Douglas Roberts is a multiversal - he can be found in several fictional universes borne of Mankind's imagination. With the other characters from the story "Mr. Roberts", his doppelgangers may be in more such universes than any other character.
It all began with the novel "Mr. Roberts" by Thomas Heggen, published in 1946. This was adapted into a play which opened on Broadway in 1948. Seven years later, a movie version opened which was followed by a sequel about "Ensign Pulver" in 1964 (although all the characters were played by different actors, so technically this was an alternate dimension of the Cineverse.) Mr. Roberts of course isn't in that film, but his presence in that world's history can be felt.
And then Toobworld enters the picture - first, with a prequel TV series in 1965, and then a version of the original stage play in 1984 in an alternate TV dimension (ToobStage).
Douglas Roberts was a Lieutenant Junior Grade serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II on board the U.S.S. Reluctant (aka "The Bucket"). But he was not happy serving under the tyrannical Captain Morton on the freighter and kept pestering for a transfer to a ship where he might see action.
Captain Morton blackmailed Roberts into submission but his scheme was uncovered by the rest of the crew who fought back by forging Morton's signature on a letter recommending Mister Roberts for a transfer.
Sadly, a few weeks after Roberts found his "freedom" from the Reluctant, he was killed in a kamikaze attack on his new ship.
And so on this Memorial Day, Toobworld Central salutes the memory of Lt. Doug Roberts as this year's fallen Toobworld hero who kept "Telemerica" safe.
BCnU!
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