Like many other theatre actors, he made his first movie only with the advent of sound films. His first was "Reunion in Vienna" in 1933. In the same year, he played the father of Gloria Stuart in the horror classic "The Invisible Man". He often portrayed doctors, judges, and fathers of the main figures in supporting roles. Travers specialized on portraying slightly wry and bumbling but friendly and lovable old men. He appeared with Greer Garson and Ronald Colman in "Random Harvest" (1942) and with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman in "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945). Alfred Hitchcock used Travers as a Comic relief in "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943), where he played a bank clerk with a passion for criminal magazines. The character actor also portrayed the Railway Station Master Mr. Ballard with a love for roses who finally wins the annual flower show in his village shortly before dying in a bombardment in "Mrs. Miniver". He received an Academy Award-nomination as Best Supporting Actor for this appearance.