Untold Story of Nucky Johnson: The Man Who Inspired Boardwalk Empire's Best Character
Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson played by Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire was actually not a real person.
But the character was loosely based on former political figure and New Jersey mob boss, Enoch 'Nucky' Johnson.
Nucky Johnson came from a family of political influence and took on the role of Atlantic County Republican Executive committee secretary in 1909.
He held several positions on the committee over the coming years – and wielded huge power in Atlantic City as a result.
As was evident in Boardwalk Empire, Atlantic City was a popular resort for tourists looking for alcohol, gambling opportunities and brothels during prohibition.
The committee had realised the potential for such activities early on and, throughout the prohibition era, booze, dice and prostitutes were pretty easy to come by.
In the show, Nucky Thompson was initially in on the game but a little naïve to its effects. But he was greedy and ambitious enough to plough on regardless even when the truth began to unfold.
As his young protégé, Jimmy Darmody once told him "You can't be half a gangster, Nucky. Not anymore." It was a pivotal moment for Thompson who realised he had to come down on one side or the other.
Naturally, he chose the side of wealth and fortune. It changed him as a person and led to him becoming increasingly ruthless to stay on top of the game.
It appears that Nucky Johnson was not so naïve and was more than prepared to get involved in mobster activities without a pep talk from a 22-year-old ex-soldier.
Under the influence of Johnson, the Atlantic City vice industry grew and grew – adding other gang-related income streams such as kickbacks. And he was famously photographed with Al Capone when Atlantic City hosted a meeting of top bosses.
He was also friends with 'Lucky' Luciano and Jimmy Boyd, who eventually took over running the business.
In the end, Johnson was taking a cut from every bar, brothel and casino in Atlantic City. But he also gave freely and was enormously popular – just as Nucky Thompson was in Boardwalk Empire.
But Nucky Johnson's life of luxury ended when he was indicted for tax evasion in 1939 and convicted in 1941. He went to prison for four years and upon his release took a pauper's oath.
He continued to mix in political circles following his release but lived with his brother and took a job at the Richfield Oil Company.
Nucky Johnson died at a New Jersey convalescent home in 1968. Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson was not so lucky. He was shot dead on the boardwalk by Jimmy Darmody's son Tommy.