'LCM' is an abbreviation for 'Landing Craft - mechanised'. It was a landing craft designed to carry either troops or vehicles, as opposed to a landing craft only designed for troops.
Jack Lemmon appears in Mister Roberts with Henry Fonda, in which he takes over Fonda's position of Cargo Officer when Fonda is transferred off the USS Reluctant. In the 1997 remake 12 Angry Men, Lemmon plays the same juror that Fonda played in the original 12 Angry Men.
William Powell's last film. Powell had marked difficulties retaining his lines, something that had not happened to him in earlier films, and this was one of the reasons "Mister Roberts" was his final movie appearance.
Joshua Logan, who directed and co-wrote the Broadway production, was brought in to redirect some sequences which the producers felt that original director John Ford had captured ineffectively before he was taken off the project. Logan was credited as co-writer instead of co-director because it was felt that having three names listed as director would look silly in the credits. Both Logan and Henry Fonda felt that the film version did not have anywhere near the quality of the stage production.
Henry Fonda reprises the title role that he originated on Broadway (for which he won a Tony Award in 1948).
Henry Fonda won the 1948 Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Drama for "Mister Roberts" for playing the title role which he recreated in the movie.
Although he played the part of Lt. jg Doug Roberts on Broadway, Henry Fonda was not the first choice to recreate the role for the film version (the producers felt the 50 year old Fonda too old to play the role). The producers first wanted Marlon Brando, but he was committed to another project at the time and could not get out of it. Then the producers turned to Tyrone Power. But director John Ford insisted on Fonda - they had made several successful films together - and would not direct the film without him. Since the producers needed the director with 6 Academy Awards to helm the film, they gave in to him. Ironically, once filming began, Ford and Fonda saw eye to eye on almost nothing. Fonda had played the character on Broadway for 2 years, and felt he knew the character inside out. Ford had other ideas and on his set, you saw things his way or you saw the door. Things came to a head when, during a meeting with producers, Fonda and Ford to clear the air, Ford sucker punched Fonda. Ford left the production soon after (Ford's war-related health reasons were given as the official explanation). Mervyn LeRoy, and later Joshua Logan, the director of the Broadway play, took
At first the US Navy was not happy that the movie was to be made at all - Capt. Morton (James Cagney) was not the kind of officer the Navy wanted the public to see - and was going to withhold all cooperation with the filmmakers. It took the influence of John Ford, a former Navy captain, on some of his friends at Navy headquarters in Washington to secure the Navy's cooperation.
Average Shot Length (ASL) = 12 seconds
Before shooting the scene where Pulver identifies himself and tells the Captain that he's been on the ship for "14months, sir", James Cagney realized that he would have to rehearse the moment with Jack Lemmon again and again so he wouldn't burst out laughing during the actual filming. Lemmon agreed, and when the scene was filmed Cagney claimed he was just barely able to hang on with a straight face, even after all the rehearsal time.
Pulver tells the sailors to "flemish up the lines" as he gives the nurses a tour. 'Flemish' is a nautical term meaning to tidy up ropes (lines) by making a Flemish coil i.e. by taking the end of a line and laying it in a tight flat spiral on the deck.
The original Broadway production of "Mr. Roberts" by Thomas Heggen and Joshua Logan opened at the Alvin Theater on February 18, 1948, ran for 1157 performances and won the 1948 Tony Award (New York City) for the Best Play. Henry Fonda reprises his role in the movie.
The part of Doc was originally offered to Spencer Tracy, who declined.
The reason the film has two credited directors is because John Ford began the film but Mervyn LeRoy had to finish it. Some reports claim Ford left the project due to an illness, others claim it was due to a disagreement with star Henry Fonda.
The ship "Ghost" in the film was sister ship to the USS Pueblo that was captured by communist North Korea as an alleged spy ship in 1968.
The ship (USS Reluctant) in the story was actually the USS Virgo AKA20-AE30.
The ship used for filming is the fishing vessel "Ghost".
The USS Hewell (AG-145) was NOT an LCM but an "AG", a small backwaters naval cargo ship.
The Hewell was the ship utilized as the Reluctant in the film.
When the stuntman hired to do the motorcycle going off the pier stunt refused to do the stunt, John Ford hired a bystander who couldn't ride a motorcycle but had the nerve to try the stunt. The "bystander" was a young Marine named Jack Lewis, who wasn't even an experienced rider. However, being young and foolish, Lewis said, "Sure, I'll do it." The Marine Corps wouldn't let Ford pay Lewis the $700 he offered, so Ford went into the nearby Hilton hotel and told the management that Lewis could drink in the bar on Ford's tab for the next year. Lewis went on to become an author ("Chosen Tales of Chosin;" "The Sandtrap Marines") and publisher of magazines ("Gun World") and trade paperbacks ("Gun Digest Book of Guns," etc.), but one who maintained friendships with many in the movie business, including numerous cowboy film stars.