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Charlton 'Rodney' Trotter was a character in Only Fools And Horses from 1981 to 2003 and again in 2014. He was the younger half brother of Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and son of Joan Mavis Trotter and Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, due to Joan having an extra marital relationship with Freddie in February 1960. He was named after Rod Taylor and Charlton Athletic, and is the co-main character of the series along with his half-brother Del.

Rodney was the often long suffering brother of Del, and was often persuaded to go along with Del's get rich quick schemes. Before he met Cassandra, Rodney never had much luck with women as they always blew him out after a short time. Rodney was blown out more times than a windsock. When Rodney married Cassandra, it gave him a chance to excel in life and he was no longer Del's dogsbody down markets, as he worked for his father in law's computer firm. However this did not last and he ended up losing his job in true plonker style and ended up as Del's dogsbody again. Even when the Trotters became millionaires, it only lasted a few years. After years of trying for a baby, Rodney finally became a father to a daughter he named Joan Trotter Jr. Rodney was played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.

Biography

Rock & Chips

Rodney Charlton Trotter was born on the 2nd November 1960 at The Trotters flat, 12th floor of Nelson Mandela House to Joan Mavis Trotter and Freddie "The Frog" Robdal through an extra marital relationship Joan had. Joan gave him the name because she was a fan of Charlton Athletic F.C Joan's husband Reg Trotter assumed he was Rodney's father. Freddie always suspected he was Rodney's father. Freddie died in September 1963 in a freak accident on one of his safe cracking expeditions and never saw his son grow up. Joan became depressed when Freddie died and drunk heavily, but soon sobered up and tried to continue on with her job despite her failing health.

Rodney becomes a Dad

In March 1964, when Rodney was just 3 years old, Joan Mavis Trotter died after an alcohol related illness due to drinking too much since Freddie died, and Reg walked out a few months later. Rodney said he remembers his mum's funeral but was too young to know why the hole in the ground at the graveyard was for. A few days after Joan's death, Del went for a walk just to be by himself, while Reg cried over the fact that the "little" woman he hated had been the backbone of the Trotter Family. Rodney would follow Del out of the precinct and to a park wall where they sat for an hour. Rodney asked Del where their mother was, and Del said that she'd gone to Cornwall. Del would buy Rodney an ice-cream with a flake with his last 6p, making Del realise that he wasn't completely useless after all, even if he was flat broke. Del vowed to bring Rodney up. As Rodney was only 3 at the time his mother died, Rodney had a very few hazy memories of his mother. Also, Trigger's aunt Reenie Turpin took out any photo of Del's mum with Freddie Robdal in it and burnt them, so Rodney would not know the similarities and find out the truth about his paternity. Del's friend Jumbo Mills remembered Rodney as all snot and marmite. When Rodney was 6, Del wondered why he was taller than him at 20 so had a suspicion they may have different fathers. One time Del nicked the roller skates that belonged to Rodney's friend Roy Taylor. Roy's brother caught Rodney on them and beat him up. This was because Rodney wanted a pair of skates like Roy's. Rodney spent a few days in bed with a split lip and a headache. Another time, he was caught smoking pot and Del bailed him out. Rodney then rode a motor scooter without a crash hat. He got fined £5 and asked for time to pay.

One time when Rodney was about 12 he joined the army cadets but Del found out someone there had a relative in showbiz so Del had Rodney demobbed and put into a tap dancing school. His army boots made more noise. Rodney made Zippidy Doo Dah sound like the advance on Leningrad.

Rodney graduated from Dockside Secondary Modern with a GCE in Maths and Art. He failed in the other 8 subjects, probably because Del helped him with his GCE's.

In about 1980, now aged 19, Rodney took a course at an art college in Basingstoke, Hampshire. He was only there for 3 weeks as he got expelled for sharing a Moroccan woodbine with a Chinese student. The school governors caught him banged to rights with a reefer, alladente. Rodney got a 2-year suspended sentence for that. By the beginning of 1981, Del agreed to make Rodney a partner in his international company, well Trotters Independent Traders.

Only Fools & Horses (1981-1983)

Rodney in 1981

Rodney in his first appearance in "Big Brother"

In early 1981, Rodney started keeping accounts of the TITCO market trading company. He was told off by Del Boy when Del saw him keeping accounts. Del was worried the tax man would come snooping, seeing as their business was not legitimate. Rodney worked as Del Boy's dogsbody, humping Del's suitcase all over the markets of Peckham and being a lookout, looking for coppers patrolling the markets for unlicensed traders.

In the early 1980s Rodney dated someone called Monica and then a 40 year old woman called Irene Mackay, 20 years older than him. Her husband Tommy Mackay was in prison and was a convicted thug so Del helped end the relationship for Rodney's sake, and a case of mistaken identity ended up in Del receiving a beating from Tommy.

In 1983, aged 23, Rodney wanted to break free from the partnership, feeling that after 13 years of education and sixth form, 2 GCE's and a spell at an art college was was still a "market traders lookout". Del gave him some money for him to go alone. Rodney soon struggled on his own, and he appointed his brainless friend Mickey Pearce to buy some lawnmower engines. Rodney soon reformed the partnership with Del.

Later that year, Rodney almost was stitched up by Roy Slater when he blackmailed Del into telling him the name of the person who nicked the microwave Del had bought. Del applied for immunity from prosecution as long as Slater let Rodney and Grandad go, Del said he was the thief.

A few weeks later, Rodney helped a woman out who was drunk and when he helped her to her feet, she accused him of rape. Del found out and when Rodney described the woman, Del realised he knew who the woman was, Blossom and decided to play a joke on Rodney. Blossom had accused many men of doing this and was nutty, so the police took no notice of her. Rodney ran away from home, well to the boiler room at the top of the towerblock, nicking all the tins of food from the cupboard. Del found him and explained to him and after being almost attacked by Rodney for leading him on, Del agreed to make it up but he topped up his scotch with water from the tank and Rodney said he did not fancy a shower after what he had been doing in the tank, having the last laugh.

In December 1983, Rodney's dad Reg Trotter turned up. He claimed to be dying and Rodney was rather forgiving, even though Reg left him when Rodney was 5. Turned out Reg was lying and wanted money and to reclaim his position as head of the family. He was sent packing when Del found the truth.

1984 - 1985

In early 1984, Rodney was smart enough to know that Del had been conned after buying an oil rig for £400 when really they cost millions upon millions of pounds and weigh 100'000 tonnes.

In early 1985, Rodney dated Debbie Snell. Debbie's mum June Snell had once romanced Del Boy 9 months before Debbie was born. Del then found this out and wondered if he was Debbie's father. Rodney said Debbie was the first woman in his life who really meant something to him and it turned out to be his bloody niece. He said he even dreamt his wife would call him Uncle Rodney. June said Albie Littlewood was Debbie's father. Rodney and Debbie later split up.

In February 1985, Grandad Trotter died after an illness. Del and Rodney were distraught but their great uncle Albert Trotter came to live with them. He was Grandad's brother. A month later, the Trotters were in financial straits and they had not bought or sold a thing for weeks apart from a dodgy chip fryer to Mike at The Nags Head. There was tension between Del and Rodney, bought on by the recent death of their grandad and having no money. Del said Rodney held him back, when their mum died he should have had Rodney put in care. Rodney said Del should have done, that way Rodney could have got a real job working for a real employer instead of humping Del;s suitcase all over London. Albert "fell" down a cellar to try and win the Trotters some money but he had many previous lawsuits and the case was thrown out. Albert wanted to get Grandad's headstone.

Rodney almost hit the big time that year with a band which was run by a nutter called Mental Mickey. The band was A Bunch Of Wallies. Rodney dropped out of the band but the rest ended up on Top Of The Pops. Rodney later placed a 50p bet with Mickey to take a girl to a do next week. Del thought it was £50 and set Rodney up on a date. In April 1985, Rodney and Del acquired some Louvre doors for £2000 but the architect changed his mind. Del had stolen Denzel's redundancy money to raise the cash. They found a rare butterfly to repay all their debts but the butterfly was squashed when Denzel slapped Del's hands in glee after Del said he would give him his money back.

Late that year Rodney was annoyed that Del was going to smuggle 30 diamonds into Amsterdam. Del was going to get paid £15'000. They decided to sail across the North Sea as local cops had all their airports covered. Del always wondered why Roy Slater, now a Chief Inspector knew so much about the smuggling rings. Turned out he was behind them all and took all the diamonds and money at this end off the couriers or they would go to jail for smuggling. Slater was caught in possession by his fellow colleagues and the Police Commissioner and arrested.

1986-1987

In mid 1986 Rodney befriended a girl called Anna. She was German and heavily pregnant. She wanted to adopt the baby and Del wanted to make money by selling the baby to Boycie and Marlene. Rodney was disgusted. Del said he had been conned so many times by Boycie and was getting his own back. Anna decided to keep the baby and returned to Germany. Rodney, Del and Albert ended up being held up at a supermarket one night, and after a while it transpired that the gunman Lennox Gilbey knew Del from years back and the siege was a scheme between Lennox and the store managers to get money from the safe.

In October 1986, Del's old friend Jumbo Mills arrived, after 19 years in Australia. He was a millionaire now and said it was due to Del giving him £200 when he emigrated. He offered Del a partnership. They applied for visas but Rodney's one was turned down due to a drugs conviction when at college. Del decided to turn down Jumbo's offer as he could not leave Rodney and Albert.

A month later, Rodney met a posh girl in the market who was selling paintings. She said her mother had some paintings at The National Gallery. The girl was Victoria. She was the daughter of The Duke Of Maylbury. Rodney did some research and found she was not lying. They started to date, on Del's persuasion but at the opera, Del invited June Snell along and they talked and ate during the opera performance, annoying Rodney and other people in the audience. Rodney was invited to a dinner at the Duke's house. He was picked up and driven down there.

Del later drove down, he claimed he was there to help Rodney make an impression. Del kept laughing and joking at the dinner, getting drunk and tapping the expensive glassware with knives to make sure they were genuine crystal. He even started telling rude jokes, embarrassing Rodney. He was about to tell a joke about a Irish man on a skiing holiday, when Victoria's mother had died in a skiing accident years before, and he was interrupted by Henry. Del said to Rodney he has clinched a deal.

Henry called Del outside and he said he wants Rodney out of Victoria's life now and for good. Del said money would make Rodney leave Victoria. Turned out Del knew that Rodney, a working class market traders assistant did not have a hope in hell of marrying a rich royal person, especially as he had a drugs conviction, and Special Branch would run his name through their computer and find out about his drugs conviction, and if Rodney refused to leave Victoria, then Special Branch would have him killed. Del's lewd nature at the opera and dinner was deliberate. Rodney had refused the money from Henry. Del was annoyed.

1987-1989

In late 1987, Rodney enrolled for a course, he wanted to get away from being Del's dogsbody down markets, hanging out with the deadly duo, Del and his suitcase. Del actually got Rodney a job with Mr Jahan, a funeral director. At the wedding of Trigger's niece, Del bumped into Reenie Turpin, best friend of Del and Rodney's late mother Joan. Reenie said that a former villain who knew Joanie was killed in a robbery in 1963 but had stolen gold from a bank in the city in August 1963. This villain was Freddie "The Frog" - Freddie Robdal. He was a safe cracker. He had left Joan Trotter some gold bullion in his will. Turned out that Albert knew him, Del and Rodney were sent on a wild goose chase looking for the gold, until it emerged he was a deep sea diver and sailor, and the gold was buried at sea, in 500 miles of ocean. Rodney somehow was rejected from his diploma course.

In 1988, Rodney and Del made a lot of money on men's electric razors. Rodney dated Nerys Sansom, a nervous barmaid of The Nags Head. This did not last.

In 1989, Rodney, sick and tired of selling crap down markets and humping Del's suitcase all over London, wanted to enrol at college again, to see if he would be accepted again, so he enrolled at an evening school, with little praise from Del. Del said he does not know why Rodney bothers. Albert mentioned how Rodney had enrolled 2 years before.

At the evening school, Rodney met Cassandra Parry and they soon were dating, he even pretended he lived in a posh mansion. As their coats were similar, there was a mix up and she returned to the mansion where the owners said they never heard of a Rodney Trotter. She rung his flat, of which he had given the correct phone number and spoke to Albert. She agreed to carry on seeing him but jokingly scolded him for lying to her when they went to dinner. Rodney had to rush off as he found out about some explosive inflatable dolls which had featured on the news, the very same ones he and Del were selling. Rodney later got involved in a jewellery consortium where the man selling the jewellery faked his death so he could get the money, and as he never gave his surname and was taken off in an "ambulance" to whatever of the 25 hospitals in London, he could not be traced.

A week or so later Del started applying for every competition possible, Spot The Dog, Corn Flakes. 12 years before Rodney had wrote his name on a painting of The Marble Arch At Dawn and when Del saw it he entered Rodney for the competition. They then won a trip to Marbella, but Rodney had to pretend to be 14 and Cassandra had to pose as his common law stepmother. Del enjoyed winding Rodney up and when they thought they had won £1000'000 they were told no money could be given as Rodney's name was on the ticket and he was under 18. As Del had doctored all his documents, they could not prove his real age.

Rodney supported his older brother Del when he got stomach pains and ended up in hospital. Del even thought it was something life threatening but it was simply down to too many curries and Pina Coladas. Del then knew deep down that it was nothing serious. Del got better but not before Rodney announced his engagement to Cassandra.

Shortly before the wedding, Rodney confided in Albert that his future father in law Alan Parry wants Rodney to help him run the computer section of his printing firm. Del said he was owed some money and promised Rodney £2000 towards a new flat, and he would move out of Del and Albert's flat once he married. Rodney failed his diploma but Del bribed the examiner to pass him. He then said to Rodney that his soon to be father in law Alan had offered Rodney a job as a computer programmer for his printing firm. This would finally give Rodney a chance to break away from being Del's dogsbody and getting up at 4am to sell hookie gear down markets. Rodney and Cassandra married in a registry office, much to the chagrin of the stuck up Pamela Parry. After the wedding, Del said that he was proud of Rodney as he had it all now, a good job, nice new flat, new wife and new life. 2 weeks later, Rodney came home from honeymoon to Del's flat, thinking he still lived there. Del said "You don't live he no more". Rodney, realising Cassandra would go loopy, bolted out of the flat into the night.

A year later, Rodney had been promoted to Head of the Computer Section. He was however jealous of Cassandra's boss Steven The Yuppie and in August 1989 Rod and Cass celebrated their first wedding anniversary. At the dinner, Steven made advances towards Cassie. A few days later Del and Rodney and all their mates went on a beano to Margate, Kent. During the trip to Margate, the coach blew up when no one was in it after Del sold the driver a dodgy car radio. There was a rail strike and the last bus back to London had gone by the time the gang arrived at the bus stop at 7:40pm. They had to spend the night in Margate. Rodney was worried that Cassandra would get lonely and invite Steven round, also seeing as Steven's wife Joanne was going away for the weekend without Steven. Rodney threatened to kill Steven if he found out he was going round to see Cassandra while he was stuck in Margate.

On the return to London the following morning, Rodney returned home and saw Steven in his flat and punched him, until he saw his wife Joanne was there making coffee. Rodney was thrown out and moved back in with Del, over a year after he "flew the nest". Cracks in his marriage were starting to show.

1990 - 1991

In February 1990, 6 months since the beano to Margate, Rodney was back with Cassandra but there was still friction. He was annoyed that she kept reminding him how he punched Steven. They had another row, this time over the fact that she was always keeping herself busy, and that she was not an old fashioned wife, and Rodney yet again went back to Del's flat. He started drinking heavily and often would not turn up to work due to hangovers, this was jeopardising his good job, and jeopardising the fact that Del was buying cheap printing from Alan to sell to his mates.

Rodney started drinking with his mates, and Mickey Pearce suggested Rodney ask a girl out to make Cassandra jealous. Del overheard the chat when he ordered some drinks. Rodney took Del's van to the local exhaust centre and asked Tanya The Kwik Fit Receptionist out on a date. Del was aghast when he found out, and tried to find ways to put Rodney off Tanya. Del started saying sexist things about her. Rodney stuck to his guns and decided he was still going to see Tanya, however by the time he got to the bottom of the lift, he changed his mind, and Del was unaware of this. Del informed Cass, who went out for the night. When Rodney phoned Del, he said he decided to not go through with the date and had phoned Tanya to say he was a happily married man. He said he was back at the flat waiting for Cassandra. Del had to rush round there to try and catch Cassandra to say that he made a mistake before she comes across "that w...that wally" but it was too late and she threw Rodney out before Del could see her and tell her. Rodney was mad at Del but later agreed they both mucked this up and Del took him back to the flat. Cass took a break to Spain.

Del organised a honeymoon suite for Rodney and Cass upon her return to Gatwick but due to Cassandra's plane being diverted to Manchester, Albert told Cass that Rodney was staying in some hotel but did not tell her that Rodney had booked it for her and him, as Albert wanted it to be a surprise. This meant Cassandra would think Rodney was going caso with some tart. After Del and Rodney shouted at Albert, Rodney tried to ring Alan. In the end Cass somehow found out the truth. She still stayed with her parents. Rodney and Cass went for a meal and they got back but that night he was escorting one of Del's exes, Trudy, to the taxi and Cass drove past and saw him with Trudy all over him. She dumped Rodney, this time, yet again, for good. Rodney, for the umpteenth time, went back to live with Del. Del got a phone call from Alan and to pass a message to Rodney that he wanted to see him in his office first thing tomorrow morning. Rodney was worried that Alan would sack him over the marriage problems, seeing as Cass had seen Rodney taking one of Del's flames to a taxi and she was all over him.

Albert then tells Rodney his latest war story about a chief communications officer on board named Tubby Fox, who was a real party animal that got in trouble for bringing a Maltese girl onto the ship. The captain put Tubby on a charge and started court-martial proceedings. But Tubby resigned his commission, which meant the ship couldn't sail, and the captain had no choice but to refuse to accept Tubby's resignation. Once he'd done that, the court martial was deemed null and void. What Albert's trying to say is that Rodney should realise his own importance. This makes Rodney more relieved with his situation, so he thanks his uncle and goes off to bed.

However, Rodney has misunderstood Albert's story, and assumes Albert is suggesting that Rodney ought to hand in his resignation, as Alan cannot afford to lose Rodney, and thus will not fire him. All Albert said was Rodney should realise his own importance in the firm. The next day, at Parry Print Ltd, Rodney enters Alan's office and leaves an envelope on his desk. Rodney then goes downstairs onto the shop floor. Alan enters all happy and excited, because he's got the three-year contract from a mail-order company, earning the company a fortune. This is what he wanted to see Rodney about, not to sack him over his marriage woes but to celebrate.

That night, Rodney is excited about the future plans for Alan's company, and has forgotten about his letter of resignation. Alan phones to say he accepts Rodney's resignation and has immediately got Rodney's assistant Elvis to replace him. Rodney is devastated. Del Boy is highly annoyed at Rodney for chucking his great job away. Del berates Rodney, his former dogsbody, for blowing his opportunity to move on in life and wrecking his marriage. He says Rodney had a great job, nice wife and flat and he has blown the lot. Rodney retorted that he was in charge of his own destiny.

Rodney is out of work and Del often teases him but is also worried saying Rodney has broken up with his wife, walked out on his lovely home, resigned from a highly paid job and pulled the chain on his career. And that is the springboard he needs for the future, sarcastically. After a brief spell as Del's roadie, sweeping up and making tea when Del hired Tony Angelino as a fellow singer for Raquel, Rodney is still out of work. He jollies it up down the pub every night then crawls out of bed when he hears the theme tune to Aussie TV show Home And Away. At the same time, Del's old nemesis Roy Slater returns claiming to be changed but only came back to blackmail the Trotters so Del and Rodney sent him packing.

A week or so later, a depressed Rodney is having many drinking binges and hangovers the following morning, and has no job to go to and no wife to say good morning to. Broke and desperate, Rodney begs Del for his old job back. Del takes pity on Rodney and give his his old job back, working as his dogsbody down markets, and Del says Rodney's first duty was cleaning Del's new Capri Ghia. Old habits die hard, he was back being Del's dogsbody again, his lookout and suitcase lugger, after 2 years in a highly paid job.

When Del and Raquel became parents in February 1991, Rodney and Cassandra finally got back together. Their marriage was still on shaky ground and they saw a counsellor who advised the to get back together gradually, after she stopped laughing. In late 1991, Rodney was the godfather to baby Damien, even though he saw him as the devil child. Alan Parry gave Rodney a £950 golden handshake from the printing firm he used to work at. Rodney said he would take it now as he just works for Del now. Del paid the cheque in to the bank but booked a holiday, 2 non transferable tickets, to Miami, Florida, USA knowing Cassandra was away in Eastbourne that week on a banks seminar. Del booked that week but pretended to Rodney that he had booked the tickets for him and Cassandra.

Cassie said she could not make it that week and if Rodney was to still go without her, he had to either go on his own or go with someone named Trotter as the tickets were non transferable. Could he go with Albert? No, Del Boy, of course, who had set this whole thing up. Rodney said that he was not going with Del due to Del's drunken ways and shouting things at women on holidays before. Del kept persuading Rodney to let him come, saying he has changed now, especially as he is a father now. Rodney finally agreed. In early September 1991, Del and Rodney jetted off to Miami. Rodney laid down a few ground rules, saying "No women". No bras dangling off the camper van doors.

Del and Rodney went to a nightclub where they were befriended by so called businessmen. Their camper van was robbed as they had let slip their camper was parked outside. These smartly dressed "businessmen" were Rico, Salvatore, Lurch, Tony and Gino. Rico offered to put Del and Rodney up in his mansion for the week. They had a huge guest suite. During the trip, Del was almost shot at, and almost drowned on a jet ski. On the day before they were due to fly the 4000 mile journey back to England, Rodney sneakily made a phone call when no one was looking. He rung Cassandra and said him and Del were fine. Cassie thought Rodney had booked the tickets but Rodney said Del had, Cassie said Del could not have as he knew she was in Eastbourne that week. Rodney realised Del booked that week, knowing Cassie was unable to make it, thus meaning he could get a free holiday.

Rodney saw what he thought was Del Boy in the corridor. He threw his racquet down, and pinned him up against the wall, calling him a devious conniving git for conning a holiday out of Rodney. Rodney then threw him against the wall and then saw Del Boy in the guest suite, in different clothes. Rodney soon realise this, as he had locked the door after his row with "Del". He realise it may be a man who looked like Del. Del went to investigate and reckoned it was Rodney's reflection in a mirror in the hallway. Rodney denied this saying he knew what he saw. Del then found photos of a man who looked just like him. Plus a huge painting of him. Del then picked up a newspaper which read "Mafia Boss On Trial" and was facing life in jail, his name was Don Ochetti and he was Del's lookalike. Del panicked and had to pretend to be Don Ochetti who 2 Colombian drug barons came to talk a drug deal with him. Del realised the 2 times he almost died was because he was the double of this Mafia Boss, and Rico, Salvatore and the others were Mafioso, not businessmen. Del and Rodney quickly escaped, even hitched a ride on a very slow car. Rodney was worried they'd get done for kerb crawling. They got into The Everglades swamp. Rico realised Del and Rodney had escaped and went after them. As they drove around, they had seen them running into the Everglades. Rodney and Del ran deep into the forest and bumped into Boycie, whose boat driver quickly drove them off back to the boat station. Del and Rodney had escaped the Mafia, and spent the night at the airport and the next day flew back to England.

1992 - 1993

Back in the rainy streets of Peckham, by mid 1992, Del and Rodney hit financial straits, they had not bought or sold a thing for ages. Rodney and Cass were trying for a baby. In November 1992, Del and Rodney had not bought or sold a thing for months, so Del organised a scheme to "discover" a spring on Grandad's old allotment. Rodney was annoyed but was too loyal to Del to grass him up. They were soon making lots of money by selling tap water, and even fooling Myles, the millionaire organic shop seller into thinking it was from the spring. As toxic waste had been dumped in the reservoir, the scheme ended.

1994 - 1996

Heroes & Villains

On the morning of Rodney's birthday, he dreams that he is living in 2026 and is outside a huge skyscraper called TITCO Towers. He is now aged 64 and the messenger to the big tycoon Derek Trotter. Damien Trotter is one of the head bosses of the company and has declared war with Keanu Reeves who is now President Of The World. Rodney wants to return to how they used to be as the dream suddenly comes to an end. Waking up to Del telling himt that he's trying to sell some radio alarm clocks that go off anytime and some crash hats that some git has sprayed red. Business is not doing too well. Also Del's application to the council to improve the kitchen units has been rejected. Raquel has got a letter in the post. Del gives Rodney his birthday present, a chunky gold ID bracelet, it says "Rooney" much to the disbelief of Rodney but Del says it says "Rodney" it is just copperplate writing.

Rodney and Del go to Sid's Cafe for breakfast and meet Boycie and Trigger, who is boring Boycie to death with his story on the medal he recieved for a lifetime of road sweeping. Trigger says he has had this broom for 20 years. Rodney says 2 decades and Trig says I wouldn't go that far. Plus the broom has had 14 new heads and 17 new handles since he bought it. Sid says it cannot be the same broom.

Later at Rodney and Cassandra's flat the two of them chat about their conception programme and Cassie says she is going to see her parents for a week in Spain. Rodney, wanting a break from trying for a baby and all the sex, is happy when she says she is going. Rodney also said he could not leave Del as business was not going too well. In The Nag's Head, Marlene is shown Rodney's ID bracelet and thinks it says "Rooney".

A few days later at the flat Rodney confides in Albert that he does not want to wear the ID bracelet but does not want to hurt Del's feelings. Albert then accidentally drinks Cassandra's specimen, thinking it is apple juice. As Raquel is in Milton Keynes and Cassie is in Spain, Del and Rodney arrange a night out as Del has heard at The Nags Head about another pub's publicans ball at his house and the first prize is a stereo worth £1000 and you have to come as someone famous to be in with a chance of winning it. Del wants to dress up in a great costume to try and win the prize. He says he has already got them some tickets for the do.

That night, they are driving through the high street in Peckham and the 3 wheel van breaks down. Del arises and is dressed as Batman while Rodney is dressed as Robin. Del has a look in the engine to see what the problem is, and uses his cigar lighter as light. Rodney says he could blow them to Kingdom Come. Del says there is a blockage anyway.

They decide to run through the back streets and alleys to Harry's house, in the hope no one will see them dressed as Batman and Robin. Outside the local council offices Councillor Murray is accosted by 4 muggers, Dawn, Kevin, Gary and Scott, who wrestle her for her handbag and briefcase. The 4 muggers and Councillor Murray look on as Del and Rodney are running down the street dressed as Batman and Robin and all of them think they are the real duo. The 4 muggers leg it into the night and Del sees Councillor Murray and says he is Del Trotter, the man whose council grant was rejected. Rodney cuts in and says "Del! Let's go!" and the two resume their journey. By then the muggers are long gone.

Upon arrival they discover that no one else is dressed in any costumes. Boycie says Harry died yesterday. Del is shocked but soon say "I suppose the prize giving is now off".

A few days later Del and Rodney are in the market and see an old lady being attacked in full view of the market traders and punters and go after the 4 muggers but not before telling someone to call an ambulance and the police. The gang of muggers are the same ones that tried to mug Councillor Murray. Scott, Dawn, Kevin and Gary. Del and Rodney run through the back streets of Peckham after the muggers. Rodney ends up chasing Gary down a dead end street and sees the evil look on his face and Gary the mugger starts chasing Rodney, only to be knocked out by Del Boy who has seen them. The muggers are then arrested.

A few days later Del recieved a Bravery Award and is happy but Rodney is not pleased as he never got a medal. Del says that is because Rodney was running away from them. Rodney tries to excuse this as luring them. Councillor Murray thanks Del for saving her life and she says she may return the favour. Del has an idea.That night the Trotters have a celebration back at the flat. Albert reads the newspaper and says that Rodney is mentioned "Mr Trotter was aided in the capture of the muggers by his younger brother Rooney". Rodney says Cassie is pregnant and Del then says it is a triple celebration as Councillor Murray has approved his council grant to do up the kitchen. Del and Rodney toast each other.

Modern Men

A few days after Del Boy won his bravery medal, the Trotters are getting ready for a night down The Nag's Head to celebrate Cassandra Trotter's pregnancy. Down the pub about an hour later, the Trotters and their friends are getting drunk and buying rounds. Rodney sees his friend Mickey Pearce who now runs a double glazing business. Rodney says he may not be working for Del much longer and Raquel overhears as she comes to collect the drinks. Mike gets the pubs attention and proposes a toast to Cassandra and Rodney and they all repeat that and then Trigger waits until they finish and says "Cassandra and Dave". At 11pm that night, back at Rodney's place him and Cass are talking in bed and he says he wants a new job as Del does not present him with a challenge like giving someone their change. Back at Del's Raquel persuades Del to increase Rodney's role at Trotters Independent Traders. Del says he is looking for an assistant in case Rodney has to dash off any time while Cassie is pregnant.

The following morning, As Del leaves to get his shoes on in the bedroom, Rodney says to Albert that he has seen a job in the paper where someone is looking for an assistant and who is good with computers. He tells Albert he plans to leave Del and work for someone else. Raquel gets a call on the bedroom phone. Del thinks it is the hospital phoning about him having the snip so tells her to act posh. The person on the other end of the phone is Rodney who is applying for the job. Raquel asks him to hold the line. Rodney is unaware he is talking to Raquel who is talking posh. She asks Del if he put an ad in the newspaper asking for someone to help Rodney and Del says yes. He asks who is on the phone and Raquel says Rodney. Del says "Is he applying to assist himself"? He thinks of a way to wind Rodney up. Del puts on a voice and pretends to be a Welshman called Ivor Hardy. He sucks Rodney in and asks if he can ride a bike when Rodney asks about company vehicle. When "Ivor" asks for his name Rodney says he is Rodney Trotter and "Ivor" asks if he is one of the Trotter brothers and Rodney says he has not got a brother. Del then carries on pretending to be "Ivor" and says he has heard of them, the older one is intelligent but his dippy younger brother is the problem. Del comes in and Rodney quickly asks "Ivor" to hold on one minute. Rodney says he is talking to Cassie on the phone and Del cons him into telling her he loves her. Rodney quickly says "I love you" down the phone and Del smiles in glee and exits to the kitchen and puts his "Ivor" voice on and says "sorry what did you say" and Rodney says he coughed and "Ivor" says "Oh what a relief for a sec I thought you said you loved me". Del carries on being "Ivor" and gives the job description and then quietly enters the lounge and says in his own voice, "We're always on the lookout for dirty little plonkers like you!" and sits next to Rodney and they both look at each other. Rodney realises the job advertised is already his, and the person seeking an assistant was Del. Rodney then accuses Del of trying to get someone else so he can get rid of him and Del says the same back about Rodney saying "I dont have a brother". Del says he wanted to get Rodney some help now Cassie is pregnant. Rodney softens, saying he did not realise. Del says he is going to expand TITCO and puts Rodney in charge of selling, and he will be in the factories and warehouses and be looking after buying, and if Rodney is selling very well down the market he has got to ring Del in the factory and warehouses on his mobile and say "Del Boy. Buy, buy, buy" and Rodney says "Yeah and you can get on the blower to me and go Sell, sell sell". Del hides his horrified reaction to this stupid reply. Del says what they are doing now is expansion and they go to Sid's Cafe for a fry up.

At the cafe, Del tells Rodney that he's getting a vasectomy, much to his younger brother's disapproval. They see Dr Singh looking through the window and hide under the tabel until he has gone. Del tells Rodney to keep his vasectomy a secret but as Del leaves Rodney quickly tells Sid that Del is having a vasectomy then Sid tells everyone in the cafe and they all laugh, as they all know Del due to his popularity in the area.

The next day, upon coming back from the market, Rodney teases Del for backing out of the vasectomy asking if he didn't have the balls. But Dr. Singh shows up and demands that Del immediately get rid of the faulty paint he sold him. The expiration date was June 1983. Del says he will get someone to come and see him tomorrow morning. As the Sikh doctor leaves on a motor scooter, Del wisecracks about him not wearing a crash helmet because of his huge turban (a genuine legal exemption under UK law), which gives Del an idea.

A short time later, at 5:30pm, Rodney is shown wearing a horse riding helmet with Raquel's scarf on it, which Del calls a Trotter Crash Turban. Raquel believes that the product will never catch on, while Albert receives a phone call for Rodney from Cassandra's bank that Cassandra has been rushed to hospital and has suffered a miscarriage.

The Trotter Brothers quickly drive to the hospital and ask the sister about which room Cassandra is in. As they head off, a drunken man is insulting the hospital staff and its patients. As Del and Rodney arrive at Cassandra's room in theatre gowns, Del tells Rodney that he has to be comforting and understanding as well as talk about the future, not the past or present and not shed a tear, instead to do it in the van on the way home. The Trotter Brothers enter, and Cassandra tearfully says that she's sorry. To Rodney's surprise, Del begins to cry. Rodney tries his best to comfort his wife and tell her that things just happen. Del agrees and leaves the room sobbing. Cassandra then says that she lost the baby, but Rodney tells her that they will get through this. Cassandra smiles and hugs her husband.

Time On Our Hands

Del is still worried about Rodney after he and Cassandra had suffered a miscarriage two weeks previously, and Albert suggests that they come up with a "counter-worry" to take his mind off it, which leads to Del pretending to be ill, though Rodney barely notices.

Later that day, Rodney is cataloging stock in the Trotter's garage. Rodney wishes that something good would turn up in their lives. Del says that life is not like that. He picks out an old pocket watch to illustrate his point that their lives will not suddenly get better, out of the blue. Del tosses the watch onto a gas cooker.

Del and Rodney return to their block of flats but the lift breaks down. After being trapped in there for some time, the two brothers have a discussion about Rodney and Cassandra's miscarriage. A distraught Rodney confesses that he has spent too much time feeling sorry for himself since Cassandra lost their baby. Del comforts Rodney by telling him that it is just a dropped stitch in life's tapestry, which their late mother Joan used to say whenever things went wrong, and assures that things will get better. Rodney agrees and is finally at peace with the whole thing, and Del suggests to Rodney to go home and have a heart-to-heart with Cassandra. Once the conversation is over, Del successfully fixes the lift himself, and gets it working again. Only then does Rodney realise that Del had in fact tampered with the controls, in order to force Rodney to talk. The Trotter Brothers share a hearty laugh.

Following a family meal with Raquel's parents, when picking up his car from the Trotters' garage the following day, antiques dealer James spots the old pocket watch. After closer examination, he suggests that it may be the work of John Harrison, the man who designed and built the world's first successful maritime clock in the 18th century. Del explains he bought the watch off a pawn shop about 16 years ago and that the shop had just shut down and was selling some of its gear as the owner died and had no family. James also asks Del if he has any proof the watch is his property. Rodney says when he began working for Del 16 years earlier and during that time he used to keep files, finding the receipt for the watch, given to Del by the landlord. Whatever is made from the auction will be paid into the Trotter's bank as they have proof they own the watch.

A few days later at the Nags Head Del, Rodney, Trigger and Denzil are talking as Del has said the watch has been authenticated and accepted by experts and is up for auction at Sotheby's. Del and Rodney go to the auction thinking they will make £15'000 or so from the auction. The auctioneer starts the bidding for the timekeeper at £150'000. Del faints at the shock that he will be at least that much better off.

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Rodney & Del at the auction

Rodney drags Del out of the room but the auction is still going.

Once Del has recovered Rodney says the auction is still going and the bids are getting higher. When Del and Rodney run back into the room, the bidding is at now £4 million. Rodney then faints. Later in the van Rodney shows Del the paperwork which says the watch sold for £6.2 million quid. The watch has been donated to the Greenwich Museum after being bought by a anonymous bidder. Del and Rodney are now millionaires, they have £3.1 million each, screaming in happiness as a result.

After this the piar go to visit Boycie's car showroom, where Rodney buys Del Boy a Rolls Royce from his share of the winnings as a way of thanking him for bringing him up. That night they arrive at The Nags Head and everyone cheers for them.

Millionaires

A few weeks later, Rodney and Cassandra moved into a plush apartment overlooking the Thames, Del Boy has bought a plush country mansion in the Home Counties and has bought Albert a yacht.

Rodney revisits the flat

Rodney revisits the flat after becoming a millionaire

Hearing from raquel that Del's not come home, he visits the flat to find Del Boy reminscing of the old days, revealing that he is already beginning to miss the old life as a market trader. Albert returns to the flat to get some of his belongings as well to have one last look, and the three leave, though not before Del has answered a call from Lenny Norris offering them 250 carpet steamers. Del is initially keen, but Rodney reminds his older brother that they are not in the business any longer. Del reluctantly tells Lenny that "Trotters Independent Traders has ceased trading."

The three men decide to walk to the local Chinese restaurant for a meal. As they set off, Del states that rather than the end for them, it is only just the beginning as they should now invest their new money in the futures market. The three continue to playfully argue about this as they walk off into an animated sunrise, as Del proclaims that it is their "big chance", and ending with the closing refrain: "This time next year, we could be billionaires!".

1997 - 2000

2001 - 2003

Fullscreen capture 20052020 144613

Rodney, Del, Denzil and Trigger in France

In early 2003, Rodney and Sid reminisced about the old beano's to Margate they used to go on. Sid lent Rodney a photo from the first Jolly Boys Outing (JBO) in 1960. Rodney said he would have the photo enlarged so he could embarrass Del and his friends. Rodney went to a local camera shop and later collected the enlargement, which was in a envelope.

Rodney walked out of the shop, opened the envelope and laughed but the laugh soon turned to dismay and sadness as something in the photo seemed to be bothering him. For the first time Rodney saw a close up photo of Freddie Robdal and realised he was the spitting image of Freddie. He said to his wife Cassie that you do not need DNA with this one. He said he had his suspicions for years but everyone tried to say it was his imagination. Rodney had left the original photo on the table at Del's flat and Del picked up the photo in curiosity and laughed, when he saw it was from the first JBO in 1960. Del then said Bloody Hell, as it had Freddie Robdal in it, and worried that Rodney had seen it and found out the truth about who his real father was.

Sleepless in Peckham 5

Rodney talks to Cassandra about Freddie The Frog: his father

Del showed Raquel the photo and asked her what is the first thing that springs to mind. Raquel said the tall man reminded her of Rodney and asked who the man was. Del said that the man was Freddie Robdal, a mate of his dad Reg. Del's mum and dad were having many rows around the time Rodney was concieved, and that Joan sought comfort in Freddie as they had the same tastes in music and such.

Del said he never suspected anything when Rodney was a baby but as Rodney got older, Del saw that Rodney was tall for his age and begun to wonder if he was the product of an affair their mum had while married to Reg. Del was never fully sure of this though until one night when Albert told him everything. Del said that Albert had told him the truth when drunk at a wet corset contest, and said that after Del and Rodney's mum Joan died in 1964, Reenie, probably at Joan's request, went into the Trotters flat and took all photos of Joan out of the flat, apart from 2 close ups of her. Outside the 2 close ups, Reenie burned the photos as they all had a pic of Freddie Robdal in it. This was so Rodney would not see the photos as he gets older and see the similarities between him and Freddie. No one knew that Sid had a photo with Freddie in it, a pic Rodney was one day going to borrow, not knowing Freddie was in it, and have enlarged.

Del refused to tell Rodney about it out of fear of breaking his brother's heart. Del says Rodney does not have a clue about all this to Raquel, when he really suspects Rodney may have a clue. Raquel and Cassandra both ask Del and Rodney why they won't tell each other. The Trotter Brothers both answer that it would indeed break the other's heart.

Rodney with his Daughter

Rodney with his newborn daughter

Rodney was asking Del about the photo that Sid lent him when they were interrupted by the solicitor who was ready to see them, only to find they have done nothing wrong. He reads Albert's will and the Trotters discover that Albert invested his share of the Trotter fortune in a far more stable area prior to his death, while his nephews invested their shares in the Central American market. According to his will, Albert wanted to give his enlarged share of the fortune to his nephews, leaving them with £145,000 each. Del and Rodney are both stunned by all this, until Del gets a phone call from Raquel that Cassandra's gone into labour. The pair race to the hospital and almost end up in the wrong delivery room, but eventually make their way to delivery room 16, where Raquel and Damien Trotter are waiting. She has bad and good news. The bad news is that Cassandra had to be given a Cesarean section. The good news is that Rodney and Cassandra are now the parents of a baby girl.

Rodney in Sleepless in Peckham

Rodney learns how different he is from his father

A few days after, Rodney takes his baby daughter to Peckham Cemetery. He talks to his deceased mother and asks if Freddie loved her, and did she love him and to say thanks to Albert if she seems him while in heaven. Del arrives and Rodney says he has named his daughter Joan after their late mother, and had the name etched on her gravestone. Rodney says he has a question to ask Del, Del worries it is about Freddie the Frog, and Rodney asks if apart from looks if he was anything like him, Freddie the Frog, his father. Del says that Freddie was a professional burglar, he was disloyal to his friends, was a womaniser, a liar, a homewrecker, a thief, and a cheat, so Rodney is nothing like him. They walk off and drive back to Nelson Mandela House with baby Joan. They then decide making the movie is not a good idea now after Del asks where the runway came from.

He Who Dares

According to Del's autobiography "He Who Dares", Rodney was determined to play it safe with his money from Uncle Albert's will, seeing it as a second chance to get back on his feet. Within a week he moved out of The Flat with Cassandra and baby Joan into a two bedroom apartment that was close to their old place, but even closer to The Nag's Head.

Beckham in Peckham (2014)

Rodney Trotter 2014

Rodney in 2014

Rodney was still trading as a market trader along with Del Boy as of March 2014.

Paternity

When the show began in 1981, Rodney may not have had suspicions that he and Del may not share the same blood father but it seems Del did, as stated 22 years later in Sleepless In Peckham, that when Rodney was 6 he was taller than Del was at 20. May be a slight exaggeration Del made, maybe Rodney was rather tall for his age. And Rodney had blonde/brown hair and Del had dark hair.

It was in December 1983 when Rodney first had suspicions as it seemed him and Del had different blood groups but it was a set up by their father, and Reg said Del was the mystery. Turned out it was all a con and Reg was trying to worm his way back into the household.

Rodney had his first true suspicions in The Frogs Legacy (25th December 1987). Truned out a local gentleman villain called Freddie "The Frog" Robdal had known Rodney's mum Joan Mavis Trotter around the time Rodney was conceived and Freddie had left Joan some gold bullion in his will. Freddie was a mate of Reg Trotter and Reg was giving Joan a hard time. Del said Freddie dated a married woman on the estate the Trotters lived at, and they may have had a son whom by 1987 would be in his mid 20s by now. Rodney suspected he may be that son. Del also wondered why Freddie left him and Rodney's late mum some gold bullion in his will. Albert said Rodney looked a bit like Freddie and they both shared an interest in art. For the next 16 years, Rodney kept having suspicions that him and Del may only be half brothers and Freddie may have been his real father. It wasn't until "Sleepless In Peckham" when it was confirmed that Freddie The Frog was indeed Rodney's Father.

Personality

Rodney is the younger brother of Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, and is after Del the main character in the series. "Rodders", as he is affectionately known by his big brother, has stuck by Del through thick and thin. According to Del, he was still in nappies at the age of four when Del received a painting from their grandmother. Del also claimed in "Mother Nature's Son" that Rodney was still being breast fed, until he was three and a half years old, but this was probably not true and said only to embarrass Rodney. As a child, Rodney was "all snot and Marmite" with a "funny haircut". After leaving school with GCEs in Art and Mathematics, he was expelled from Art College for smoking cannabis. After being expelled from university, Del took it upon himself to give Rodney a job as an assistant market trader (or "Financial Advisor") and sidekick. He briefly served as Chairman of the Tenants Association. For 20 years from 1981, Rodney had worked in that pitiful position until the year 2001 when Del was banned from being the managing Director of any business by a court. When Trotters Independent Traders was about to end, Del knew that Rodney wasn't banned from managing a firm and so after 20 years as a pitiful assistant market trader, Rodney finally stepped up as Managing Director of T.I.T.Co, which allowed Del to keep on running the company secretly.

Rodney went on the run for two days after Del Boy convinced him, as a joke, that he was known as "The Peckham Pouncer," when a mentally unstable, seemingly drunk woman accused him of attacking her when he had only helped her from falling over.

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 personalty. 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. This is confirmed in the prequel Rock & Chips.

These days the only things that trouble Rodney are his nephew Damien - about whom he has recurring nightmares - and the fact that Trigger has been calling him "Dave" since 1981, as well as the millions of pounds the family lost after they struck it rich, putting them over 50k in debt.

Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.

Just why does Trigger call him "Dave"

John Sullivan says 'In the first episode Del says to Trigger "You know my brother" and Trig says "Yeah, of course, how are you doing Dave?". It was just a little gag on the fact that he obviously didn't know his name. Even after Rodney explains in "Homesick" that Dave isn't his name, Trig still gets it wrong. He's got it into his head that Del's brother is called Dave and in the end nothing Rodney or anyone else can say will budge Trigger from the fact that his name is Dave.

Memorable info

First cousins once removed: Norman Great Aunts: confrimed as auntie rose

  • Occupation: Market traders lookout (1981-1989), general

dogsbody (1981-1989), computer technician (1989-1991), Market traders lookout (1991-1996), Millionaire Businessman (1996-2001), Market Trader (2001-present)

Confusion over age

Rodney's year of birth varies with individual episodes. In "Big Brother" (Season 1, 1981), his age given is 23 (late 1957/early 1958), in "As One Door Closes" (Season 4, 1985), Rodney is 24 (late 1960/early 1961), and in "The Unlucky Winner Is..." (series 6, 1989), he is 26 (late 1962/early 1963), and in "Modern Men" (1996), Rodney is 34 (1962). Rodney's age when his stepfather absconded also tends to vary, with an age range of 3-6. The BBC comedy guide for Only Fools and Horses clearly states that Rodney's birthday is February 26; but this is contradicted in "Sleepless in Peckham", when Cassandra mistakes Freddie the Frog in an old 1960s photo of the first Jolly Boys' Outing as 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 as the date he reveals it to be in "The Unlucky Winner Is..." 2 November. This is confirmed when Rodney's birth is shown in the 2010 prequel Rock & Chips.

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