# Robin Ordell

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{{Short description|Australian actor (1920–1945)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Robin Ordell
| image       = PopOrdell1945.png
| caption     = Ordell in military uniform
| other_names = Pop
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1920|06|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Sydney, New South Wales](/source/Sydney), Australia
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1945|02|03|1920|06|16|df=y}}
| death_place = Europe
| occupation  = Actor
}}
'''Robin''' "'''Pop'''" '''Ordell''' {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|DFC}} (16 June 1920 – 3 February 1945) was an Australian actor and radio announcer. He acted as a child in his father [Tal](/source/Tal_Ordell)'s film ''[The Kid Stakes](/source/The_Kid_Stakes)'', later working with the radio station [2GB](/source/2GB) as a teenager and adult. He was killed in the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II).

==Biography==
===Early life and acting career===
Ordell was born in Sydney on 16 June 1920 to nurse Ethel Phillips and actor [Tal Ordell](/source/Tal_Ordell).<ref name="TWWA">{{Cite news |date=1945-02-19 |title=Radio Star Airman Reported Missing |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/185747855 |work=The West Wyalong Advocate |pages=2}}</ref><ref name="NR">{{Cite web |title=World War Two Service |url=https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1059278&c=WW2#R |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Department of Veterans' Affairs}}</ref> Tal had acted for around two decades before his son's birth.<ref name="ADB">{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography|title=Talone (Tal) Ordell (1880–1948)|last=Rutledge|first=Martha|year=1988|volume=11|access-date=2024-02-27}}</ref>

In January 1927, aged six, Ordell was cast in his father's film ''The Kid Stakes'' as the main character, [Fatty Finn](/source/Fatty_Finn).<ref>{{Cite news |date=1927-01-31 |title=Moving Pictures. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55265055 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Morning Bulletin}}</ref> ''[The Sunday Times](/source/The_Sunday_Times_(Sydney))'' described him as a "wistful looking youngster, with a direct heart appeal, and an uncanny instinct for his work. His sense of comedy and face play of varying emotions are delightful."<ref>{{Cite news |date=1927-06-19 |title="Kid Stakes" at the Haymarket is a Winner |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128510686 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Sunday Times}}</ref>

In the mid-1930s, Ordell began acting in radio plays for [2GB](/source/2GB). He appeared as [Peter Heywood](/source/Peter_Heywood) in ''[The Mutiny of the Bounty](/source/The_Mutiny_of_the_Bounty_(radio_play))'' (1934) and as the boy in ''[Murder at 2FC](/source/Murder_at_2FC)'' (1935).<ref>{{Cite news |date=1934-04-28 |title=To-night's Broadcast |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94530041 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Northern Star}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1935-09-26 |title=Notes and News from the Studios |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27512130 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Queenslander}}</ref> He appeared in other serials throughout the late 1930s like ''Raising a Family''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1936-10-29 |title="Raising a Family." |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104685138 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate}}</ref>

===Radio announcing career===
After graduating from [Sydney Grammar School](/source/Sydney_Grammar_School) in 1937, Ordell joined 2GB as a junior radio announcer.<ref name="AWW">{{Cite news |date=1939-05-13 |title="Veteran" of radio is not yet 18! |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51763096 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Australian Women's Weekly}}</ref> In 1939,{{efn|A May 1939 article from ''[The Australian Women's Weekly](/source/The_Australian_Women's_Weekly)'' says that Ordell assumed the position "a few weeks ago", while ''[The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate](/source/The_Cumberland_Argus_and_Fruitgrowers'_Advocate)'' wrote in June 1940 that Ordell had become a full-time radio announcer "nearly 18 months ago", indicating a date of around January 1939.<ref name="AWW" /><ref name="CAFA">{{Cite news |date=1940-06-26 |title=Notes & News of 2GB |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106211323 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate}}</ref>}} when [Dick Fair](/source/Dick_Fair) was transferred from the early morning radio session (between 6:00 and 8:45{{nbsp}}a.m.) to the evening programme, Ordell filled his place, becoming the youngest radio announcer in Australia at the time.<ref name="AWW" />

In June 1940, Ordell created ''[The Youth Show](/source/The_Youth_Show)'', a programme on 2GB focusing on radio stars below the age of 21.<ref name="CAFA" /> It was broadcast throughout Australia.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1940-06-22 |title=Young stars make bid for radio fame |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46468219 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Australian Women's Weekly}}</ref>

===Military service===
In late 1941, Ordell underwent medical examinations and was accepted by the [Royal Australian Air Force](/source/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) to serve as an airman in the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II).<ref name="CAFA2">{{Cite news |date=1941-11-05 |title=Robin Ordell Joins Up |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107293031 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate}}</ref> ''The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate'' explained that "always a flying fanatic, Robin has realised his boyhood ambitions, and holds high hopes of becoming a fighter pilot."<ref name="CAFA2" /> On 25 April 1942, he enlisted in [Woolloomooloo](/source/Woolloomooloo); [Jack Davey](/source/Jack_Davey) replaced him as morning announcer on 2GB.<ref name="NR" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1942-05-09 |title=Robin Ordell now in the R.A.A.F. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46232185 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Australian Women's Weekly}}</ref> During his service, Ordell trained as a pilot in Canada under the [Empire Air Training Scheme](/source/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan) and performed for other servicemen during posting in London.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1943-07-03 |title=Adventurous Son of Actor |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article272080791 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Daily Mirror}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1943-12-15 |title=Sydney Star in B.B.C. Feature |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231602093 |access-date=2024-02-27 |work=Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=London, England. 1943-12-24. Flight Sergeant Robin Ordell, who was a well known broadcaster in ... |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C278254 |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Australian War Memorial}}</ref><ref name="AWM">{{Cite web |title=The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (422251) Flight Lieutenant Robin Ordell, No. 100 Squadron, RAF, Second World War. |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2133871 |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Australian War Memorial |language=en}}</ref> He was assigned to [No. 100 Squadron RAF](/source/No._100_Squadron_RAF), serving as an [Avro Lancaster](/source/Avro_Lancaster) bomber pilot.<ref name="AWM" />

On 3 February 1945, Ordell, a [flight lieutenant](/source/flight_lieutenant), engaged in a bombing raid against industrial plants in Germany's [Ruhr](/source/Ruhr) region.<ref name="AWM" /> During the raid, he and five other crew members were [killed in action](/source/killed_in_action) when their plane was shot down.<ref name="AWM" /><ref name="CWGC">{{CWGC|id=2081038|name=Robin Ordell|access-date=2024-02-27}}</ref> The only survivor, tail gunner J. Harper, was wounded and taken prisoner.<ref name="AWM" /> Initially reported [missing in action](/source/missing_in_action), Ordell's body was recovered and buried in [Venraij](/source/Venraij) before being interred in [Mierlo War Cemetery](/source/Mierlo_War_Cemetery) after the war.<ref name="TWWA" /><ref name="AWM" /><ref name="CWGC" /> In April 1946, he was posthumously awarded the [Distinguished Flying Cross](/source/Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_Kingdom)) for "displaying the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty."<ref name="AWM" /><ref>{{London Gazette |issue = 37523 |date = 1946-04-02 |page = 1738 |supp = y}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ordell, Robin}}
Category:1920 births
Category:1945 deaths
Category:Male actors from Sydney
Category:20th-century Australian male actors
Category:Australian male film actors
Category:Australian male radio actors
Category:Australian radio personalities
Category:Australian male child actors
Category:People educated at Sydney Grammar School
Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
Category:Royal Australian Air Force officers
Category:Missing in action of World War II
Category:Australian military personnel killed in World War II
Category:Australian recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robin Ordell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Ordell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Ordell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.