diff --git a/include/osgViewer/Viewer b/include/osgViewer/Viewer
index ea4927a20..556f53caf 100644
--- a/include/osgViewer/Viewer
+++ b/include/osgViewer/Viewer
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class OSGVIEWER_EXPORT Viewer : public osgViewer::View
         Viewer();
         virtual ~Viewer();
         
+        /** Get whether at least of one of this viewers windows are realized.*/
+        bool isRealized() const;
+
         /** set up windows and associated threads.*/
         void realize();
 
@@ -58,6 +61,13 @@ class OSGVIEWER_EXPORT Viewer : public osgViewer::View
         /** Set the key value that the viewer checks on each frame to see if the viewer's done flag.*/
         int getKeySetsDone() const { return _keySetsDone; }
 
+        /** Execute a main frame loop.
+          * Equivialant to while (!viewer.done()) viewer.frame();
+          * Also calls realize() if the viewer is not already realized,
+          * and installs trackball manipulator if one is not already assigned.
+          */
+        virtual void run();
+
         /** Render a complete new frame.
           * Calls frameAdvance(), frameEventTraversal(), frameUpateTraversal(), frameRenderingTraversals(). */
         virtual void frame();
diff --git a/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp b/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
index a2bb8f587..4ba9cd793 100644
--- a/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgViewer/Viewer.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@
  * OpenSceneGraph Public License for more details.
 */
 
-#include <osgViewer/Viewer>
-#include <osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor>
 #include <osg/GLExtensions>
+#include <osgUtil/GLObjectsVisitor>
+#include <osgGA/TrackballManipulator>
+#include <osgViewer/Viewer>
 
 #include <osg/io_utils>
 
@@ -46,6 +47,50 @@ Viewer::~Viewer()
     //osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"finish Viewer::~Viewer()"<<std::endl;
 }
 
+bool Viewer::isRealized() const
+{
+
+    Contexts contexts;
+    const_cast<Viewer*>(this)->getContexts(contexts);
+
+    unsigned int numRealizedWindows = 0;
+
+    // clear out all the previously assigned operations
+    for(Contexts::iterator citr = contexts.begin();
+        citr != contexts.end();
+        ++citr)
+    {
+        if ((*citr)->isRealized()) ++numRealizedWindows;
+    }
+    
+    return numRealizedWindows > 0;
+}
+
+void Viewer::run()
+{
+    // if we don't have any scene graph assigned then just return
+    if (!getSceneData())
+    {
+        osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Warning: Viewer::run() called without a scene graph being assigned to the viewer, cannot run."<<std::endl;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!getCameraManipulator())
+    {
+        setCameraManipulator(new osgGA::TrackballManipulator());
+    }
+
+    if (!isRealized())
+    {
+        realize();
+    }
+
+    while (!done())
+    {
+        frame();
+    }
+}
+
 void Viewer::setThreadingModel(ThreadingModel threadingModel)
 {
     if (_threadingModel == threadingModel) return;
@@ -474,6 +519,12 @@ void Viewer::frame()
     if (_firstFrame)
     {
         init();
+        
+        if (!isRealized())
+        {
+            realize();
+        }
+        
         _firstFrame = false;
     }
     frameAdvance();