Book and biopic

Dear Editor,

"Saving Mr. Banks" is a 2013 movie about P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins and her conflicts with Walt Disney.

In 1942, I was a fifth grade student who placed my name on a waiting list at the Denver Public Library so I could read Mary Poppins.

Now in 2014, I have uncovered the fact that P.L. Travers, or Pamela Leyndon Travers, was the stage name of Helen Lyndon Goff. Her father was Travers Robert Goff. He died in 1907 of influenza.

The character of Mr. Banks was based on her father. He was a bank manager who was demoted to a bank clerk.

Helen Lyndon Goff, who was known as Lyndon, moved to New South Wales, Australia, with her mother and sisters.

Briefly, she performed in Shakespearian plays in New Zealand and Australia.

In 1924, she immigrated to England. She went to Ireland, where she had some of her poetry published. Two of her summers were spent in the U.S., living among the Navajo, Hopi and Pueblo Indians.

Mary Poppins was published in 1934. Walt Disney made a movie of it in 1964, using material from it and "Mary Poppins Returns."

Other sequels were written by Travers (the last one in 1988) but she would not allow Disney Studios to use them. (She approved an English stage version).

Travers died in London in 1996 at age 96. She disliked the adaptation of her story by Disney. She was hurt by the fact he didn't invite her to its grand premier.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

Trenton, Nebraska