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Draft:Eli Thompson

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Eli Thompson
First appearanceBoardwalk Empire
Last appearanceEldorado
Created byTerence Winter
Portrayed byShea Whigham
Oakes Fegley (1884)
Ryan Dinning (1897)
In-universe information
Full nameElias Thompson
NicknamesEli
Sheriff Thompson
Gendermale
OccupationSheriff of Atlantic City (seasons 1–2)
warehouse worker (season 3)
partner in Nucky's organization (season 4)
mob enforcer and hitman (season 5)
SpouseJune Thompson (1898-1931)
Significant otherSigrid Mueller (1925-1931)
ChildrenWilliam "Willie" Thompson (son)
Michael Thompson (son)
Dermott Thompson (son)
Brian Thompson (son)
Patrick Thompson (son)
Nora Thompson (daughter)
Edith Thompson (daughter)
Ann Thompson (daughter)
Kathleen Thompson (daughter)
unnamed baby Thompson (born child)
RelativesEthan Thompson (father)
Susan Thompson (sister)
Elenore Thompson (mother)
Nucky Thompson (brother)
NationalityIrish-American
StatusDeceased due to virtue of time era

Elias "Eli" Thompson is a fictional character in the HBO TV Show Boardwalk Empire where he was portrayed by Shea Whigham and Ryan Dinning and Oakes Fegley in flashbacks in Season 5.

He is the protagonist of the series, Nucky Thompson (portrayed by Steve Buscemi)'s younger brother. Nucky is based on real-life Atlantic City politician Enoch L. Johnson, whilst Eli is based on his brother and real-life Sheriff of Atlantic City Alfred "Alf" Johnson.[1] [2]

Fictional biography

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Early life

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Elias "Eli" Thompson was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the late 19th century to Ethan and Elenore Thompson alongside his older brother Enoch "Nucky" Thompson and his younger sister Susan Thompson in a poor home. Growing up, Eli had a great relationship with both of his parents and his 2 siblings, oblivious to the fact that Ethan was an abusive alcoholic who used to beat Elenore whenever drunk and did the same to Nucky. When they were little kids, Susan became sick one day and was hospitalized in their home with Elenore, Nucky, Eli and Ethan all trying to cure her of her disease and sickness.


Susan's death

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In 1884, we see a young Eli first walk to a young Nucky (Nolan Lyons) and tell him that his slingshot is not working properly whilst also tell him what Ethan (Ian Hart) and Elenore (Erin Dilly) are doing and what's happening to Susan. Later, Eli and Nucky are eating food when Ethan comes in and tells them how Nucky's day swimming and catching coins was like, after Nucky responds that he didn't catch any, Ethan tells Eli to go out which he does before then abusing Nucky and warning him to be better next time about the coins and the Commodore's games with him and the other boys.[3]

At night, however, Susan dies of her ongoing tuberculosis, the next day, Nucky, Eli, Ethan and Elenore bury her, Eli weeps at his sister's death, sad that she is gone whilst he also comforts his mother and Nucky about it. Eli also hears Ethan talking to Nucky about the Commodore (John Ellison Conlee) visiting the house earlier that day and the idea of giving Susan a proper burial which he scoffs at.[4]

After the summer in Atlantic City is over, Eli goes into second grade. 1 day, Nucky arrives to find out that Ethan and Elenore have locked the house for themselves, Eli tries to peek into what they're doing, however decides to playfight with Nucky instead. The 2 then go to the beach and watch seagulls on the waves with Nucky saying to Eli that he has to be independent now and by himself, Eli asks why, and Nucky responds by saying that he has had enough of the rich tourists every summer coming to Atlantic City and making them look poor in comparison which they are. Later, the 2 go to the Corner Hotel and stay in 1 of the hotel rooms for the experience, with Eli liking the whole thing. The 2 however are caught by Sheriff Peter Lindsay (Boris McGiver), who, feeling sorry for them, takes them to his home where they have a fun and light dinner with him, his wife and their son and daughter. At night then finally, Sheriff Lindsay drops Nucky and Eli home and tells them to not pull off this stunt next time.[5]


The Blizzard of 1888

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In 1888, Atlantic City goes through a major blizzard wherein a much older Nucky kills 3 wharf rats for food to eat for him, Elenore and Eli. Ethan is out drunk at the bar at the time.[6]

Running for Deputy

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Somewhere in 1895–1896, a grown up Eli meets a woman named June and the 2 get into a relationship. In 1897, Eli mentions to Nucky (now a Sheriff's Deputy of Atlantic City) that he and June did it at a garden holiday place, he also talks to Nucky about finding a job as a deputy, Nucky informs him that Eli just has to wait and that he will be on the police force 1 day as well. Nucky then sees the thief that has been running around Atlantic City for the past few days and chases her as Eli shouts for him, thinking its a boy. Later that night, Nucky and Eli stake out at the hideout of the alleged thief where Eli talks to Nucky about how Ethan misses him with Nucky insulting Ethan and Eli saying why does he always got to have a feud with him, the thief then returns to her hiding spot and Eli and Nucky attack and catch her, she's also revealed to be a girl named Gillian Darmody (Madeleine Rose Yen) to the 2 of them with Nucky taking her to the police station for an arrest.[7]

A few days later, Nucky gets a call from Eli that Ethan has beat Elenore again, angry at this, Nucky runs back home to find Elenore and Eli looking at him and then at Ethan, who gets up and points a gun at Nucky, Elenore tells him to stop and Nucky tells him to pull the trigger however Ethan gives the shotgun to him, he then fights Nucky only to be moved aside by Elenore and Eli, Nucky then leaves and Eli and Elenore watch as Ethan yells that Nucky will never forget where he really came from and was raised in.[8]

In 1903, Elenore Thompson passes away and Eli, Nucky and Ethan mourn her death.[9] After that, Eli becomes a police officer and then deputy sheriff to Sheriff Victor Sickles in Tabor Heights. He is later promoted to being a full-time sheriff of Tabor Heights whilst Nucky is the sheriff of Atlantic City. After Nucky takes over the Commodore's operations however, Eli becomes the sheriff of Atlantic City with Sickles being reinstated as sheriff of Tabor Heights again and Eli having Raymond Halloran (Adam Mucci) as his deputy.[10] During this time, Eli marries June (Nisi Sturgis) and has 9 children with her: William, Michael, Patrick, Brian, Dermott, Nora, Kathleen, Ann and Edith Thompson whilst he also becomes a member of Nucky's political machine which includes Chief Clerk of the Fourth Ward Paddy Ryan (Samuel Taylor), Alderman George O'Neill (William Hill), Alderman and Ward Boss Al Boyd (Edward McGinty), Ward Boss Damien Fleming (Victor Verheaghe), Ernie Moran (John Keating), Duncan O'Connor (John Treacy Egan), Mayor Harry Bacharach (John Rue) and his and Nucky's childhood friend Alderman Jim Neary (Robert Clohessy). Eli also congratulates Nucky's protege and WW1 veteran James "Jimmy" Darmody (Michael Pitt) when he returns back home to Atlantic City in December 1919 after the war is over, whilst also meeting Jimmy's wife Angela (Aleksa Palladino) and reuniting with his mother Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol). Eli also meets Nucky's mistress Lucy Danziger (Paz de la Huerta) along the way alongside clothes shop owner Madame Isabelle Jeunet (Anna Katarina), Polish bootlegger and Nucky's business partner Mickey Doyle (Paul Sparks) and Nucky's butler and servant Edward Anselm "Eddie" Kessler (Anthony Laciura).

Season One

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In his first appearance in the series, Eli celebrates the Beginning of Prohibition and bootlegging at Babette's Supper Club along with Nucky, Lucy, Jimmy, Paddy and all the other ward bosses. Later, he investigates the Hammonton hijacking that happened and finds out it was perpetrated by Jimmy, Billy Winslow (Chase Coleman) and Al Capone (Stephen Graham), after Eli tells it to Nucky, Nucky tells him to assassinate local drunk and abusive husband Hans Schroeder (Joseph Sikora) to death for killing his unborn baby and hospitalizing his wife Margaret (Kelly Macdonald). Eli, listening to Nucky, alongside Deputy Halloran, kidnaps and beats Hans to death before dumping his body into the river where it is later labelled as the "catch of the day" and seen by Nucky and Bill McCoy (Pearce Bunting).[11]

After being admonished by Nucky for doing the murder in public, Eli finds out that a victim of the Hammonton massacre is still alive and goes to kill him at the hospital in order to save Jimmy from being caught by the authorities, however, before Eli could smother him to death, the victim is wheeled to New York by FBI Agent Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and his partner Eric Sebso (Erik Weiner) and tells the 2 about Jimmy over there, causing Nucky to exile Jimmy from Atlantic City with Eli watching the drama unfold in front of him. Later, him and Nucky find black gangster, leader of the black community and Nucky's business partner Chalky White (Michael Kenneth Williams)'s driver found hanged to death, Eli kills the driver finally to end his pain as Nucky and Chalky watch.[12]

A few months later, Nucky suspects the KKK of murdering Chalky's driver and so Eli alongside Halloran kidnaps and brings the KKK leader (Scott Sowers) to Chalky's lair were Chalky tortures him to death with his tools whilst telling him his life story.[13]

A few more days later, the local Celtic dinner happens in Atlantic City in St. Patrick's Day were Eli practices how to do a speech from a book by Dale Carnegie and Daniel Webster, Nucky criticizes him for doing a speech. However at the dinner were the aldermen, ward bosses, mayor Bacharach, the Commodore (Dabney Coleman), Ethan Thompson (Tom Aldredge), Nucky and Eli sit, Eli gives his speech and it goes well until the Irish start fighting when they hear talk of the British, Nucky also berates Eli for his speech there. The dinner is then raided by Van Alden and the FBI who arrest Jim Neary whilst outside as everyone is going home, a drunk and saddened Eli tries to punch Nucky however is taken home where he vomits in his toilet seat as June helps him.[14]

Eli is later shown bringing New York City gangster and accomplice of gangster and gambler Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Charles "Lucky" Luciano (Vincent Piazza) into Nucky's office at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel were him and Nucky interrogate Luciano and beat him up because of his role in going against Nucky and starting a relationship with Gillian Darmody.[15] After Ethan Thompson falls down and suffers a stroke, Eli brings him to live at his house whilst his and Nucky's childhood home is burned down by Nucky, Eli hears the news.[16] Whilst Nucky is in Washington DC for a convention of the 1920 United States Presidential Election, Eli hears about the Italian D'Alessio Brothers who are going against him and Nucky. 1 night, after him and June have come back from a relative's wedding and whilst June is sleeping in the car, Eli goes to Nucky's business partner Lolly Steinmann (Danny Burstein)'s casino and over there, finds Lolly and a few others kept hostage. Before Eli could do anything however, he is shot and injured by the D'Alessios who rob the rest of the casino and make their escape as Eli is lying down and reeling from his gunshot wound.[17]

After being released from the hospital, Eli realises that Nucky made Halloran the Sheriff of Atlantic City, causing him to have a falling out and argument with Nucky about it and the fact that he is Hardeen to Nucky's Harry Houdini, Nucky just insults Eli by saying that he is only Sheriff of Atlantic City because of him and the fact that he will never be remembered as much as him.[18] After Warren G. Harding has been elected as President of the United States and Edward L. Bader (Kevin O'Rourke) has been elected as Mayor of Atlantic City, Nucky re-elects Eli as Sheriff of Atlantic City and has Halloran become his deputy again. Eli, still angry at being in Nucky's shadow and always being insulted by him, secretly starts an insurrection conspiracy to bring him down as the "King of Atlantic City" and treasurer. Alongside Eli in this conspiracy is Jimmy Darmody, now back from Chicago, Gillian, Mickey Doyle and the Commodore who wants to take over Atlantic City once again.[19]

Season Two

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In February 1921, Eli continues his job as Sheriff of Atlantic City working alongside Nucky whilst also behind his back, plotting the conspiracy alongside Jimmy, the Commodore and Gillian to overthrow him from power as treasurer of Atlantic City. To start their plan, Jimmy, Eli and the Commodore send the KKK to attack Nucky's warehouse owned by Chalky White with the hopes of assassinating Chalky. When that fails and Chalky kills 1 of the KKK members, Eli and Nucky go to his house and tell him to willingly go to jail for his and their own safety, later, Eli, Jimmy and the Commodore send Deputy US Attorney George "Solomon" Bishop (Bill Sage) who arrests Nucky at the Ritz-Carlton for election fraud and takes over his office and operations.[20]

After Nucky's arrest, Eli and the Commodore recruit Jim Neary, Paddy Ryan, Damien Fleming, George O'Neill and Al Boyd into their conspiracy plot to get rid of Nucky and take over Atlantic City, however Fleming drops out and remains secretly loyal to Nucky alongside Mayor Edward Bader. After being released from prison, Nucky realises that Eli, the Commodore, Gillian, Jimmy, Neary, O'Neill, Boyd and Paddy Ryan all betrayed him to take him down and calls Eli, only for Eli to respond that Nucky's going to be defeated by him now finally.[21]

Eli continues his plan with the Commodore until the latter suffers a stroke, noticing how Jimmy and Gillian are with him, Eli secretly decides to run back to Nucky. After 1 of Jimmy's warehouses explode, the Commodore's financial backers confront Eli and Jimmy over it, the meeting ends with 1 of the backers physically striking Jimmy with his cane and humiliating him in front of the rest of the crowd as Eli watches. He then finally goes to Nucky's mansion and apologizes over all the things he has done to him and asks to be accepted back, Nucky at first says yes but then threatens Eli to get onto his knees for him causing the 2 brothers to have a physical fight which ends with Margaret pointing a gun at Eli and kicking him out of the house. He later is confronted by George O'Neill because of his whereabouts and kills him via beating him to death with a hammer and burying his dead body near his house.[22]

After realising that Nucky will never accept him back, Eli goes back to Jimmy's side to get rid of Nucky once again. 1 day, he has a meeting at the Commodore's mansion with Jimmy, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky (Anatol Yusef), Al Capone and Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) where they discuss ideas on how to expand their criminal empire, Eli tells Jimmy to just assassinate Nucky to get rid of him once and for all and the others agree with it. Jimmy does carry out the assassination attempt at Babette's but Nucky unfortunately survives.[23] Meanwhile, Ethan Thompson dies of a stroke and Nucky, Eli and the rest of his family and relatives do his funeral. At the funeral, Nucky confronts Eli by asking him if he wanted him in that coffin and then says it's a good thing that there dad died with Eli then responding by saying why does Nucky hate Ethan so much.[24]

After attending Ethan's funeral, Eli has another meeting in the Commodore's mansion where he talks with a bunch of hotel owners, Jimmy and the Commodore about the recent black riots in the boardwalk (caused by Chalky White and Dunn Purnsley (Erik LaRay Harvey) ), with all of them dismissing them later on. Eli then confronts an injured Deputy Halloran about telling the murder of Hans Schroeder to the US Attorney however before he could continue his investigation further, he is arrested by Deputy US Attorney Esther Randolph (Julianne Nicholson) and put in a holding cell till his and Nucky's trial starts.[25]

When the day of his court case finally comes, Eli sits in court with his lawyer Douglas Wallbridge alongside Halloran, Halloran's lawyer, Nucky, Margaret, Nucky's part-time lawyer Bill Fallon (David Aaron Baker) and Esther Randolph who tells the judge what crimes Eli, Deputy Halloran and Nucky have committed in their power such as Hans Schroeder's death, Fallon argues back to Randolph by saying that her evidence isn't clear on the murders. Ultimately, the trial ends with Nucky barely winning, Randolph losing, Eli being committed to prison for a 1-year sentence and Deputy Halloran being committed to prison for forever, Eli also loses his sheriff title along the way and now becomes a normal citizen of Atlantic City. Nucky later confronts him at his home by talking about his reduced sentence and ending the discussion with the quote, "Et Tu, Eli" (meaning "You Too, Eli"), referencing William Shakespeare's play and biography of Julius Caesar. At night before he goes to jail, Eli, Nucky, Nucky's right-hand man Owen Sleater (Charlie Cox) and Philadephia gangster Manny "Munya" Horvitz (William Forsythe) go to the Atlantic City War Memorial to meet Jimmy Darmody, Nucky has Owen release fake handcuffs on Manny before he then points a gun at Jimmy, as Eli, Owen and Manny watch, Jimmy talks about his war experiences and former company before he is finally shot to death by Nucky, his dead body lying over the 4 of them's side as the heavy rain patters the ground in the night sky. The next day, Eli goes to jail for his 1-year long sentence, leaving his family alone to take care of the house. During his sentence, his son William "Willie" Thompson (Kevin Csolak) drops out of school to provide for the family by working at the local lumber yard.[26]

Season Three

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In January 1923, Eli is released from prison and is picked up by Mickey Doyle who tells him that Manny is dead before Mickey drives and drops off Eli at his home where he reunites with his family and finds out that Willie has dropped out of school and is working at the lumber yard, Eli thanks Willie for caring and providing for his family but says that he will be the breadwinner now, however Willie responds by still working at the yard, disappointing Eli who is also mad at his job as a warehouse worker for Mickey and Owen Sleater. 1 day during one of their bootlegging journeys, Eli, Mickey, Owen and the other warehouse workers are confronted by Italian-American gangster Gyp Rosetti (Bobby Cannavale) who tells them to go back as he is taking control of their route, Owen tries to call Nucky for this however as Nucky is busy, he hangs up and has Gyp ultimately take over the route as Eli and Mickey watch.[27]

After giving Gyp some more of the alcohol from the warehouse, Eli and the other warehouse workers are doing rum runs but are blocked again by Gyp and his henchmen who massacre the workers and take the area as Eli watches from a distance and runs to inform Nucky.[28] After telling Nucky about Gyp's visit and after Rosetti is kicked out of and runs away from Tabor Heights, Eli confronts Sheriff Ramsey about the fact that Gyp still stole most of their alcohol from the warehouse and the fact that he hasn't done nothing to arrest him for killing Sheriff Victor Sickles.[29]

On Easter Sunday, Nucky is at Eli's house with Margaret and her 2 children from her previous marriage, Teddy and Emily Schroeder, the adults entertain the kids with their techniques. After the fun time is over, Eli and Nucky sit in the basement of the former's house where Nucky tells Eli that he is still angry at his betrayal 2 years ago, Eli tells Nucky to shoot and kill him by giving him a gun to do so, however Nucky just unloads the gun and tells off Eli that everything has to be a melodrama with him. Later, he tells Eli that he now equally owns the warehouse distillery with Mickey Doyle as a thank you for reporting the Tabor Heights massacre to him.[30]

After the boardwalk explodes, Nucky, who is injured and has PTSD from it, is helped by Eli, Chalky, Eddie Kessler, Owen and Margaret who make him celebrate Emily's birthday with them and prepare him for a meeting with Arnold Rothstein, Wild Bill Lovett, Peg Leg Lonergan, Lucky Luciano, Frankie Yale (Joseph Riccobene) and Waxey Gordon (Nick Sandow) on how to take care of Rosetti.[31] After all of the bosses refuse to help Nucky out with carrying out hits on Rosetti or his boss and backer Joe Masseria (Ivo Nandi), Eli overhears Nucky saying that he will have Owen and corrupt FBI Agent Stan Sawicki (Joseph Aniska) try to assassinate Masseria at a Turkish bath in New York City. Later, Eli finds out that the assassination attempt failed and that Owen was killed by Masseria and sent in a crate back to Nucky's mansion.[32]

After Gyp sends assassins to kill Nucky and Eddie at the Ritz-Carlton, Nucky and Eddie kill all of them and hide out at Chalky White's house and community, rescued by him from Gyp. Eli hears the news and comes to Chalky's lair alongside Al Capone and his henchmen to help Nucky and team up to kill Rosetti once and for all, Eli also finds Willie over there working at his lumber yard and tells Nucky and Chalky to send him home.[33] After helping Nucky, Al, Dunn Purnsley and Chalky kill Rosetti and Masseria's henchmen, Eli and Nucky go to the Artemis Club (formerly the Commodore's mansion, now a brothel owned by Gillian Darmody), which is in ruins due to many dead bodies of Rosetti's henchmen (all killed by Richard Harrow), a blabbering and drugged Gillian and the news that Rosetti and 2 of his henchmen have fled. Nucky and Eli however find Gyp's right-hand man Tonino Sandrelli (Chris Caldovino) and tell him to assassinate Rosetti for them, Tonino agrees to do so before Nucky then tells him to never come across him or Eli ever again. After Gyp has been executed by Tonino and the news has been spread to Nucky and Eli, the 2 go back to their separate home lives with Eli becoming a more important member in Nucky's empire and business and becoming the breadwinner of his family again with Willie (Ben Rosenfield) going back to school and then after finishing it, going to college in Temple University.[34]

Season Four

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In 1924, Eli is once again providing for his family again, however is unhappy with the constant shenanigans Willie gets into in Temple University. After Willie accidentally kills Henry Gaines, a rival student by adding a dangerous chemical into his drink, Eli finds out but Nucky manages to get him out of trouble by framing his roomate, Clayton for the murder and causing him to go to prison and for Willie to stay at Temple.[35]

After Nucky's butler and servant Eddie Kessler kills himself due to being investigated by the FBI, Eli and Mickey show their partner and corrupt IRS Agent Warren Knox (Brian Geraghty) (who's really incorruptible and undercover FBI Agent James Tolliver and the FBI agent who actually caused Eddie to kill himself), all of Eddie's deposits and files, Eli also finds Knox's James Tolliver initials and starts finding out his real name and identity.[36]

Later Eli finds out that Willie dropped out of college and starts abusing him, kicking him from the house, causing Willie to run away to Nucky who's living in Albatross, Eli later finds out about this.[37]

A few days later, Agent Knox/Tolliver, who has now found out about Henry's death and it's cause, confronts Eli and forces him to become an informant for the FBI otherwise he will reveal Willie's murder and send him to jail, Eli accepts knowing the details of the blackmail and then goes home, reuniting happily with Willie and finding out that he's going back to college again and has found a job. Eli also meets Sally Wheet (Patricia Arquette) during this time.[38]

After becoming an informant, Eli listens to everything Knox/Tolliver says and secretly tells him everything about Nucky's organization, which Tolliver says to his boss at the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover (Eric Ladin). 1 day, Tolliver visits Eli at his home and the 2 privately talk about the organization and the news it has, Knox threatens Eli that he will reveal his job as an informant if he doesn't comply to his rules before leaving. Eli is angry at the fact that Knox has come into his home life now.[39]

Knox then tells Eli that he has to tell him to get Vincenzo Petrucelli (Vincenzo Amato), Joe Masseria, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Nucky and Harlem doctor and bootlegger Dr. Valentin Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) into 1 room together for a meeting in which he's going to bust them all for their heroin operations otherwise he will send Willie to jail, Eli reluctantly agrees with this. Later, Eli has dinner with his family and Nucky where after June describes Knox as a salesman, Eli yells at her and has a mental breakdown in front of everyone, Nucky and Willie look suspiciously at him.[40]

Nucky soon finds out that Eli is an informant for Tolliver/Knox, causing the 2 brothers to have a confrontation were in Nucky points a gun at Eli and makes him explain his betrayal, the 2 are about to go further until Willie comes into the room, Nucky explains to him what Eli has done before leaving. Willie then yells at Eli and runs away, Eli goes after him back to his house where he is confronted by Knox/Tolliver in his room on the top floor. Knox threatens Eli by pointing a gun at him and saying that Willie is going to be raped by the prisoners, causing Eli to have a physical fight with Knox which ends with the FBI Agent strangled and beaten to death by Eli. After killing Knox, Eli runs away from Atlantic City to not get arrested again for Knox/Tolliver's murder, with the murder being framed on Nucky. Nucky finds out that Eli has ran away to Chicago and gives him a job with Al Capone as an enforcer. In Chicago after finding out and accepting the job offer, Eli meets with his mob partner and Capone's enforcer Nelson Van Alden (now known as George Mueller, who was found guilty for the murder of Agent Sebso in Season 2 and ran away and became a fugitive of the FBI), Van Alden tells Eli to come with him, Eli goes into the car and the 2 drive off to Eli's new home in Chicago.[41]

Season Five

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During his time in Chicago, Eli works for Al Capone as a debt collector alongside Van Alden whilst he also lives in an apartment near Van Alden's house and becomes a deadbeat drunk, missing his family and meeting his wife June every few months when she visits Chicago. Eli also has a brief affair with Van Alden's wife Sigrid (Christiane Seidel) during this time.

In 1931, Eli and Nelson hijack some crates and kill 2 henchmen of the person, giving the 2 crates back to Al Capone the next morning.[42] A few days later, Eli and Van Alden are once again at Capone's office were Lucky Luciano visits Chicago and has a meeting with Capone about The Commission and if he will join it, Capone says he will think about it before Luciano responds by saying that he has seen Van Alden somewhere before when he was a Fed. Surprised at this, Al points a gun at Nelson's mouth as Eli watches however Van Alden manages to talk Capone out of killing him, Eli later meets Capone henchman Mike D'Angelo (Louis Cancelmi) before him and Van Alden go back home from their job.[43]

June then visits Eli at his apartment for her annual visit and the 2 have lunch with Van Alden, Sigrid and their children. The lunch turns sour however as Sigrid reveals her brief affair with Eli when he became drunk. Before an argument could begin, Van Alden opens the door only for him and Eli to get arrested and taken away by D'Angelo (revealed to be special agent Michael Malone) and the FBI. At the headquarters, Van Alden and Eli are interrogated by Malone before they are then introduced to the brains behind the operation to take down Capone, Agent Elliot Ness (Jim True-Frost), who tells Eli and Van Alden to get him some ledgers from Capone's office which will land him in jail for tax evasion, Eli and Van Alden reluctantly agree to this and begin their adventure.[44]


At the office, Eli, Van Alden and Malone (posing as D'Angelo), find the ledgers but are caught by Al's brother Ralph Capone (Domenick Lombardozzi) who keeps the former 2 captured with D'Angelo helping him. Al however comes back to the office and witnessing the situation and story, angrily yells at the captured Van Alden and Eli before once again pointing a gun at Van Alden, causing him to attack Capone and reveal his real name as Nelson Van Alden before he is shot to death from behind by D'Angelo. Al then tells D'Angelo to execute Eli outside for him, however outside, D'Angelo (now back to Malone) tells Eli that his job has been done and gives him 1 dollar to go home before he leaves. Now not important to anyone in Chicago anymore, Eli finally returns to Atlantic City after 7 years.[45]

Now back to Atlantic City, Eli reunites with his son Willie, now a lawyer attorney in the United States Department of Justice who informs him how angry June is with him before telling him to get out of his life. As Eli watches, Willie is kidnapped by Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky's henchmen, causing him to go to the club Old Rumpus owned by Mickey Doyle where he reunites with Nucky and Mickey whilst also meeting Italian New York mobster Salvatore Maranzano (Giampero Judica) and Old Rumpus Bell boy Joe Harper (Travis Tope). The gang alongside Nucky's Cuban bodyguard Arquimedes (Paul Calderon) go and confront Lansky, Luciano and their henchmen and offer a trade deal were Willie is to be given back to them for Luciano and Lansky's friend and associate Bugsy Siegel (Michael Zegen). The deal goes awry however when after Bugsy is given, Luciano and Lansky still hold Willie captive, causing a shootout to occur between the 2 groups werein Arquimedes, Mickey and a few others are killed, whilst Nucky gets down onto his knees and gives Luciano, Lansky, Siegel and their partner Pinky Rabonowitz (Ethan Herschenfeld) control of Atlantic City with Willie being returned to Nucky and returning to his job as an attorney whilst Eli also leaves the business altogether after helping Luciano assassinate Maranzano with him and Lansky controlling Atlantic City after that.[46]

After Atlantic City is taken over by the New York mafia and after the Maranzano assassination, Eli goes and lives in an apartment near a run down building near the beach Jersey Shore, becoming a drunk. Nucky visits him 1 day, where he tells Eli to forget all the previous events that have happened, shave himself up and go back to his family, Eli tells him that June hates him now however Nucky responds by saying that he hasn't met her since Chicago before he leaves the apartment. Eli then opens a package Nucky gave him and sees thousands of dollars and a razor to shave himself with alongside a note telling him to go back to his family by Nucky. It is unknown wether Eli ever got back with his family after this or he stayed a drunk living in the apartment for the rest of his life or if he even heard of Nucky's death that happened at night in Atlantic City.[47]

Reception

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In a 2012 interview for the show preceding Season 3, Whigham explained how he became more slimmer for the character when he got out of prison. [48]

In a 2014 interview preceding Season 5 for Los Angeles Times, Whigham talked about the fact that Eli is the "Everest" of his career and how he managed to act like him for the show. [49]

In an early interview for the show, Shea Whigham talked about how he got prepared for the character, his real-life counterpart and if he would ever like to return to it.[50]

Whigham has won 2 awards for seasons 1-2 and nominated for 3 for seasons 3-5 for his role as Eli in the show alongside the rest of the cast. They all won the 17th (2011) and 18th (2012) Screen Actors Guild for an Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series awards whilst being nominated for the 19th (2013), 20th (2014) and 21st (2015) Screen Actors Guild awards.[51][52][53][54][55]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ Megan (September 21, 2014). "Boardwalk Empire real life figures". HistoryManiacMegan. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
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  12. ^ "Broadway Limited". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 3. October 3, 2010. HBO.
  13. ^ "Anastasia". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 4. October 10, 2010. HBO.
  14. ^ "Nights in Ballygran". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 5. October 17, 2010. HBO.
  15. ^ "Family Limitation". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 6. October 24, 2010. HBO.
  16. ^ "Home". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 7. October 31, 2010. HBO.
  17. ^ "Hold Me in Paradise". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 8. November 7, 2010. HBO.
  18. ^ "Paris Green". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 11. November 28, 2010. HBO.
  19. ^ "A Return to Normalcy". Boardwalk Empire. Season 1. Episode 12. December 5, 2010. HBO.
  20. ^ "21". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 1. September 25, 2011. HBO.
  21. ^ "Ourselves Alone". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 2. October 2, 2011. HBO.
  22. ^ "Gimcrack & Bunkum". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 5. October 23, 2011. HBO.
  23. ^ "Peg of Old". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 7. November 6, 2011. HBO.
  24. ^ "Two Boats and a Lifeguard". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 8. November 11, 2011. HBO.
  25. ^ "Georgia Peaches". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 10. November 27, 2011. HBO.
  26. ^ "To the Lost". Boardwalk Empire. Season 2. Episode 12. December 11, 2011. HBO.
  27. ^ "Spaghetti & Coffee". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 2. September 9, 2012. HBO.
  28. ^ "Blue Bell Boy". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 4. October 7, 2012. HBO.
  29. ^ "Ging Gang Goolie". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 6. October 21, 2012. HBO.
  30. ^ "Sunday Best". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 7. October 28, 2012. HBO.
  31. ^ "The Milkmaid's Lot". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 9. November 11, 2012. HBO.
  32. ^ "A Man, a Plan". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 10. November 18, 2012. HBO.
  33. ^ "Two Imposters". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 11. November 25, 2012. HBO.
  34. ^ "Margate Sands". Boardwalk Empire. Season 3. Episode 12. December 12, 2012. HBO.
  35. ^ "Erlkönig". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 5. October 6, 2013. HBO.
  36. ^ "The North Star". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 6. October 13, 2013. HBO.
  37. ^ "William Wilson". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 7. October 20, 2013. HBO.
  38. ^ "The Old Ship of Zion". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 8. October 27, 2013. HBO.
  39. ^ "White Horse Pike". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 10. November 10, 2013. HBO.
  40. ^ "Havre de Grace". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 11. November 17, 2013. HBO.
  41. ^ "Farewell Daddy Blues". Boardwalk Empire. Season 4. Episode 12. November 24, 2013. HBO.
  42. ^ "The Good Listener". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 2. September 14, 2014. HBO.
  43. ^ "Cuanto". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 4. September 28, 2014. HBO.
  44. ^ "King of Norway". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 5. October 5, 2014. HBO.
  45. ^ "Devil You Know". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 6. October 12, 2014. HBO.
  46. ^ "Friendless Child". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 7. October 19, 2014. HBO.
  47. ^ "Eldorado". Boardwalk Empire. Season 5. Episode 8. October 26, 2014. HBO.
  48. ^ James Shumacher (October 26, 2012). "Shea Whigham 2012 Interview". JamesinDigital.com. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  49. ^ Alicia Banks (February 1, 2014). "Boardwalk Empire's Shea Whigham digs deep into character". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  50. ^ Kevin Clapp (June 19, 2019). "The role in Boardwalk Empire is worth returning to". PressofAtlanticCity. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  51. ^ "17th Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  52. ^ "18th Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  53. ^ "19th Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  54. ^ "20th Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  55. ^ "21st Screen Actors Guild Awards". sagawards. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
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