From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This television-related article or section describes an aspect of the series in a primarily in-universe style. Please rewrite this article or section to explain the fiction more clearly and provide non-fictional perspective.

Sections should be added to this article, to conform with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. Please discuss this issue on the talk page.

Freddie "The Frog" Robdal
First appearance	The Frog's Legacy (only mentioned)
Last appearance	Sleepless in Peckham (mentioned and photograph shown)
Portrayed by	Nicholas Lyndhurst
Information
Occupation	Crook, Frogman
Spouse(s)	None
Children	Rodney Trotter
Relatives	Joan Trotter (lover - deceased) Rodney (son)

Frederick "The Frog" Robdal (birthdate unknown - died August or September, 1963) is a fictional character appearing by name, and eventually in a photograph, in the comedy series Only Fools and Horses.

The character pre-deceased any activities viewed by the audience, never appeared on screen, and therefore was never portrayed by an actor. He was, however, referred to several times during the latter series of the programme, and was eventually shown in a photograph in the show's final episode, Sleepless in Peckham, where he was "portrayed" by Nicholas Lyndhurst.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Background 3 Criminal Career 4 Death 5 Paternity of Rodney Trotter

[edit] Introduction

The character was introduced in the episode The Frog's Legacy, whereby Del learns of him through Trigger's aunt Renee.

Del and Renee are discussing Del and Rodney's state of life when Renee states that, on talking to Del's mother, Joan, as she lay in a hospital bed (presumably not long before her death), Joan says "if only I knew where he'd hidden it, Rene, my boys would be set for life". Del, understandibly, claims to not know who or what Renee is referring to, and so on probing Renee further learns of the full story surrounding Robdal and his mother.

[edit] Background

Little is ever revealed about Robdal's background. His date of birth is never stated in the programme, but he was sufficiently old enough to be able to participate in National Service in the Royal Navy, as Uncle Albert claims to have known him vaguely at the time. During his time in the Navy, it is possible that Robdal received training in diving which later led to his becoming a frogman.

Del and Rodney's mother, Joan, met Freddie Robdal in 1959, and "befriended" him (a euphemism for Del's mother having had an affair with him, as was revealed she had done many times with a number of men throughout the series' development).

Renee describes Robdal as a "bit of a dandy", implying he was very cultured man, very much interested in French wine and paintings, claiming that when the Police raided Robdal's holiday home, it was full of original Monet's.

[edit] Criminal Career

As with the character's general background, very little of Robdal's life is revealed, save for those elements pertinent to the Trotters. Renee described him as a "gentleman thief", and never used guns or violence in any of the crimes he committed.

As the story goes, Robdal and a small gang of crooks broke into a bank in London in August 1963 and stole £250,000 pounds (pre-decimal currency) in gold bullion. The rest of the gang were apprehended by the Police, but Robdal managed to somehow escape, taking the gold with him.

Knowing that the police were still hot on his trail, Robdal approached a newly-opened funeral directors in Peckham, run by the father of Rodney's future employer, Mr. Jahaan. Robdal ordered and bought a coffin for a "friend" who had recently passed away, Alfred Broderick, claiming that he was a large man and that a coffin of considerable size would be required. The Jahaan's complied without question, being as their newly formed business was eager for the work, and supplied the casket but did not handle the actual funeral ceremony.

Robdal then took the casket (containing the gold) down to Hampshire in order to hide the loot under the guise of a burial at sea. He owned small holiday chalet there (where were hidden the stolen paintings), and was the location of his parents final resting place in the grounds of a small church. Robdal apparently loved the church that much that he donated the stained glass windows. The official documentation for the funeral was provided by Joan Trotter who, being a cleaner for Peckham Council, had full access to documents and stamps Robdal required, as she regularly cleaned out the Registrar's department.

The gold was successfully hidden in the sea off the South Coast of England using a fully legitimate funeral service for the aforementioned "Alfred Broderick" (in reality, an anagram of Robdal's full name). Those who attended the funeral stated that Broderick, who obviously few people knew, must have been a large man, as it took 8 people (including, ironically, two off-duty policemen) to carry the coffin to the boat.

Robdal would return to re-claim the gold once the investigations for the robbery had settled.

[edit] Death

Shortly after hiding the gold, and whilst still on the run from the Police, Robdal and an explosives expert, known only as "Jelly" Kelly, attempted to break into a Post Office in Plumstead. With Kelly having set the wires for the explosive and the robbery apparently proceeding very well, Robdal inexplicably sat on the detonator, killing both men almost instantly. Albert claims that Robdal's body was found on the roof of a building opposite the Post Office he was intending to rob.

[edit] Paternity of Rodney Trotter

The true identity Rodney's father remained a constantly questioned mystery throughout the entire series, largely due to Joan Trotter's notorious repeated infidelity.

The seeds of suspicion that Robdal may have been Rodney's father were sewn by Renee when she said to Albert "I reckon the rumours were right, Joanie never was 100% sure, but you can see a likeness, can't you?".

Rodney's suspicions were also raised when Del unwittingly revealed that a henchmen to the Driscoll Brothers claimed that Robdal had a son by a woman living on the Trotter's estate, and also because Rodney and Robdal also shared a talent for art.

The case was finally put to rest in Sleepless in Peckham when Rodney finds a photograph of a Jolly Boy's Outing and sees many faces he recognises. Instantly, he sees a man in the photo who looks almost identical to himself, and realises that the man in the picture is Robdal, and that their uncanny likeness leaves no doubt that Robdal is his father.

Del also admits that he knew Freddie as "Uncle Freddie" back then.