Small-time criminal John Francis Tenuti (Peter Dobson) is in a restaurant when a beautiful girl walks in and kills mobster Chico Roselli who is sitting opposite him. The girl casually walks by Johnny and drops the gun in his food. Johnny picks up the gun and yells “The bimbo did it!” but the girl is nowhere to be found.
Fearing the worst, Johnny runs and is now sought by the police, the Jersey mob (who want revenge) and his spiteful ex-wife Beverly Florio (Rose Abdoo) who is also his parole officer – Johnny is on parole after serving five years for driving the getaway car for mobster Vinnie Roselli (Richard Romanus).
Johnny befriends a kindly old-timer named Hick Benson (Dub Taylor) who owns a 31-foot Winnebago. When Hick asks his name, Johnny sees the partially covered ‘Winnebago’ badge on the dashboard and says his name is Johnny Bago.
Heck dies peacefully the following day (while fishing) and Johnny commandeers the Winnebago. He is now a fugitive and travels the back roads of America hoping to keep out of sight and find the real killer to clear himself.
Along the way, he meets Elvis, hangs out with a group of environmentalist crackpots, spends time with a group of migrant farmworkers who think they see the Virgin Mary in a pattern of mud splattered on the motorhome and has a variety of other highly improbable and silly adventures.
The theme song was performed by Jimmy Buffett. The series only made it from 25 June to 6 August 1993.
Johnny Bago (John Francis Tenuti)
Peter Dobson Beverly Florio
Rose Abdoo Ma Tenuti
Anna Berger Vincent ‘Vinnie’ Roselli
Richard Romanus Bob Burrows
Timothy Stack Don Roselli
Michael V. Gazzo Captain Lemsky
Art LaFleur Detective Venezia
Barry Shabaka Henley
Episodes
Johnny Bago Free at Last | Hail the Conquering Marrow | Johnny’s Manly Act |
Johnny’s Golden Shaft | Big Top Bago | Lady Madonna | Spotting Elvis | Johnny Saves the World
