Only Fools and Horses facts for kids

Only Fools and Horses is a very popular British comedy series. It is often called a sitcom. The show is about a family living in Peckham, a part of south London. It was first shown on BBC One and later on GOLD. The series ran for many years, from 1981 to 2003.

Meet the Trotters: Main Characters

Only Fools and Horses is mostly about the Trotter family. They are always trying to get rich quickly. The show follows their funny plans and adventures.

Del Boy: The Big Brother

• David Jason played Derek "Del Boy" Trotter. He is the older brother and the leader of the family's business. Del Boy is always full of big ideas to make money. He often sells things that are not quite legal. He dreams of becoming a millionaire.

Rodney: The Younger Brother

• Nicholas Lyndhurst played Rodney Trotter. He is Del Boy's younger brother. Rodney is often more sensible than Del. He tries to be an artist or find a proper job. But he usually gets pulled into Del's crazy schemes.

Grandad and Uncle Albert

• Lennard Pearce played Edward "Grandad" Trotter. He was Del and Rodney's grandfather. Grandad lived with them and often gave funny advice. He was a bit lazy but loved his grandsons.
• Buster Merryfield played Albert "Uncle Albert" Trotter. After Grandad passed away, Uncle Albert moved in. He was a retired sailor. Uncle Albert loved to tell long stories about his time in the war. These stories often started with "During the war...".

Other Important Characters

The show also had many other funny characters who were friends or neighbours of the Trotters:

• Roger Lloyd-Pack as Trigger. He was a simple-minded road sweeper. Trigger always called Rodney "Dave".
• John Challis as Boycie. He was a rich, loud car dealer. Boycie often tried to show off his money.
• Tessa Peake-Jones as Raquel Turner. She became Del Boy's partner and the mother of his son, Damien.
• Gwyneth Strong as Cassandra Trotter. She was Rodney's wife. Cassandra was more educated and often tried to make Rodney more ambitious.
• Sue Holderness as Marlene Boyce. She was Boycie's wife. Marlene was often seen with Raquel.
• Kenneth McDonald as Mike Fisher. He was the friendly owner of the local pub, The Nag's Head.
• Paul Barber as Denzil Tulser. He was a friend of Del and Rodney. Denzil often got involved in their plans.
• Patrick Murray as Mickey Pearce. He was another friend who often tried to copy Del Boy.
• Roy Heather as Sid. He ran the local cafe where the characters often met.
• Jim Broadbent as Roy Slater. He was a dishonest policeman from Del Boy's past.
• Benjamin Smith and Douglas Hodge as Damien Trotter. He was Del and Raquel's son.
• Denis Lill as Alan Perry. He was a doctor who appeared in later episodes.
• Gerry Cowper as Lisa. She was a friend of Rodney.

Why the Show Was Popular

Only Fools and Horses became very popular for many reasons. People loved the funny situations the Trotters got into. They also liked how the show mixed comedy with touching family moments. The characters felt real, and many people could relate to their struggles and dreams. The show is known for its clever jokes and memorable catchphrases.

Famous Moments

The series had many famous scenes that people still talk about today. These include Del Boy falling through a bar flap and the Trotters dressed as Batman and Robin. These moments made the show a classic.

Images for kids

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  Jim Broadbent, who was originally considered to play Del Boy, made three appearances as DCI Roy Slater

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  The original Only Fools and Horses line-up of (left to right) Grandad (Lennard Pearce), Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) lasted from 1981 to 1984.

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  The second Only Fools and Horses line-up of (left to right) Del Boy (David Jason), Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) lasted from 1985 to 1996.

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  The images peeling away was conceived as a metaphor for the Trotters' lifestyle

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  A replica of the Trotters' Reliant Regal

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  Graffiti in Croatia made by HNK Rijeka supporters paraphrasing Del: "This Time Next Year We'll Be Champions!"