Cy Tolliver Opens Rival Saloon
The Bella Union opens across from the Gem.
In the first season, newly arrived Cy Tolliver and his entourage buy an abandoned hotel across from the Gem, renovate it and open the Bella Union Saloon, a luxurious gambling house and brothel. Tolliver, played by Powers Boothe, becomes Al Swearengen's main rival.
Quick Facts
- Season
- 1
- Saloon
- Bella Union
- Rival
- Al Swearengen's Gem
Lore & Background
Tolliver brings his own people: Eddie Sawyer, a card sharp who has worked with him for 17 years, and Joanie Stubbs, his madam and partner of 18 years, who later leaves the Bella Union to open her own brothel, the Chez Amis. Con Stapleton, the camp's first sheriff, falls under Tolliver's influence and stays in his employ, working with Leon on odd jobs such as security at the Bella Union.
Reader's Guide
The Bella Union's arrival is the start of the Gem-versus-Bella Union rivalry that runs through all three seasons; in Deadwood: The Movie Joanie Stubbs owns the Bella Union after Tolliver's implied death.
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