Career Timeline of Bill Travers: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Bill Travers built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Bill Travers was a British actor who transitioned into screenwriting and directing. He also served in the British Army before pursuing an entertainment career. He is best known, however, for his passionate commitment to animal rights activism. Travers, along with his wife Virginia McKenna, starred in the film 'Born Free' which ignited their lifelong dedication to animal welfare. They later established the Born Free Foundation, a global organization dedicated to protecting wild animals and promoting compassionate conservation.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

July 1942: Commissioned as Second Lieutenant

In July 1942, Bill Travers was commissioned a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army.

January 1943: Promotion to War-Substantive Lieutenant

In January 1943, Bill Travers was promoted to war-substantive lieutenant.

September 1944: Promotion to Acting Major

In September 1944, Bill Travers was promoted to acting major in the British Army.

December 1944: Promotion to War-Substantive Captain and Temporary Major

In December 1944, Bill Travers was promoted to war-substantive captain and temporary major in the British Army.

November 1946: Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

In November 1946, Bill Travers was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his distinguished service during special operations in South East Asia.

1947: Left the Armed Forces

In 1947, Bill Travers left the armed forces after serving.

1949: Stage Debut in 'The Damask Cheek'

In 1949, Bill Travers began his acting career on stage, appearing in John Van Druten's "The Damask Cheek" and made his film debut in Conspirator.

1950: Film roles in Trio and The Wooden Horse

In 1950, Bill Travers had unbilled roles in the films Trio and The Wooden Horse.

1951: Role in The Browning Version and Albert

In 1951, Bill Travers had a role in The Browning Version and appeared in "Albert" for BBC Sunday-Night Theatre.

1952: Roles in Multiple Films

In 1952, Bill Travers appeared in several films including Hindle Wakes, The Planter's Wife, The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, and It Started in Paradise.

1953: Film and TV Appearances

In 1953, Bill Travers acted in films such as Mantrap, Street of Shadows, and The Square Ring and was in "The Heel" for Douglas Fairbanks Presents.

1953: Appearance in Counterspy

In 1953, Bill Travers played a supporting role in the film Counterspy.

1954: Role in Romeo and Juliet

In 1954, Bill Travers appeared in Romeo and Juliet as Benvolio.

1955: Appearance in Footsteps in the Fog

In 1955, Bill Travers appeared in Footsteps in the Fog, starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons.

1955: Breakthrough Role in Geordie

In 1955, Bill Travers's career breakthrough came with the title role in Geordie, leading to a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

1956: Role in Bhowani Junction

In 1956, Bill Travers was cast in the MGM epic Bhowani Junction, alongside Stewart Granger and Ava Gardner.

1957: Role in The Seventh Sin

In 1957, Bill Travers played Eleanor Parker's character's love interest in The Seventh Sin, a remake of a Greta Garbo film.

1957: Roles in The Barretts of Wimpole Street and The Smallest Show on Earth, marriage to Virginia McKenna

In 1957, Bill Travers played the romantic lead in The Barretts of Wimpole Street and returned to Britain to make the comedy The Smallest Show on Earth with his second wife Virginia McKenna, whom he married in 1957.

1958: Starred in Passionate Summer

In 1958, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna starred in Passionate Summer, a melodrama for the Rank Organisation.

1958: TV appearance in "A Cook for Mr. General"

In 1958, Bill Travers appeared in "A Cook for Mr. General" for Kraft Theatre on TV.

1959: Made British monster film Gorgo

In 1959, Bill Travers made a British monster film called Gorgo.

1959: Tested for Ben-Hur, Enthusiasm Cooled

In 1959, MGM tested Bill Travers for the lead in Ben-Hur and he wrote a swashbuckler, The Falcon, to star himself, but due to the disappointing box office performance of his MGM films, enthusiasm for Travers in Hollywood waned.

1960: The Bridal Path Film

In 1960, Bill Travers and Frank Launder attempted to repeat the success of Geordie with The Bridal Path, but the film was not successful.

1960: Recorded Born a Giant

In 1960, Bill Travers recorded "Born a Giant" for Our American Heritage on TV.

1961: Films and TV Roles

In 1961, Bill Travers starred in Two Living, One Dead with Virginia McKenna, The Green Helmet, and Invasion Quartet with Spike Milligan.

1961: Broadway Production of A Cook for Mr General

In 1961, Bill Travers was in a Broadway production of A Cook for Mr General.

1963: Starred in Lorna Doone

In 1963, Bill Travers starred in a TV adaptation of Lorna Doone and did some episodes of The Everglades, Rawhide and Espionage. He also played the title role in Abraham Cochrane on Broadway, but it had a short run.

1966: Starred in Born Free

In 1966, Bill Travers' most famous film role was as George Adamson in Born Free, which led to him and Virginia McKenna co-writing the book On Playing with Lions, and becoming animal rights activists.

1967: Offer to play a support role in Duel at Diablo

In 1967, Bill Travers received an offer to play a support role in Duel at Diablo; during filming he broke a leg and dislocated a shoulder.

1968: The Admirable Crichton and A Midsummer Night's Dream

In 1968, Bill Travers played the title role in a British TV version of The Admirable Crichton and had a small part in Peter Hall's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

1969: Ring of Bright Water and Peter Pan

In 1969, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna made another animal movie, Ring of Bright Water, for which he also wrote the script, and he played Captain Hook on a stage production of Peter Pan.

1969: Directed The Lions Are Free

In 1969, Bill Travers teamed up with James Hill to make and co-direct the documentary, The Lions Are Free.

1970: An Elephant Called Slowly

In 1970, Bill Travers helped write and produce An Elephant Called Slowly with James Hill.

1971: Rum Runners and The Lion at World's End

In 1971, Bill Travers worked as an actor on Rum Runners with Brigitte Bardot and Lino Ventura, and directed and appeared in a documentary, The Lion at World's End.