Henry Travers was as James Stewart's somewhat befuddled but kind-hearted guardian angel Clarence Odbody in Frank Capra's 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life". Traver's character saves Stewart's from committing suicide, and shows him how wonderful his life really is. Though the film was a financial flop, it later became a Christmas classic and one of the most beloved films in American cinema. However, despite his long life, Travers would never know that his performance as Clarence would become his most celebrated, as the film only became a Christmas television perennial in the 1970s and 1980s, long after the actor's death. Travers retired
P. L. Travers the name Pamela Lyndon Travers and adopted the pen name P. L. Travers in 1933, while writing the first of eight "Mary Poppins" books. Travers travelled to New York City during World War II while working for the British Ministry of Information. At that time, Walt Disney contacted her about selling to Disney Studios the rights for a film adaptation of "Mary Poppins", whose sequel "Mary Poppins Comes Back" was also in print. After years of contact, which included visits to Travers at her home in London, Walt Disney did obtain the rights and the Disney film "Mary Poppins" premiered