Biography for
P.L. Travers More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

9 August 1899, Mayborough, Queensland, Australia

Date of Death

23 April 1996, London, England, UK

Birth Name

Helen Lyndon Goff

Trivia

Disliked the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins (1964), as she felt it made the title character, whom she had created in her books, too sweet.

She was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1977 Queen's Honours List for her contribution to literature.

Acted in her native Australia from the age of 10. Toured nationally - while still in her teens - with a Shakespearean company. Later also performed as a dancer and wrote poetry, using the adopted name Pamela Travers. Left for England in 1924 with a mere 5 pounds to her credit. Continued to write poetry, and, later, literary and theatrical review for several weekly publications, including 'The Irish Statesman' and the 'The New English'.

Born to an Irish-born sugar planter and a Scottish-Irish mother, she grew up in tropical Queensland on her father's plantation, the eldest of three daughters.

Developed the character of Mary Poppins in 1934, while living in a 900 year old thatched cottage in Sussex, recovering from an illness.

Had a lifelong fascination with folklore and mysticism. In 1976, she became consulting editor for the New York-based journal 'Parabola', dedicated to empirical research in this field.