Celebrated actor and film director Lionel Jeffries has died at the age of 83.
With his strong jaw line and bristling moustache, Jeffries often played characters older than he was in real life, and was best known for playing Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well as a long line of English eccentrics, including Mr Snoddy in Roald Dahl’s Danny The Champion of the World. Jeffries was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1967 for Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical or Comedy for the film The Spy With the Cold Nose.
Jeffries had a surprisingly short career as a director, but made beloved films The Railway Children and 1978 animated film, The Water Babies.
Lionel Jeffries is survived by his wife, Eileen Mary Walsh, and three children.
In the below clip Lionel Jeffries sings the classic song “Posh” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang whilst he is being kidnapped in his shed by the villianous Barom Bomburst.