Richard Harrow

Grew Up… in Plover, Wisc. Richard sees his childhood as a separate life from the one he currently lives. The old “normal” Richard Harrow is gone. The new Richard Harrow is, and will forever remain, “a soldier.”

Living… life on the periphery of the criminal underworld. Richard has ended up in Atlantic City, N.J., after fighting in World War I. He excelled as a sniper in the Great War, and now he’s using those skills to make a living for himself. Even though he’s earning good money, Richard constantly asks himself why he goes on living when he seemingly can’t have the one thing that would make him truly happy: a family. His disfiguring war injury will likely see to that.

Profession… bodyguard for Nucky Thompson, Atlantic City’s leading gangster, and assassin for Nucky’s associate (and surrogate son) Jimmy Darmody. Richard often speaks of his time in the War with nostalgia: “That’s where I belonged.” Luckily for him, there’s a war of sorts being waged on the East Coast of the United States. It’s a war for illegal liquor, and Richard has found a purpose for himself in this battle between criminals.

Relationship Status… single. But Richard yearns for love, a relationship and a family. Despite his cold-blooded attitude, he has a secret soft spot and fantasizes about being a normal family man.

Challenge… finding the will to live in a world in which he’ll never belong. He suffered severe facial disfigurement in the Great War, forcing him to cover the left half of his face with a tin mask. If he removes the mask, it reveals a gaping hole where skin and bone once were. “Sometimes I forget what I look like,” he says. “Then I pass a mirror and I remember. I stare sometimes… at my face… and I can’t recall who I was before.” Many treat Richard as a freak because of his looks, and sometimes he fears they’re right.

Personality… serious, hard to read, but ultimately decent. His war wounds, both physical and emotional, cause him difficulty with expressing emotions. His injury also affected his vocal chords, making it hard for him to shift the tone of his voice. Despite his physical handicaps, his behavior – when he’s not out doing Jimmy’s dirty work – is kind and empathetic. In the right company, Richard will even attempt a joke.