Where Did THAT Come From: Johnny Tightlips & Frankie the Squealer

In our silly lil game, we sometimes see things pop in that we have no clue as to their Origin. They seem familiar, but we just can’t pinpoint from where. So that is why we decided to make a fun lil reminder out of it. To let you know just Where did THAT Come From?

This post I will be going over the Origin of the Frankie the Squealer & Johnny Tightlips. Characters brought to you courtesy of Level 58. Why are they in our games? What is with all the Mob type references? Where they really in that many episodes? Let’s dive into the Simpsons TV Series to find out more.

First up, for those of you that may have not even realized… Frankie the Squealer has been in our games for a very long time now. Since Legs & Louie were introduced in fact during Level 28. Legs even mentioned him in the Unlock Screen.

 

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Now… TV TIME!!

Since Frankie and Johnny are both a big part of Fat Tony’s Mafia Group, let’s take a look at the Episodes they BOTH appeared in.

Season 12, Episode 3: Insane Clown Poppy
This is the first appearance of Frankie the Squealer. Krusty’s Daughter Sophie has tracked him down at a Book Fair Signing. While trying to spend time with her Father, Sophie forgot her precious Violin in the back seat of his car. Krusty of course has no issue in using it for a “Winning Hand” against Fat Tony. He loses and the Violin is now Tony’s.

After seeing how much it destroyed Sophie’s lil heart to lose the Violin, Krusty runs to Homer for help. Lol, help. Homer decides a brilliant plan will be to break into Fat Tony’s and steal the Violin back.

At Fat Tony’s Compound, it looks like all of the Mafia has gathered for a big Summit. Everyone is there, including Johny Tightlips and Frankie the Squealer, who says he just can’t help himself. Squealing makes him feel big. Legs and Louie drag him off. Most likely to Interrogate him.

A bit later, Homer and Krusty are attempting to sneak out with stacks of Violin cases, including his Daughter Sophie’s Violin that Krusty lost to Tony in a gambling bet. They are of course spotted and drop the cases. This causes the guns hidden inside the majority of them to go off. Looks like Johnny is hit, but he ain’t sayin nuthin.

Frankie can then be seen right at the end with Legs and Louie chasing Homer down the street while firing shots at him. Guess Frankie was Interrogated too badly.

 

Season 14, Episode 16: Scuse Me While I Miss The Sky
When Fat Tony pulls up to Luigi’s Restaurant in his Mafia Car, we can see Johnny Tightlips riding along with him, Legs, and Louie. He follows them inside, sits next to them at the table, then also follows them outside to get Bart and Milhouse who disguised themselves as Valets to steal the Hood Ornament of his Mafia Car.

He is later scene watching the Deadly Meteor Shower with Tony, Legs, and Louie while sitting by the Mafia Car. (Bart is in the background taking the Hood Ornament while they are not watching.

As far as Frankie… this one is something up for discussion. While they are staring up to the sky, Louie comments he wishes Jimmy the Snitch could see it, to which they open the trunk to reveal someone who looks similar and could be mistaken for Frankie the Squealer. Could the two be one in the same? Some think so. I think they are two separate Characters myself.

 

Season 15, Episode 1: Treehouse of Horror XIV
In an attempt to prevent Death from taking Bart, Homer kills Death and no one can die. Cut to an abandoned warehouse with the Mafia Car outside. Inside Tony, Legs, Louie, and of course Johnny are shooting at Frankie the Squealer in an attempt to kill him, but he just will not die.

 

Season 16, Episode 14: Seven Beer Snitch
At the newly turned into Burns State Prison, Homer has secretly become a snitch to all the “bad things” going in inside. This does not make Fat Tony and his guys happy at all. Including Johnny Tightlips. They set out to figure out who the snitch rat is.

Johnny said he found a rat, and he is right here… Frankie the Squealer. Frankie states he isn’t the rat he is the pigeon, then Legs steps in and says he thought Frankie was the mole, Johnny reminds him he is thinking of the canary. Regardless, the Mafia Guys are not happy with whoever is ratting them out.

 

Season 21, Episode 7: Rednecks & Broomsticks
The Simpsons were rescued by Cletus from the almost icey death on the frozen lake. Homer seems to like it there at Cletus’ place quite a lot and the family keeps returning to spend time.

Lisa had prior stumbled across some Wiccans in the woods outside of Cletus’ place and returned to ask them if they had cast a spell on her teacher. They eventually ask her to join them. Lisa states she never makes a final decision on the forest without thinking… cut over to Legs, Louie, Johnny, and Frankie also in the forest. Looks like the boys are telling Frankie to dig his own grave. He asks them what if he doesn’t dig it. Johnny states he will instead, but Frankie doesn’t want him to do it… with Johnny’s bad back and all. So Frankie grabs the shovel and starts digging his own grave.

 

Season 22, Episode 9: Donnie Fatso
Homer’s New Year is just getting off to a very awful start. It seems no matter what he does, he keeps getting tickets for simple lil things. He tries to get help from the guys at Moe’s, but Moe’s advise to Bribe a City Official ends up putting Homer in the Federal Prison for 10 years. Wiggum offers him one last chance to avoid it all, the FBI.

They want to insert Homer into Fat Tony’s Mob as an informant (Nicki) to monitor their activities and report back to the FBI so they can finally take Tony and the Mob down.

In his new disguise and at the Federal Prison, the FBI Agent posing as a guard sets up Homer to get in with the Mob. Of course, Johnny Tightlips is there with Legs and Louie. They are impressed with the way Homer took down the guard as well as took his beating… and he is in.

Homer ends up foiling the set up to trap Tony with his Belgium Guns, which greatly upsets Tony to find out Homer is an informant. Tony dies from a broken heart … or a heart attack. In his place, his cousin Fit Tony takes over… but slowly eats his way to become the new Fat Tony. With Frankie and Johnny helping him out all along the way.

 

Season 23, Episode 14: At Long Last Leave
The Simpsons are banned from Springfield by the towns folk tired of cleaning up after Homer’s messes. Homer knows though that Marge is not happy in the Outlands and wants to go home. So he sneaks them back in. They sneak back into their home for some “snuggle time”, but are caught. It seems Wiggum was already waiting outside, along with many from the town… including Frankie, who is off to the Left behind Dr Hibbert, Bernice, Mr Burns, and Smithers. Meanwhile over to the right stands Agnes, Krusty, and Johnny. Can you name everyone else that showed up too?

 

Season 24, Episode 5: Penny-Wiseguys
Fat Tony is no longer able to avoid it and all his appeals are exhausted, he is going to have to serve jury duty. This means he is going to have to name a temporary Don to take his place. All of the Mafia Guys are gathered around the table to see who he picks, including Johnny Tightlips and Frankie the Squealer.

When Tony names Dan the Accountant as his temporary Don, none of them look very happy. Trying to break the Ice, Dan tells the guys to go around and say what they are all afraid of. Johnny says he is afraid he might kill this guy.

Later, you can see Dan… still at Luigi’s around the table… showing the guys all the numbers of money they are just wasting away. He is trying desperately to show them better ways to manage it. They are all still not amused.

Dan stumbles into Homer, Carl, Lenny, and Moe at Moe’s Bar. He had ditched them earlier at the bowling alley to go to the meeting with Fat Tony. Not knowing what his job is, Moe tells him to take charge and be aggressive.

Dan returns to to Luigi’s with the guys around the table again, though this time he is not going to let them bully him… he is going to bully them. He is going to assert his authority in the role of the Don. Little does he know though, that means that Tony also expects him to kill off a guy or ten to cut the budget another 12%.

He begs Homer to help him, so Homer ties him up in his basement… full of thousands of Grasshoppers thanks to Lisa & Bart. Homer goes and rescues him just in time, for him to escape and go out and fullfill the killings… or at least try to.

His first stop is the Barbershop and Johnny Tightlips, but Homer gets there just in time and Dan runs to the next hit… Louie.

Homer uses Bart rolled up to toss at Dan to stop that one. Lastly, he ends up back at Luigi’s with Legs and Frankie intent to off someone. But alas, Homer is right on his trail again and stops him from shooting them too. Looks like Frankie and Johnny escaped death thanks to Homer.

 

 

Now for some additional individual appearances…

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FRANKIE THE SQUEALER

Season 17, Episode 10: Homer’s Paternity Coot
Homer is underwater in the Ocean with his “Real” Father, Mason Fairbanks, looking for the greatest treasure. As they are taking in the wonders of the Ocean floor, they pass by what looks to be Frankie the Squealer in “cement shoes” on the Ocean Floor.

 

Season 18, Episode 7: Ice Cream of  Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)
As Homer has taken on the Ice Cream Truck and roll of the Ice Cream Man, Marge finds a new and inventive way of how to deal with all those empty popsicle sticks lying around. Popsicle replicas of the people of Springfield. People like Tony choking Frankie the Squealer, who were more than happy to pose for the piece of popsicle stick  art. Once done Tony gets back in the care while Frankie gets in the trunk.

 

Season 24, Episode 2: Treehouse of Horror XXII
Everyone in town seems to be at the Springfield Subatomic SuperCollider to see what happens when Professor Frink throws the switch. The town assumed nothing happened, but what they did not see is a Black Hole forming inside of the tubes. It breaks free and begins to suck up everything in site into the Black Hole.

This includes Frankie the Squealer. Tony is attempting once again to shoot him, but the bullets go into the Black Hole instead, then Frankie is pulled in, then  Sucked into Black Hole.

 

Season 26, Episode 11: Bart’s New Friend
While at a show, a Hypnotist Sven Golly has made Homer believe he is a 10 yr old boy before making his escape from the Police. While stuck in the mind of a 10yr old, he becomes closer than ever to Bart & Lisa.

Later the cops locate the Hypnotist and bring him to the Simpsons to set Homer right again, but Bart & Lisa are just not ready to let the young Homer go. Bart sneaks Homer off to Itchy & Scratchy Land. There, Bart & Homer go to “Soarin Over Springfield” in 4D (with some MST3K looking Characters joining them). While under water in one of the places they travel to, it seems Frankie the Squealer is back in his cement shoes again.

 

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JOHNNY TIGHTLIPS

A fun lil side note, in the Book Series “Simpsons Library of Wisdom”, there is one called “Chief Wiggums Book of Crime & Punishment. In it, it states that Johnny’s real name was Jonathan Schmallippe

Season 3, Episode 4: Bart the Murderer
Interestingly enough, this is not only Johnny Tightlips first appearance in the TV Series but he also was voiced in this episode only by none other than the Late Phil Hartman. His Character could have been retired along with the other Phil Characters, but Harry Shearer took over the voice for Johnny.

Johnny in this episode, according to which Character they state is “Johnny”, is more of a grey haired guy with a scar in this episode. Tony is hollering at him which horses to place bets on per Bart’s suggestions. Like “Don’t Have a Cow” & “Eat My Shorts”. I guess they totally reinvented him for the later Series after Harry took over the voice. Not the first time nor I think the last time they altered coloring and images of long standing Characters in the game.

 

Season 13, Episode 22: Poppa’s Got a Brand New Badge
After a blackout in Springfield that he created, utter chaos has broken loose. Homer finally decides to take a stand when Jimbo steals Lisa’s Malibu Stacy Dolls. Homer finds that finding criminals is fun. Marge suggests that Homer start his own security company, Spring Shield.

After realizing how incompetent Wiggum is, Quimby puts all of Springfield’s Security in Spring Shield and Homer’s hands. Which he quickly uses to arrest Fat Tony, Legs, and Louie. This does not sit well with Fat Tony and he puts out notice on the radio that he is putting a hit out on Homer. To help out, Fat Tony brings in his “Joisey” (Jersey) muscle… Johnny Tightlips. He ain’t sayin nothin. 

Fat Tony and the boys head on over to the Simpsons al a Sopranos style. They approach Marge who begs them to just stop. They could do so many other things, like be Pizza Men. Did she mention they could be Pizza Men? Homer goes outside to confront them. They all pull guns, but it seems someone else is there to back up Homer. Fat Tony turns to Johnny for help after being shot, but he still ain’t seein or sayin nuthin. All of Fat Tony’s boys then are shot and they all lay wriggling in pain on the Simpson’s front lawn. Homer gives up his badge to the next person he sees… Wiggum. He thanks Wiggum for the help but he says it was not him. Well then who shot all those Gangsters? MAGGIE OF COURSE!!

 

Season 14, Episode 14: Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington
Looks like the Flight Path has been re-routed to fly right over the Simpsons Home. Everyone is taking flight over it, including the Mafia Staff Jet. Inside Louie and Johnny are forced to watch Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood… because Tony has a thing for it.

 

Season 14, Episode 22: Moe Baby Blues
Maggie hears some voices outside her bedroom window. It looks like Louie has lost his willingness to whack somebody so Tony and the boys are trying to cheer him up. Tony makes a silly face with an orange slice in his mouth, just like Moe told Maggie in her bedtime story, and it seems Louie is back in the mood. Hope he don’t mind his Mother is next on the list, to which Johnny reminds him that her sauce he loves so much comes out of a can.

Maggie, thinking all this is the same Characters from the story Moe made up to read to her, wants to follows them… all the way to Luigi’s. Seems she has crawled right into a Mob War as Legs, Louie, Tony, and Johnny are ready to whack another Group of Mobsters at the table. Moe goes in to save her and shows them all how just looking at Maggie will make them rethink what they’re doing. They all break down in tears.

 

Season 17, Episode 1: The Bonfire of the Manatees
After borrowing money from Fat Tony to make a bet on a Football game… that he of course lost… Homer has found himself in a tough situation with Fat Tony and the boys. Fat Tony offers him a way out. Let them use his house to make an Adult Film. Johnny explains that is is called “Lemony Lick-it, a series of Horny Events.”

 

Season 18, Episode 1: The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
The Simpson Family is invited to dinner at Fat Tony’s after Lisa makes friends with one of the kids Marge was carpooling. Fat Tony’s son Michael. At dinner, Fat Tony is pulled away from the dinner table for a sit down with another Mob Family, the Calabrese’s. Johnny is of course there too.

Michael comes into the meeting just as it is about to end to offer up some souffle that he has made and tell his Dad he wants to become a Chef. This makes Tony look weak to the Calabrese’s and they leave… but do not go too far. They quickly jumped in their chopper and gunned Fat Tony down. At the Hospital, Johnny explains that now  with Tony doing the Morphine Mombo the Calabrese’s will try to make Tony take a “dirt nap”.

This makes Michael worry about what he is going to do now. Johnny tells him that the only thing he can do now is to take his Dad’s place. As Legs, Louie, and Johnny leave… Louie states he wants to go by the Lexus dealership to test drive the new Hybrid. Johnny tells him he IS a Hybrid. Half idiot, half moron. WHOA! Where did THAT come from? WHOA! Lol.

 

Season 20, Episode 19: Wavery Hills, 9-0-2-1- D’oh
Chief Wiggum is attempting to help Bart look cool… errr… bad in front of the new kids at Waverly by arresting him. He later lets him out by the shore and tells him all he has to do now is keep his end of the bargain by showing up to Ralph’s party.

Tony, Legs, Louie, and Johnny show up. He tells them that he will forget that they have been dealing drugs at the High School if they come to Ralph’s party too. They procrastinate about it. Wiggum tells them Batman will be there. They freak out. Johnny tells Wiggum there is no way he ain’t messin with no caped crusader. They all run to their SUV and take off.

 

Season 21, Episode 18: Chief of Hearts
Homer befriends Wiggum while doing community service. Wiggum gets REALLY attached to his new “best friend”. So much so he lets him get away with pretty much anything and even come along on the job with him.

Even though the other real cops are there, Homer asks if he can handcuff some of the Mob Guys. Wiggum tells him he can, but Lou argues that Homer should not and the real cops should handle it. While they continue to argue, Johnny pulls a gun and takes Homer hostage. Wiggum lunges at Johnny and struggles to gain control of the gun so his “best friend” Homer doesn’t get hurt. Unfortunately the gun goes off in the struggle and Wiggum is shot. Johnny and the boys take off.

Later after getting upset that Homer is not spending every minute with him, Wiggum takes off. Lou and Eddie ask Homer for some help. He goes up the mountain to find Wiggum laying down by an overlook. Homer tries to reason with him. Meanwhile behind them Fat Tony, Louie, Legs, and Johnny are making knock off clothing to sale and packing it up in their vehicle. Wiggum tries to hold them up with, as Johnny points out, a weapon loaded with 12 original herbs and spices. It seems Wiggum grabbed one of the pieces of chicken out of the bucket Homer brought to cheer him up with. The Guys laugh at Wiggum, then pull their real guns on him and Homer.

 

Season 25, Episode 19: What to Expect When Bart’s Expecting
Fat Tony has heard of Bart’s “power” to make females pregnant and has him and Homer kidnapped from Moe’s by Legs & Louie. He wants Bart to help his Filly, Cheesestake, pregnant by a horse he “borrowed”… Rear Admiral… and it better be a boy.

They are successful… only because they allowed Sudsley to impregnate her unbeknownst to Tony. Louie has never seen Johnny so happy.

 

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There you have it, two Mafia Members that seem to keep reappearing all throughout our Simpsons TV Series and then some. And you thought they were just side Characters. 😉

What did you think of their Origin? How many of these episodes did you remember? Any favorite moments of Frankie or Johnny that you have? Let us know.

~Bunny