Who Plays George Remus and, uh, Who is George Remus Anyway?

In Season 2 of Boardwalk Empire, Chicago attorney turned bootlegger, George Remus, is portrayed by Glenn Fleshler. Glenn is a TV, film and Broadway actor, who will be appearing as Cerberus in the star-studded “Gods Behaving Badly” (2012). But who is George Remus? In Boardwalk Empire, Remus will play a part in cutting Nucky Thompson out of the Chicago bootlegging business.

In real life, George Remus (1876-1952) was a pharmacist turned attorney turned bootlegger who made a fortune during Prohibition. Here are some quotes from books on his very colorful life and what he was really like. From King Of The Bootleggers: a biography of George Remus by William A. Cook:

“Although physically short and plump, George Remus was no pushover. He had an explosive temper and knew how to use his fists.”

“Remus liked being a lawyer; he enjoyed the prestige and public notoriety. But deep inside himself, George Remus was a material man and he saw that a few of his clients were getting very rich from bootlegging. Although he was making $50,000 a year as a lawyer, he began to seriously consider that perhaps bootlegging was more profitable than practicing law.”

“Although George Remus was a lifelong teetotaler, he viewed the prohibition law as sanctimonious. He reasoned that what he needed to do in order to cash in was to find a loophole in the Volstead Act, then develop a business plan to get that liquor, wine and beer out of the warehouses into the hands of a thirsty public harboring a total disdain for Prohibition.”

Did he really know Johnny Torrio and Al Capone? From Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America by Edward Behr:

“Chicago became dry in 1918. In this hugely corrupt city … Remus the criminal attorney … was much in demand. Among his clients was Johnny Torrio, a nightclub and brothel owner, and one of the first Chicago bootleggers and speakeasy kings. Torrio, himself a straitlaced family man and practicing Catholic for all his many brothel ownerships, summoned one of his distant New York relatives, Alfonso Caponi, to assist him in his operations. Remus knew Capone, too, but only slightly.”

After making a fortune, Remus was imprisoned for bootlegging for 2 years. While in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, he confided in a fellow inmate, Franklin Dodge, that his second wife, Imogene, had power of attorney over his assets. Dodge, who was really an undercover Fed, resigned his job, took up with Imogene and the two of them proceeded to divest Remus of his assets. Imogene and Remus divorced. On the way to the final hearing in court, Remus shot Imogene and was tried for murder. The case was prosecuted by Charles Taft, son of former President William Howard Taft. Remus ended up with an acquittal on the grounds of temporary insanity. He then got out of going to a mental asylum, ending up with only a 6-month sentence. Imogene’s ghost is said to be the “Lady in Black” that haunts Eden Park, where she was shot. From Haunted Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio by Jeff Morris and Michael A. Morris:

“Remus had his chauffeur run the taxi off the road. Both vehicles came to a stop in front of the gazebo in Eden Park. Remus and Imogene jumped out of the vehicles and started yelling at each other in broad daylight in front of everyone who was at the park that day. Suddenly, without warning, Remus took out a gun and shot Imogene in the abdomen. She crumpled to the ground and died there in front of the gazebo wearing her black dress.

“Remus was suddenly caught up in a media frenzy that followed him to the courthouse. He was going to he tried for the murder of Imogene. With so many witnesses and a clear motive, the prosecution felt if had an easy case on its hands. Remus would quickly prove them wrong.”