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
Bill Travers "Barretts" and "Seventh Sign" were notable flops - and enthusiasm for Travers in Hollywood cooled. Travers did "A Cook for Mr. General" for "Kraft Theatre" (1958) on TV. Then he returned to Britain. Travers and McKenna starred in a melodrama for the Rank Organisation, "Passionate Summer" (1958). He tried to get up a war film set in Greenland, "The Sledge Patrol", but it does not appear to have been made. He and Launder tried to repeat the success of "Geordie" with "The Bridal Path" (1960), but the film was not a success. Travers did "Born a Giant" for "Our American