Mister Roberts is a 1946 novel written by Thomas Heggen

Thomas Heggen

Thomas Heggen was an American author best known for his 1946 novel Mister Roberts and its adaptations to stage and screen.-Navy service:...

.

Plot

The title character, a Lieutenant Junior Grade naval officer, defends his crew against the petty tyranny of the ship's commanding officer during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Nearly all action takes place on a backwater cargo ship

Cargo ship

A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...

, the USS Reluctant that sails, as written in the play, "from apathy to tedium with occasional side trips to monotony and ennui."

Background

Heggen based his novel on his experiences aboard the and the in the South Pacific

Oceania

Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...

 during World War II, and began the book as a collection of short stories. It was subsequently adapted as a play circa 1948

Mister Roberts (play)

Mister Roberts is a 1948 play based on the 1946 Thomas Heggen novel of the same name.The novel began as a collection of short stories about Heggen's experiences aboard the USS Virgo in the South Pacific during World War II...

, a feature film
, a television series

Mister Roberts (TV series)

Mister Roberts is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 17, 1965 to April 8, 1966. Based on the best selling novel, 1948 play, and the 1955 film of the same name, the series starred Roger Smith in the title role.-Synopsis:...

, and a television movie

Mister Roberts (1984 film)

Mister Roberts is a 1984 television film re-make of the 1955 film of the same name. The 1955 film was in turn adapted from the novel by Thomas Heggen and adapted by Heggen and Joshua Logan....

. Sadly, Heggen did not live to enjoy the success and profits of his creation, as his life was ended, by accident or suicide, before the age of 30.

The Roberts character was based the Rotanin Executive Officer, Donald House. Contrary to the story most are familiar with, he was not killed in action, but continued as a career Naval officer until retirement, and lived until early 1998.

Initially, Ensign Ralph (changed to "Frank" in the book) Pulver threatened to sue Heggen for using his actual name. Pulver was, in reality, an officer who took his Naval career very seriously. Pulver was still an active-duty officer at the time the book was published, and was concerned that having his name in the book and play might be detrimental to his career.