Rodney Trotter
Encyclopedia
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character
in the BBC
sitcom Only Fools and Horses
, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst
.
, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.
", "The Long Legs of the Law
", and "A Royal Flush
" that Rodney is embarrassed about Del's antics, including lying to girls they want to date. In "Yuppy Love
", he lied to a new girlfriend, Cassandra, that he lived in the posh street 'Kings Avenue', in order to impress her; however, she later found out where he lived when she phoned Nelson Mandela House. Del often asks Rodney questions, saying 'You're the one with GCES!'. It is revealed in "The Frog's Legacy
", that Freddie Robdal is Rodney's real dad, when rumours start to emerge about the likeness between him and Rodney.
Del claimed in "Mother Nature's Son
" that Rodney was still being breast fed until he was three and a half years old. As a child, Rodney was "all snot and Marmite" with a "funny haircut". Unlike Del, Rodney went to grammar school
, where he passed GCEs in Art and Mathematics. He was subsequently expelled from an Art College in Basingstoke for smoking cannabis. In the early episodes, Rodney was troubled by this, and also by the fact that he had a very poor job and lived in a very grotty flat. He was worried that he would never find independence, which he really did long for. When he met Cassandra, it gave him a chance to move on in life, which resulted in his leaving Del behind. (This was conveyed in "Little Problems
", at the end, when everyone had left the wedding reception and Del was standing all on his own, holding the groom from the wedding cake).
In later episodes, the only thing that troubled Rodney was his nephew Damien, whom he had recurring nightmares about. He was convinced that he was going to be the son of Satan, being named Damien did not help matters at all, (even though it was Rodney's bright idea that he was named Damien in the first place). The fact that Trigger
had been calling him "Dave" since 1981 was no help. He did not know that Rodney was called Rodney, he always called him "Dave". No matter how many opportunities Trigger had to realise that "Dave" was not Rodney's name, he continued to call him Dave. One instance was portrayed in "Modern Men
", when Mike (the landlord at the Nags Head pub), announced a toast to future Mum and Dad "Cassandra and Rodney"; everyone said "Cassandra and Rodney", but Trigger could be heard shouting "Cassandra and Dave".
Cassandra fell pregnant in "Heroes and Villains", but later miscarried in " Modern Men
"
. "Rodders", as he is affectionately known by his big brother, has stuck by Del through thick and thin. Rodney is not as streetwise as his brother. Del's comments whenever Rodney makes a mistake have become notable catchphrases throughout the series. They include "Plonker", "Wally", "Twonk", "Dipstick".
Rodney is the son of Joan Mavis Trotter, grandson of Edward Trotter
, and great nephew of Albert Trotter
. He has a nephew named Damien, and a daughter named Joan.
Throughout the series, Rodney's assumed father was Reg Trotter, although his actual paternity was occasionally called into question, such as in the 1983 and 1987 Christmas specials "Thicker Than Water
" and "The Frog's Legacy
" due to the unavoidable fact that he shared little resemblance to either Del or Reg in terms of appearance or personality. In the final Only Fools and Horses episode, the 2003 Christmas special "Sleepless in Peckham", Rodney discovered through an old photograph of the very first Jolly Boys' Outing that he and Del did not actually share the same father. His biological father was revealed to be local gentleman thief, Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, who had an affair with Rodney's mother in March 1960, and Rodney immediately knew this due to Robdal's striking resemblance to him. This is confirmed in the prequel series "Rock & Chips". In the episode's final scene, Rodney asks Del if he is anything like Robdal, but Del denies it, labelling Robdal several names like a "thief", a "conman", a "liar" and a "cheat", none of which apply to Rodney.
Rodney lives with Cassandra, their daughter Joan, Del, Del's "significant other" Raquel and their son Damien at door 368 on the 12th floor of the fictional Nelson Mandela House in Dockside Estate, Peckham, London.
", and married in 1989. Her father Alan employed Rodney at his company, Parry Print Ltd, (at least until Rodney accidentally quit that job), and, with some financial assistance from Del, he was able to buy a flat and finally move out of Nelson Mandela House. Their marriage suffered when Rodney punched Cassandra's boss, and broke his nose, when returning from Margate in "The Jolly Boys' Outing
". They split up in the next episode; "Rodney Come Home
" (which was aired on Christmas Day 1990), and throughout the seventh season attempted to patch up their relationship; in "The Chance of a Lunchtime
" Del played matchmaker, in order for them to re-unite. This worked, until Rodney was seen by Cassandra, with one of Del's ex-fiancées, when he was accompanying her to a taxi, because she was very drunk. In "Three Men, a Woman and a Baby
", Cassandra told Rodney that it was all over between them, until her mum insisted she should see their solicitor for advice, who told her that they should talk. They re-united after Rodney took advantage of her, by pretending a ponytail was a rat. He stayed the night but they were interrupted by Del phoning to say Raquel
had gone into labour.
In "Miami Twice
", it was revealed that the two were living together on weekends as they tried to rebuild their relationship. In "Mother Nature's Son
", they were back together fully. They had been trying for a baby ever since, so when it was announced that Cassandra was pregnant, everyone was jubilant. However she miscarried at the end of the following episode; "Modern Men
". Rodney and Cassandra now have a young daughter called Joan, who Rodney named after his late mother and who was born in the last episode; "Sleepless in Peckham
", resulting in a very moving and emotional ending to the show.
in a fellow student's room, after which he was quickly expelled and given an eighteen month suspended sentence
for possessing drugs. With only two GCE's and a criminal record, Del took it upon himself to give Rodney a job as an assistant market trader (or "Financial Advisor") and sidekick knowing that he was unlikely to get a decent job anywhere else. Although being a partner may have sounded impressive on the outside, Rodney's main duty was keeping an eye out for the police while Del would be (illegally) flogging his goods on Peckham market.
Rodney had worked in that pitiful position until 2001 when Del was declared bankrupt, forbidding him from running a company. When Trotters Independent Traders was about to cease operating, Del knew that Rodney was not banned from managing a firm and so after two decades as an assistant market trader, Rodney finally stepped up as titular Managing Director of T.I.T.CO.; he also did the accounts and computerized the business.
For some time, Rodney worked as Financial Director of T.I.T.CO (a job which included such executive tasks as loading the van). Rodney has a strong conscience and is often morally outraged by Del's business activities, such as dealing in stolen goods. Despite his ethical objections, Rodney is usually enticed into Del's money-making schemes by Del's persuasive charms and the temptation of financial rewards.
In the episode "It's Only Rock And Roll" its revealed that Rodney is in a band, with a man nicknamed "Mental Mickey" by the Trotters. Del later in the episode tells the band that they could one day be famous and he manages them for a while, but backs out as he realises that they will never get anywhere.
", when Cassandra mistakes Freddie the Frog in an old 1960s photo of the first Jolly Boys' Outing for Rodney. Rodney corrects her, claiming that the photo was taken in July 1960 before he was born (according to Rodney), thus making Rodney's date of birth the date he reveals it to be in "The Unlucky Winner Is...
", 2 November. This is confirmed when Rodney's birth is shown in "Rock and Chips".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies...
.
Personality
Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John SullivanJohn Sullivan (writer)
John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.
Personal life
It is revealed in numerous episodes such as "Big BrotherBig Brother (Only Fools and Horses)
"Big Brother" is the pilot episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the pilot episode of the entire series, and the first episode of series 1, and was first screened on 8 September, 1981.-Synopsis:...
", "The Long Legs of the Law
The Long Legs of the Law
"The Long Legs of the Law" is the first episode of series 2 of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 21 October, 1982. The title of the episode was a pun on the police term "the long arm of the law".-Synopsis:...
", and "A Royal Flush
A Royal Flush
"A Royal Flush" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1986. It was the second feature-length edition of the show, and the fifth Christmas special. It was re-edited into a shorter version with added laughter track and released on DVD in 2004...
" that Rodney is embarrassed about Del's antics, including lying to girls they want to date. In "Yuppy Love
Yuppy Love
"Yuppy Love" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 6, and was first screened on 8 January, 1989...
", he lied to a new girlfriend, Cassandra, that he lived in the posh street 'Kings Avenue', in order to impress her; however, she later found out where he lived when she phoned Nelson Mandela House. Del often asks Rodney questions, saying 'You're the one with GCES!'. It is revealed in "The Frog's Legacy
The Frog's Legacy
"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It is the first episode of the series to introduce the unseen but pivotal character, Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal, later revealed to be Rodney Trotter's real, biological father...
", that Freddie Robdal is Rodney's real dad, when rumours start to emerge about the likeness between him and Rodney.
Del claimed in "Mother Nature's Son
Mother Nature's Son (Only Fools and Horses)
"Mother Nature's Son" is a Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 25 December 1992.-Synopsis:...
" that Rodney was still being breast fed until he was three and a half years old. As a child, Rodney was "all snot and Marmite" with a "funny haircut". Unlike Del, Rodney went to grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, where he passed GCEs in Art and Mathematics. He was subsequently expelled from an Art College in Basingstoke for smoking cannabis. In the early episodes, Rodney was troubled by this, and also by the fact that he had a very poor job and lived in a very grotty flat. He was worried that he would never find independence, which he really did long for. When he met Cassandra, it gave him a chance to move on in life, which resulted in his leaving Del behind. (This was conveyed in "Little Problems
Little Problems
"Little Problems" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 6, and was first screened on 12 February, 1989...
", at the end, when everyone had left the wedding reception and Del was standing all on his own, holding the groom from the wedding cake).
In later episodes, the only thing that troubled Rodney was his nephew Damien, whom he had recurring nightmares about. He was convinced that he was going to be the son of Satan, being named Damien did not help matters at all, (even though it was Rodney's bright idea that he was named Damien in the first place). The fact that Trigger
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
had been calling him "Dave" since 1981 was no help. He did not know that Rodney was called Rodney, he always called him "Dave". No matter how many opportunities Trigger had to realise that "Dave" was not Rodney's name, he continued to call him Dave. One instance was portrayed in "Modern Men
Modern Men (Only Fools and Horses)
"Modern Men" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was first screened on 27 December 1996.-Synopsis:...
", when Mike (the landlord at the Nags Head pub), announced a toast to future Mum and Dad "Cassandra and Rodney"; everyone said "Cassandra and Rodney", but Trigger could be heard shouting "Cassandra and Dave".
Cassandra fell pregnant in "Heroes and Villains", but later miscarried in " Modern Men
Modern Men (Only Fools and Horses)
"Modern Men" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was first screened on 27 December 1996.-Synopsis:...
"
Family
Rodney is the younger brother of Derek "Del Boy" TrotterDel Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
. "Rodders", as he is affectionately known by his big brother, has stuck by Del through thick and thin. Rodney is not as streetwise as his brother. Del's comments whenever Rodney makes a mistake have become notable catchphrases throughout the series. They include "Plonker", "Wally", "Twonk", "Dipstick".
Rodney is the son of Joan Mavis Trotter, grandson of Edward Trotter
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
, and great nephew of Albert Trotter
Uncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
. He has a nephew named Damien, and a daughter named Joan.
Throughout the series, Rodney's assumed father was Reg Trotter, although his actual paternity was occasionally called into question, such as in the 1983 and 1987 Christmas specials "Thicker Than Water
Thicker than Water (Only Fools and Horses)
"Thicker than Water" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the third Christmas special, and was first screened on 25 December 1983.-Synopsis:...
" and "The Frog's Legacy
The Frog's Legacy
"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It is the first episode of the series to introduce the unseen but pivotal character, Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal, later revealed to be Rodney Trotter's real, biological father...
" due to the unavoidable fact that he shared little resemblance to either Del or Reg in terms of appearance or personality. In the final Only Fools and Horses episode, the 2003 Christmas special "Sleepless in Peckham", Rodney discovered through an old photograph of the very first Jolly Boys' Outing that he and Del did not actually share the same father. His biological father was revealed to be local gentleman thief, Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, who had an affair with Rodney's mother in March 1960, and Rodney immediately knew this due to Robdal's striking resemblance to him. This is confirmed in the prequel series "Rock & Chips". In the episode's final scene, Rodney asks Del if he is anything like Robdal, but Del denies it, labelling Robdal several names like a "thief", a "conman", a "liar" and a "cheat", none of which apply to Rodney.
Rodney lives with Cassandra, their daughter Joan, Del, Del's "significant other" Raquel and their son Damien at door 368 on the 12th floor of the fictional Nelson Mandela House in Dockside Estate, Peckham, London.
Marriage to Cassandra
Rodney found a supportive partner in Cassandra, whom he met at a computer training course in "Yuppy LoveYuppy Love
"Yuppy Love" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 6, and was first screened on 8 January, 1989...
", and married in 1989. Her father Alan employed Rodney at his company, Parry Print Ltd, (at least until Rodney accidentally quit that job), and, with some financial assistance from Del, he was able to buy a flat and finally move out of Nelson Mandela House. Their marriage suffered when Rodney punched Cassandra's boss, and broke his nose, when returning from Margate in "The Jolly Boys' Outing
The Jolly Boys' Outing
"The Jolly Boys' Outing" is the eighth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December, 1989...
". They split up in the next episode; "Rodney Come Home
Rodney Come Home
"Rodney Come Home" is the ninth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December, 1990.Unlike the other Christmas specials, this episode is not a one-off story, but sets up story arcs that run throughout the following series...
" (which was aired on Christmas Day 1990), and throughout the seventh season attempted to patch up their relationship; in "The Chance of a Lunchtime
The Chance of a Lunchtime
"The Chance of a Lunchtime" is an episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 7, and first broadcast on 6 January 1991.-Synopsis:...
" Del played matchmaker, in order for them to re-unite. This worked, until Rodney was seen by Cassandra, with one of Del's ex-fiancées, when he was accompanying her to a taxi, because she was very drunk. In "Three Men, a Woman and a Baby
Three Men, a Woman and a Baby
"Three Men, a Woman and a Baby" is an episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 7, and was first broadcast on 3 February 1991...
", Cassandra told Rodney that it was all over between them, until her mum insisted she should see their solicitor for advice, who told her that they should talk. They re-united after Rodney took advantage of her, by pretending a ponytail was a rat. He stayed the night but they were interrupted by Del phoning to say Raquel
Raquel Turner
Rachel "Raquel" Turner is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses, in which she was Del Boy's longtime girlfriend...
had gone into labour.
In "Miami Twice
Miami Twice
"Miami Twice" was a two-part Christmas special edition of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The first episode, on screen subtitle The American Dream, was first screened on 24 December 1991. The second episode of Miami Twice was first screened the following day on 25 December 1991...
", it was revealed that the two were living together on weekends as they tried to rebuild their relationship. In "Mother Nature's Son
Mother Nature's Son (Only Fools and Horses)
"Mother Nature's Son" is a Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 25 December 1992.-Synopsis:...
", they were back together fully. They had been trying for a baby ever since, so when it was announced that Cassandra was pregnant, everyone was jubilant. However she miscarried at the end of the following episode; "Modern Men
Modern Men (Only Fools and Horses)
"Modern Men" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was first screened on 27 December 1996.-Synopsis:...
". Rodney and Cassandra now have a young daughter called Joan, who Rodney named after his late mother and who was born in the last episode; "Sleepless in Peckham
Sleepless in Peckham
"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
", resulting in a very moving and emotional ending to the show.
Career
Before the series began, Rodney attended art college for three weeks before he was caught smoking cannabisCannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
in a fellow student's room, after which he was quickly expelled and given an eighteen month suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
for possessing drugs. With only two GCE's and a criminal record, Del took it upon himself to give Rodney a job as an assistant market trader (or "Financial Advisor") and sidekick knowing that he was unlikely to get a decent job anywhere else. Although being a partner may have sounded impressive on the outside, Rodney's main duty was keeping an eye out for the police while Del would be (illegally) flogging his goods on Peckham market.
Rodney had worked in that pitiful position until 2001 when Del was declared bankrupt, forbidding him from running a company. When Trotters Independent Traders was about to cease operating, Del knew that Rodney was not banned from managing a firm and so after two decades as an assistant market trader, Rodney finally stepped up as titular Managing Director of T.I.T.CO.; he also did the accounts and computerized the business.
For some time, Rodney worked as Financial Director of T.I.T.CO (a job which included such executive tasks as loading the van). Rodney has a strong conscience and is often morally outraged by Del's business activities, such as dealing in stolen goods. Despite his ethical objections, Rodney is usually enticed into Del's money-making schemes by Del's persuasive charms and the temptation of financial rewards.
In the episode "It's Only Rock And Roll" its revealed that Rodney is in a band, with a man nicknamed "Mental Mickey" by the Trotters. Del later in the episode tells the band that they could one day be famous and he manages them for a while, but backs out as he realises that they will never get anywhere.
Age
The BBC comedy guide for Only Fools and Horses clearly states that Rodney's birthday is 26 February; but this is contradicted in "Sleepless in PeckhamSleepless in Peckham
"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
", when Cassandra mistakes Freddie the Frog in an old 1960s photo of the first Jolly Boys' Outing for Rodney. Rodney corrects her, claiming that the photo was taken in July 1960 before he was born (according to Rodney), thus making Rodney's date of birth the date he reveals it to be in "The Unlucky Winner Is...
The Unlucky Winner Is...
"The Unlucky Winner Is..." is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 6, and was first screened on 29 January, 1989.-Synopsis:...
", 2 November. This is confirmed when Rodney's birth is shown in "Rock and Chips".