[1] Ogilvie attended Buckland's School in Hobart before completing his secondary education in Victoria at St Patrick's College, Ballarat.

He graduated Bachelor of Laws at the University of Tasmania in 1913 and was admitted to the bar the following year, serving his articles of clerkship with Norman Ewing.

He became premier without portfolio of a Labor ministry on 21 June 1934, but although he had no special department he studied all legislation closely and worked early and late at his office.

He was much interested in the health of the community and advocated hospital extensions, stressed the necessity for home defence training, and realising the difficulties of the smaller states, fought hard for Tasmania at loan council meetings.

Under his premiership, school fees were abolished, health care was improved and hospitals modernised, unemployment relief as increased, hydroelectric and papermaking development was accelerated, and housing loans were provided for the needy at minimal terms.