucky gives her a handful of cash and tells her to get something pretty. She graphically references their sex the night before and Nucky is embarrassed. Nucky delivers his practiced reaction as he is welcome to his birthday party. Later, with the band in full swing and the dance floor busy Nucky and Lucy eat dinner with Commodore Louis Kaestner, Frank Hague, Walter Edge and their dates. Hague tells a sexist joke involving domestic abuse. Edge turns the subject to Women’s suffrage and Nucky recalls Edge as a supporter of the movement. Edge says that he is in public. Kaestner says he is for suffrage so long as women vote Republican. Hague says the Democrats have a similar attitude. Nucky believes the movement will succeed with 32 states having ratified already. Kaestner believes the suffragettes all need sex; his date says that she does. Nucky says that they should not be afraid and just need to fulfil women voters' wants. Edge wonders what it is that women want and Hague says it does not matter. Edge jokes that Hague is assuming that women have minds at all. Lucy says she has brains and Nucky tries to quiet her. The Commodore asks for Lucy’s opinion on the League of Nations. Nucky explains that it was an international political summit in Paris three weeks prior. Lucy has no opinion but likes the sound of Paris and asks Nucky to take her there. Edge observes that she is a thinking woman. Nucky asks Lucy to fetch him a drink and glares at Kaestner before saying Lucy may not be the best example of woman voters.

Lucy has planned a surprise for Nucky and is having a second outfit delivered from La Belle Femme. Margaret brings the dress and then impresses Nucky and his guests with her ability to express political arguments. While Lucy is preparing Nucky and Margaret share a dance. As the song finishes Nucky bows and thanks her for the dance. From the bandstand, Babette asks for attention as a cake is brought in. Lucy emerges from the top tier of the cake as the revellers sing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”. She dances for Nucky as Margaret looks on from the balcony. Nucky stares past Lucy at Margaret but does blow Lucy a kiss when she is finished. (Anastasia)

Nucky and Lucy share a poscoital embrace at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. He is dozing as she asks him what makes him feel good and worries about his faithfulness. She describes herself as a little tiger cub and rakes her nails down his chest, drawing blood. The pain brings Nucky to annoyed wakefulness. He tells her to calm down, puts on a robe and goes to the bathroom. She smokes a cigarette, alone.

Later, at La Belle Femme dress shop Lucy frustrates Madame Jeunet with her choosiness regarding lingerie. Jeunet asks Lucy to describe what she wants. Lucy asks why anyone buys underwear and Jeunet offers that some want to conceal while others want to reveal. Lucy is the latter, requesting a vampy, sheer number with a cut-out crotch. Jeunet goes to fetch a suitable item and Lucy turns to Margaret and criticises her job. Margaret says that she has done worse and Lucy says that she believes her. Jeunet produces an item and Lucy insists on Margaret modelling it.

In the dressing room Lucy critiques Margaret’s figure as she disrobes. She wonders why Margaret doesn’t wear a bra and says that you can tell that she has had children. Lucy says Margaret has the appearance of a servant, only suitable for a “quickie bent over the kitchen table”. Margaret says the “he” doesn’t seem to mind. Lucy says that Margaret is ignorant and gives an insight into Nucky’s Catholic upbringing and occasional desire to change. Lucy says she can easily seduce Nucky away from this thinking. Margaret tells a story of a beggar who had trained a bantam rooster to play a song on a miniature piano. She describes how she was initially fascinated but soon became bored with the performance. Lucy asks what the point is and Margaret tells her not to put too much faith in her powers of seduction. Margaret exits the dressing room and her job. This encounter prompts Margaret to accept Nucky's offer for them to move in together. (Family Limitation)

Lucy interrupts Nucky meeting with Damien Fleming by struggling past his assistant Eddie Kessler. She angrily asks why Nucky is avoiding contact and he points to Fleming and tells her that he is in a meeting. She says that she does not care and that she loves him, wondering what Margaret has that she does not. Lucy profanely disparages Margaret citing her job in La Belle Femme. Nucky asks Lucy to calm down and she says that she has left clothes in the suite. Nucky takes her arms and promises to call her. She whines that she wants to see a film and he offers to do whatever she would like. She tells him the title “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” and he agrees that they will talk about it later. She tells him that she feels empty without him inside her and Nucky says they will talk about that later too. Eddie pulls Lucy away and Nucky apologises to Fleming. Later, she cries as she watches “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” alone at the cinema. (Home)

Madame Jeunet approaches Margaret and Annabelle as they have tea in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Hotel and asks Margaret for help. Margaret wonders what she needs help with as Lucy drunkenly walks out of La Belle Femme calling after Jeunet. Annabelle tries a polite greeting but Lucy shuts her down. Jeunet whispers to Margaret that Lucy is trying to use Nucky’s credit in the store despite his instruction to the contrary. Lucy haughtily tells them that American’s do not whisper. Jeunet tells Lucy that she has asked Margaret for help and Lucy notes that she is very helpful calling her Mrs MacDougall. Margaret corrects Lucy and Lucy loudly wonders if Schroeder is Irish for bitch, shocking the other customers. Margaret stands and tries to placate Lucy, who refuses to leave. Annabelle interjects and Lucy calls her a false friend. Lucy tells Margaret that she is stupid if she thinks Nucky is her friend or that she understands him. Margaret slaps her hard across the face and tells her that their next conversation will be less pleasant before leaving. (Hold Me in Paradise)

Left adrift, Lucy later meets Nelson Van Alden at a speakesay and strikes up a one-time sexual relationship with him, having sex with him at an apartment, although he is ashamed of himself afterwards for what he did to her. (The Emerald City)

In the season finale, Lucy finds Nelson at the post office as he is conducting his investigation from, and reveals that she is pregnant with his child, leaving Van Alden shocked and horrified at the consequences he must now deal with. (A Return to Normalcy)

In February 1921, a pregnant Lucy is living with Van Alden in his Atlantic City apartment, when he comes home 1 day, Lucy tells him to come sleep with her however Van Alden rejects and walks away, feeling angry about what he did to her and himself (21)

1 day, Lucy says that she got invited to the neighbors house for a party, however Van Alden brushes it and tells her to not talk to anyone, Lucy however says that she is tired of the isolation that Nelson keeps her in with him then telling her that after she finally lets her baby come out, then he will split ways with her and let her live her life.

Later, Lucy, feeling sad and lonely, gets and records a CD classical jass player in her room, listening peacefully to it as Nelson comes back home, disgusted, but peaceful and a bit calm at the thought of Lucy finally getting a good time. (A Dangerous Maid)

In the morning, Van Alden reads the bible in the apartment he is sharing with Lucy. She calls from the kitchen, asking him to buy lemons on his way home from work. He walks through to her and she asks if he heard her. He confirms that he did. Heavily pregnant with his child, she complains that she cannot get comfortable. Van Alden has little sympathy, they are not lovers but are merely in an agreement for Van Alden to give the child to his wife once it is born and for Danziger to remain in the apartment until that time. He points out that his subordinate Agent Clarkson is still in the hospital with extensive third degree burns and wonders at Clarkson's level of comfort. She apologises and says she just wants to be done with the pregnancy. Clarkson suffered his injuries while following Van Alden's corruption to a bootlegging warehouse. Van Alden goes to the hospital to visit Clarkson.

Lucy carries a plate to the sink. She pauses, drops the plate and cries out as her waters break. She sits on a chair, alone in the apartment. She gets into bed and is struggling with her contractions. She calls to her young neighbour across the alley for help but the boy draws the curtains. Lucy gathers herself, brushes her hair before her mirror and then ties it back. She prepares her bed for the delivery of her baby. She pants and moans through more contractions, gritting her teeth, gripping the bed sheets and dripping with sweat. Eventually her baby’s cries replace hers.

Van Alden arrives home with the promised lemons. He notices the broken china and finds Lucy cradling the baby in the bedroom. She tells him she delivered the baby herself and that it is a girl. He smiles and goes to fetch a doctor. Lucy kisses her daughters forehead. While Van Alden is gone his wife Rose arrives at the apartment. Rose had been unaware of Van Alden's arrangement with Lucy but his strange behaviour caused Rose to come to Atlantic City.

Van Alden returns home with the promised doctor. He goes through to the bedroom and finds Rose mopping Lucy’s brow. Rose turns around and observes that Lucy has a mild fever. Rose offers to leave the doctor to his work and walks into the corridor with her husband. They argue and Rose then leaves the apartment. (The Age of Reason)

The next day after giving birth to her child, Lucy tells Nelson that it is her time to leave now, however Nelson forbids that from ever happening. So Lucy then goes again to Nucky Thompson's office at the Ritz-Carlton and tells him how Van Alden is forbidding her from leaving the apartment when earlier he told her that she could leave after the baby has been born, Nucky responds by saying that the last time he saw her was on May 1920, that she could leave and gives her around 10,000 or more dollars. After Lucy leaves, Van Alden then arrives at the office and confronts Nucky about giving Lucy the will to leave him and her own baby which she birthed. Lucy meanwhile packs her stuff up, pins something on the wall, gives the baby to be babysat by her and Van Alden's neighbor Alfreda Short and finally leaves the apartment altogether for forever.

After going back home from his argument with Nucky, Van Alden hears a baby being rocked on a cradle happily, thinking it is Lucy, he goes closer, only to see that it is Alfreda cradling the baby. Van Alden, shocked at this, asks Alfreda where Lucy has gone and Alfreda responds by saying that she just left for a "formula run" and will never be coming back, Van Alden then also finds a diaper hung up alongside a script for A Dangerous Maid along with it, indicating that Lucy has made him take care of the baby and will never come back to his or Nucky's lives again. (Peg of Old)

After this, Lucy is never seen again in the show and it is unknown what happened to her after Season 2.

Eddie Cantor, after hearing that Billie Kent has become Nucky's mistress, mentions to her 1 time that if she has ever heard of Lucy, Billie denies this and Eddie responds by saying that the next one won't remember a thing about her either. (You'd Be Surprised)

At a party at Van Alden's house, Van Alden and Lucy's daughter Abigail mentions to Van Alden/George Mueller, his new wife Sigrid Mueller, Eli Thompson, Eli's wife June Thompson and her half-brother and the son of Van Alden and Sigrid, Chester Mueller, that her mother was a "dancer". (King of Norway)

Albert "Chalky" White

Michael Kenneth Williams portrays Albert "Chalky" White, Nucky's counterpart in Atlantic City's black community.

Edward "Eddie" Kessler

Anthony Laciura portrays Edward "Eddie" Kessler, Nucky's German personal assistant and valet. The character is based on Louis Kessel.

Mickey Doyle

Main article: Mickey Doyle

Paul Sparks portrays Mickey Doyle, an Atlantic City bootlegger. The character is based on Mickey Duffy.

Louis Kaestner

Dabney Coleman (seasons 1–2) and John Ellison Conlee (season 5) portray Commodore Louis Kaestner, Nucky's mentor and predecessor in Atlantic City, Jimmy's biological father. The character is based on Louis Kuehnle.

Richard Harrow

Main article: Richard Harrow

Jack Huston portrays Richard Harrow (seasons 1–4), a former Army marksman who allies with Jimmy and later Nucky. Disfigured during the war, he wears a mask over half of his face.

Gillian Darmody

Gretchen Mol portrays Gillian Darmody, Jimmy's mother and an old friend of Nucky's. She is also Luciano's former lover.

Owen Sleater

Charlie Cox portrays Owen Sleater (seasons 2–3), an Irish immigrant and IRA member. He has an affair with Margaret, while working his way up in Nucky's organization.

Gyp Rosetti

Main article: Gyp Rosetti

Bobby Canavale portrays Gyp Rosetti (season 3), a Sicilian gangster backed by Joe Masseria, who challenged Nucky.

Roy Phillips

Ron Livingston portrays Roy Phillips (season 4), a wealthy out-of-town businessman who finds himself getting involved with Gillian Darmody.

Dr. Valentin Narcisse

Main article: Valentin Narcisse

Jeffrey Wright portrays Dr. Valentin Narcisse (seasons 4–5), a Harlem racketeer who challenges Chalky. The character is based on Casper Holstein.

William "Willie" Thompson

Kevin Csolak (season 3) and Ben Rosenfield (seasons 4–5) portray William "Willie" Thompson, Eli's oldest son and Nucky's nephew who becomes an assistant U.S. Attorney in New York City.

Recurring characters

Introduced in season one

Meyer Lansky

• Anatol Yusef portrays Meyer Lansky, a young protégé of Rothstein and partners with Luciano. The character is based on Meyer Lansky.

Johnny Torrio

• Greg Antonacci portrays Johnny Torrio, Capone's boss in Chicago.

Rose Van Alden

• Enid Graham portrays Rose Van Alden (seasons 1–2), Nelson's ex-wife.

Ethan Thompson

• Tom Aldredge (seasons 1–2) and Ian Hart (season 5) portray Ethan Thompson, Nucky and Eli's father. The character is based on Smith E. Johnson.

Mrs. McGarry

• Dana Ivey portrays Mrs. McGarry (season 1), a prominent leader of the Women's Suffrage and Temperance Movements. The character is based on Susan B. Anthony.

Isabelle Jeunet

• Anna Katarina portrays Isabelle Jeunet (seasons 1, 3), a French woman who owns an haute couture shop on the boardwalk.

Louanne Pratt

• Johnnie Mae portrays Louanne Pratt (season 1), Commodore Kaestner's maid.

Eric Sebso

• Erik Weiner portrays Agent Sebso (season 1), Van Alden's partner.

Mary Dittrich

• Lisa Joyce portrays Mary Dittrich (season 1), a photographer's assistant and Angela Darmondy's lover.

Pearl

• Emily Meade portrays Pearl (season 1), a prostitute and Jimmy Darmody's lover.

Edward L. Bader

• Kevin O'Rourke portrays Edward L. Bader (seasons 1-4), the Atlantic City mayor.

Jim Neary

• Robert Clohessy portrays James Neary (seasons 1–2), one of Nucky's political cronies and ward bosses

Harry Daugherty

• Christopher McDonald portrays Harry M. Daugherty (seasons 1–3), a U.S. Attorney General.

Introduced in season two

Leander Cephas Whitlock

• Dominic Chianese (seasons 2–4) and Jordan Lage (season 5) portray Leander Cephas Whitlock, an Atlantic City lawyer and ally to the Commodore.

George Remus

• Glenn Fleshler portrays George Remus (seasons 2–4), a major bootlegger based in Ohio who refers to himself in the third-person.

Dunn Purnsley

• Erik LaRay Harvey portrays Dunn Purnsley (seasons 2–4), a career criminal and later Chalky's second-in-command.

Katy

• Heather Lind portrays Katy (seasons 2–3), Margaret's housemaid and Owen's lover.

Joe Masseria

• Ivo Nandi portrays Joe Masseria (seasons 2–5), an Italian mafia boss and bootlegger.

Manny Horvitz

• William Forsythe portrays Manny Horvitz (seasons 2–3)

A Ukrainian Jewish gangster from Odessa, Russian Empire (modern day Ukraine) living and working in Philadelphia, working as a butcher as a front for his criminal activities. Manny reveals that when he was living in Odessa as a kid, he would have to fight everyday and suffer for everything in the streets. He then married a woman by the first name of Emma somewhere in the late 19th century and had a daughter with her somewhere in the late 1890s. At the same time, Manny moved to Philadelphia in 1899 with his wife, daughter and friend and right-hand man Herman Kaufman and became a gangster partnered up with Waxey Gordon in bootlegging and other operations whilst he also operated a butcher shop as a front organization and became friends with Polish immigrant and bootlegger Mickey Doyle (real name Kuzik). However, as the years went by, Manny and Waxey's relationship deteriorated and they became rivals in crime.

In 1921, Jimmy Darmody, Richard Harrow and Mickey Doyle visit Manny at his butcher shop and tell him to get alcohol from their warehouse, Manny agrees with Jimmy agreeing to a bigger deal and then leaving with the other 2. Manny also warns Jimmy about what would happen to him if he never pays him.

Eventually, Jimmy's warehouse explodes and Manny calls to ask him about his deal and the debt he has to pay to him, Jimmy tells him that he saw Herman Kaufman at a meeting with Waxey and other famous gangsters. Manny, realizing that Herman has betrayed him, kidnaps him and hangs him upside down in his meat room, he then calls Jimmy who comes over to his meat room and helps him kill Kaufman, explaining to him that this is what he does to people who betray him. Later, Manny, Jimmy and Richard try to stop alcohol supplies going to Nucky Thompson and have a shootout with Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky, causing them to come to a standstill and give the supplies to Thompson anyway.

A few weeks later, Manny arrives at the Commodore's mansion were he meets Jimmy and Mickey and threatens Jimmy to give him his share of the debt by him telling him a story of how one time a hunter had come into his shop to cut some dead animal however the person had made his friend kill it for him. Later on, Manny arrives at Jimmy's inauguration party at Babette's, Jimmy facing enough pressure already and drunk, throws Mickey down the stairs and injures him whilst also insulting Manny and walking off.

Later on, Manny is attacked at his butcher shop in Philadelphia by an assassin named Alfred Gordetsky sent by Waxey Gordon and Jimmy, however manages to kill him and his acquaintance. After finding out Jimmy's location in Atlantic City and house address by interrogating Mickey, Manny arrives at Jimmy's house late at night and catches his wife Angela. Someone then walks out of the shower, Manny, thinking it is Jimmy, shoots and kills the person, revealed to be Louise (Angela's lover and mistress), Angela cradles Louise crying whilst Manny, distraught over what he has done asks if Angela knows where Jimmy is and then kills her to not let her tell the authorities on him, leaving her and Louise's dead bodies behind at the house and running away.

After the murder and trying to evade authorities, Manny hides out at a religious Jewish temple were he is found by Nucky, Mickey and Nucky's right-hand man Owen Sleater who tell him to put fake handcuffs on and come with them to where Jimmy is so that they can kill him. Manny agrees with the offer and the 3 (excluding Mickey) and including Nucky's brother Eli Thompson, drive out to the Atlantic City War Memorial where they meet Jimmy and witness Nucky finally kill him before leaving the spot.

After that, Manny leaves Philadelphia and moves with his wife and daughter to Atlantic City, becoming the owner of 1 of Nucky's warehouses over there partnered with Mickey. In December 1922, Manny and Mickey catch a robber by the name of Nate Konig trying to rob their alcohol supplies and bring him to Nucky who after finding out who Nate's partner-in-crime was, has Manny kill him. Nucky later assigns Manny to kill the second robber, Rowland Smith for him which Manny agrees to despite him wanting to celebrate New Years Eve with Emma.

At night, right before the start of 1923, Manny walks outside his house to kill Rowland wearing his new hat that his wife gave him, only to see his driver killed and to then be assassinated and murderered by Richard Harrow.

Later on, Mickey mentions that he killed Manny however Richard has him brought to Nucky and reveal that in fact Harrow killed Manny, not Mickey. Nucky also goes and kills Rowland eventually to end the whole robbery situation.

Esther Randolph

• Julianne Nicholson portrays Esther Randolph (seasons 2–4), an Assistant Attorney General who investigates Nucky for election fraud. The character is based on Mabel Walker Willebrandt.

Introduced in season three

Billie Kent

• Meg Steedle portrays Billie Kent (season 3), a young Broadway actress who begins an affair with Nucky. Killed in an explosion meant for Nucky. The character is based on Billie Dove.

Gaston Means

• Stephen Root portrays Gaston Means (seasons 3–4), a con artist, FBI agent, and "fixer" for bootleggers.

Andrew Mellon

• James Cromwell portrays Andrew Mellon (seasons 3–4), the Secretary of the Treasury.

Julia Sagorsky

• Wrenn Schmidt portrays Julia Sagorsky (seasons 3–4), Richard's wife.

Introduced in season four

Sally Wheet

• Patricia Arquette portrays Sally Wheet (seasons 4–5), a Speak-easy owner in Tampa, Florida

Ralph Capone

• Domenick Lombardozzi portrays Ralph Capone (seasons 4–5), Al Capone's brother.

Frank Capone

• Morgan Spector portrays Frank Capone (season 4), Al Capone's level-headed brother.

James Tolliver

• Brian Geraghty portrays James "Jim" Tolliver (season 4), an FBI agent under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover posing as a corrupt prohibition agent under the name Warren Knox in Atlantic City.

Daughter Maitland

• Margot Bingham portrays Daughter Maitland (seasons 4–5), a singer and ward of Dr. Valentin Narcisse who begins an affair with Chalky White.

Introduced in season five

Arquimedes

• Paul Calderon portrays Arquimedes (season 5), Nucky Thompson's personal bodyguard.
• Travis Tope portrays Tommy Darmody/Slim (season 5), the son of James and Angela Darmody.

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	Edith Day	"Anastasia"	"Alice Blue Gown" (from "Irene")
Malachy Cleary	Warren Harding	Hold Me In Paradise	Senator
John Treacy Egan	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)