Roderick "Rod" Norman is a fictional character from the BBCsoap operaEastEnders, played by Christopher McHallem from July 28, 1987, to February 27, 1990. Rod is depicted as a roadie and a modern-day vagabond, regularly squatting and never staying anywhere for long periods. However, he returned to Albert Square in several episodes. Rod is attracted to rebellious women and tries to help out several 'women in need' throughout the series.
Storylines
Rod first appears in Episode 256 in Albert Square as an acquaintance of fellow punk, Mary Smith (Linda Davidson). Rod is portrayed as a greasy loafer with a heart of gold. Mary was arrested for solicitation, lost her baby, Annie, to social services due to neglect, engaged in prostitution, and uses recreational drugs. Seeing how desperate Mary has become, Rod makes it his mission to help her out of the mess she has gotten herself into. He moves in with her, gets her a job as a cleaner at The Dagmar, and weans her off drugs and prostitution. He also helps in getting her baby back. Annie is now in the care of Mary's parents in Stockport and they do not want to give her back. However, at the end of the year, Mary's father Chris (Allan O'Keefe) arrives in Walford with Annie.
In episode 322, Rod accidentally forgot to pick Annie up from the playground. Mary becomes furious and evicts him. Rod disappears and goes on a road trip. After returning, he refuses to move back in with her and starts squatting in an abandoned flat on the Square. Mary spirals, and Rod's attempts to help fail. He leaves her alone in May of that year and Mary flees Walford.
Rod remains in Walford, as does Mary's father, who employs Rod as his bookkeeper and organizer of his haulage company. Later Rod takes over Barry Clark's (Gary Hailes) market stall. Rod acts against his principles when he is threatened by Brad Williams (Jonathan Stratt), a dodgy member of The Firm, and stitches up local publican Den Watts (Leslie Grantham). The Firm wants Den to take responsibility for the torching of The Dagmar, so they coerce Rod into providing false testimony to the police, which implicates Den. Den flees Walford and manages to escape arrest. When The Firm decides they want Den dead, Rod later gets his whereabouts from Den's best friend Pete Beale (Peter Dean), which leads to Den's arrest and time spent in prison.
Rod starts to become close to Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), who has recently become homeless, and she comes to live with him in his squat. Donna is widely disliked, and Rod decides to help her become stable. Donna becomes addicted to heroin. Rod tries to get Donna off the drug, in retaliation she plants heroin on him to frame him for drug dealing. Rod continues to help Donna. He rescues her from a vicious gang rape and contacts her parents. In 1989, Donna overdoses on heroin and dies.
Rod takes up lodging with Dot Cotton (June Brown). He becomes involved with Hazel (Virginia Fiol), the girlfriend of Dot's son, Nick (John Altman). Hazel had arrived in Albert Square under the pretense that her baby was Nick's. This later turns out to be a ploy to extort money from Dot. Dot is devastated to learn she has been conned but comes to forgive Hazel and allows her to live with her. When Nick discovers Hazel's deception, he beats her close to death, and she spends time in the hospital. While there, Rod visits her regularly. They briefly become a couple. Rod leaves her, and Walford, in February 1990 to follow a hippy trail in India.
