Johnny Gavin (Rescue Me)

Johnny Gavin is a fictional character on the FX drama series Rescue Me. The character was played by Dean Winters.

Johnny is Tommy Gavin's (Denis Leary) younger brother. He is a well-connected detective in the NYPD, who reluctantly helps Tommy out in terms of getting him out of trouble with the law and providing information to Tommy when asked. He has an ex-wife named Angie (Marisa Tomei) and two daughters, who have not been seen in the series. It is mentioned that one of the daughters is in reform school. During the first season, Johnny helps Tommy mess with Janet's new boyfriend during her separation from Tommy by arranging for his car to be repossessed and his credit cards to be canceled. Johnny encourages Tommy to call their father, Michael Gavin (Charles Durning), especially after Michael separates from their mother. Eventually, Michael returns home, but she dies shortly after. Johnny also attempts to help Tommy locate Janet and Tommy's kids when she moves them out of New York City at the end of the first season.

As the show progressed, the character becomes more and more openly resentful towards Tommy and having to clean up his brother's messes, which is coupled with the fact that Johnny has been had an unrequited crush for Janet for years.

After a short-lived reconciliation between Tommy and Janet, their only son Connor was killed by a drunk driver. Janet (Andrea Roth) moved out with their two daughters at the end of the second season. At the request of Tommy, Johnny began to look after Janet. The two started an affair, which was revealed at the end of the first episode of the third season. Tommy subsequently finds out about the relationship and beats his brother up at their father's 83rd birthday party. Johnny eventually reveals to Tommy that Janet is pregnant, but he has no idea that Janet has cheated on him with Tommy. Soon after, Johnny is shot three times in the back during a stakeout, eventually dying of his wounds. His brother's death devastates Tommy, who had not yet reconciled with Johnny, but eventually is able to forgive him.

Tommy has a vision of Johnny's ghost in the fourth season, but only for a brief flash, and again in Season 5 episode "Torch".

Johnny is a recurring character in the first two seasons before becoming a regular in the third season.