P. L. Travers
Pamela Lyndon Travers, OBE (born Helen Lyndon Goff; 9 August 1899 – 23 April 1996), was an Australian born novelist, actress and journalist. She was known for her fictional children's book series featuring the magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. In 1924, Goff emigrated to England where she began to write under the pen name P. L. Travers and in 1933 began writing the book series featuring Poppins. During World War II, while working for the British Ministry of Information, Travers traveled to New York. It was at this time when Travers was contacted by Roy Disney about selling Disney Studios the rights for a film adaptation of the first book in the series: Mary Poppins. After years of contact between Disney Studios and Travers, Walt Disney obtained the rights and the film Mary Poppins premiered in 1964. In 2004, a musical theater adaptation of the film was originally produced in London, later premiering on Broadway in 2006. For services to literature, Travers was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.