On a warm August night in 1964, 1,200 people filled Hollywood’s famed Grauman’s Chinese Theater for the premiere of Walt Disney’s greatest film achievement at the time: “Mary Poppins.” When the curtain dropped, the audience rose to offer a thunderous, five-minute standing ovation.

However, one spectator remained seated, not sharing the crowd's enthusiasm. This was P. L. Travers, a prim woman in her mid-60s and the author behind the beloved Mary Poppins stories. 

Born Helen Lyndon Goff in 1899 in Australia, she later adopted the pen name Pamela Lyndon Travers—selecting “Pamela” for its delightful ring and “Travers” from her father’s first name.

In 1926, Travers published a short story called “Mary Poppins and the Match Man,” introducing both the magical nanny and Bert, the street artist. This story laid the groundwork for her first full-length Mary Poppins novel, published in 1934, which sparked a series of successful sequels.

For two decades, Disney, whose daughters Diane and Sharon adored Travers’ books, diligently sought the rights to adapt these stories into a film, even paying a personal visit to her home in London. 

In 1961, Disney finally received a reluctant "yes" from Travers, but only after offering her a substantial $100,000 advance and 5 percent of the film’s gross earnings, along with some input on the script. However, Disney ultimately retained final control over the script.

At the premiere, Travers was distinctly unimpressed by the film’s portrayal of her sharp-edged nanny, disliking the softened depiction and the whimsical elements, especially the animated dance sequence featuring Dick Van Dyke and penguins. 

At a post-premiere party, she voiced her displeasure directly to Disney, suggesting the animation be cut—a suggestion to which Disney responded that it was too late.

She was equally skeptical about the film's original music, which she deemed lightweight and disposable. And in her view, the fictional nanny was a no-nonsense figure who avoided mawkishness and fanciful behavior, focusing instead on her duties. 

“She never wastes time being nice!” Travers said.

Despite Travers’ criticisms, “Mary Poppins” captivated Hollywood, earning five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Julie Andrews and a nomination for Best Picture. In a later BBC radio interview in 1977, Travers expressed a resigned acceptance of the film, acknowledging its glamour and success, though she maintained it diverged significantly from her books.