John Wallace is an author and editor.

The Boardwalk Empire A-Z

By John Wallace

John Blake Publishing Ltd

Copyright © 2012 John Wallace
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-84358-365-3

Contents

Title Page,
INTRODUCTION,
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H,
I,
J,
K,
L,
M,
N,
O,
P,
Q,
R,
S,
T,
U,
V,
W,
X,
Y,
Z,
BIBLIOGRAPHY,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
Plates,
Copyright,

CHAPTER 1

A

Greg Antonacci

Greg Antonacci is a multi-talented New Yorker who has been extremely active in the entertainment industry since the 1970s. Acting is only one of the strings to his bow: Antonacci is also an experienced director, writer and producer. He has also been involved in the theatre world. In 1975 he wrote, composed for and starred in the Broadway musical Dance with Me, which ran for almost a year and was nominated for three Tony Awards.

Although his writing and producing keeps him busy, his acting résumé is still impressive. Before playing mob boss Johnny Torrio in Boardwalk Empire, Antonacci was Butch DeConcini in nine episodes of the final season of The Sopranos. During his time on the show he worked with both Terence Winter and Tim Van Patten. His other previous acting credits include the short-lived series Makin’ It and playing Vinnie Morabito in the comedy Busting Loose, both of which aired in the 1970s.

With his producer hat on, he has created a variety of television shows as diverse as The Blues Brothers – The Animated Series and the popular Brothers, a comedy that ran for five seasons about a former kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles who opens a restaurant. He has also produced a series created by Eddie Murphy called The Royal Family. The show was initially popular but suffered a crippling blow when one of its lead actors, the comedian Redd Foxx, died midway through production.

When you add to this his numerous writing and directing credits, it is clear that Antonacci is a man of many talents. With a strong performance in The Sopranos and an ongoing role in Boardwalk Empire, he seems to be enjoying a real revival as an actor. He threw himself into the role of Johnny Torrio, researching his character and looking into the realities of life during Prohibition. He presented the Chicago part of HBO’s Speakeasy Tour, visiting the site of Torrio’s old headquarters, the Four Deuces, as well as the Green Mill, the Green Door Tavern and other drinking dens of the era. Vincent Piazza and Michael Stuhlbarg, who play Lucky Luciano and Arnold Rothstein in the show, present the New York segment of the tour. The 25-minute documentary can be found online and is well worth watching.

Antonacci has been married twice. His first wife was Annie Potts, an actress who has starred in Ghostbusters and voices Bo Peep in the Toy Story movies. His second wife, Lynda Costanzo, is also an actress.

Considering that the real Torrio did not die until he was well into his seventies, we can safely assume that Antonacci is going to remain a firm fixture in Terence Winter’s show.

Speaking to ABC, he said that working with Scorsese was a real privilege. ‘There are directors who create an atmosphere in which you can do good work; Marty creates an atmosphere in which it is impossible not to do good work,’ he said. ‘And his energy is incredible … it’s infectious. […] You’ll do a take, it’s two in the morning – you’ve been there from five the morning before – and he’ll come over and