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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, [[Wimborne]], [[Dorset]]. After his [[World War II]] service, for which he was awarded the [[Burma Star]], he trained at [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art|RADA]]. He entered [[repertory]] at the David Garrick Theatre, [[Lichfield]] for 2 years and appeared in early British television plays.
Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, [[Wimborne Minster]], [[Dorset]]. After his [[World War II]] service, for which he was awarded the [[Burma Star]], he trained at [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art|RADA]]. He entered [[repertory]] at the David Garrick Theatre, [[Lichfield]] for 2 years and appeared in early British television plays.


He built a successful career in British films mainly in comic character roles and as he was prematurely bald he often played characters older than himself. For example, he played the role of father to [[Caractacus Potts]] (played by [[Dick Van Dyke]]) in the film ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'' (1968), although Jeffries was actually six months younger than Van Dyke. His acting career reached a peak in the 1960s with leading roles in other films like ''[[Two-Way Stretch]]'' (1960), ''[[The Trials of Oscar Wilde]]'' (1960), ''[[First Men in the Moon (1964 film)|First Men in the Moon]]'' (1964) and ''[[Camelot (film)|Camelot]]'' (1967).
He built a successful career in British films mainly in comic character roles and as he was prematurely bald he often played characters older than himself. For example, he played the role of father to [[Caractacus Potts]] (played by [[Dick Van Dyke]]) in the film ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'' (1968), although Jeffries was actually six months younger than Van Dyke. His acting career reached a peak in the 1960s with leading roles in other films like ''[[Two-Way Stretch]]'' (1960), ''[[The Trials of Oscar Wilde]]'' (1960), ''[[First Men in the Moon (1964 film)|First Men in the Moon]]'' (1964) and ''[[Camelot (film)|Camelot]]'' (1967).
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[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English people]]
[[Category:20th-century film directors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:English film actors]]
[[Category:English film actors]]
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[[Category:English stage actors]]
[[Category:English stage actors]]
[[Category:English television actors]]
[[Category:English television actors]]
[[Category:People from Dorset]]
[[Category:People from Forest Hill]]
[[Category:People from Forest Hill]]


Revision as of 20:45, 19 February 2010

Lionel Jeffries
Spouse(s)Eileen Mary Walsh
(m. 1951-2010)

Lionel Charles Jeffries (10 June 1926 – 19 February 2010[1]) was a British actor, screenwriter and film director.

Biography

Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. After his World War II service, for which he was awarded the Burma Star, he trained at RADA. He entered repertory at the David Garrick Theatre, Lichfield for 2 years and appeared in early British television plays.

He built a successful career in British films mainly in comic character roles and as he was prematurely bald he often played characters older than himself. For example, he played the role of father to Caractacus Potts (played by Dick Van Dyke) in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), although Jeffries was actually six months younger than Van Dyke. His acting career reached a peak in the 1960s with leading roles in other films like Two-Way Stretch (1960), The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960), First Men in the Moon (1964) and Camelot (1967).

In the 1970s Jeffries turned to writing and directing children's films, including the celebrated 1970 version of The Railway Children and The Amazing Mr Blunden. He was a member of the British Catholic Stage Guild. [citation needed]

Jeffries had a dislike of television and its production values and shunned the medium for many years. [citation needed] Since the 1980s, however, he did appear on television, including Inspector Morse.

Following a long illness, Jeffries died on 19 February 2010 at the age of 83. He was married to Eileen Mary Walsh from 1951 until his death. Their son and two daughters survive him.[2]

Selected filmography

As actor

As writer-director

References

  1. ^ "Actor and director Lionel Jeffries dies, aged 83". bbc. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  2. ^ "Lionel Jeffries - Telegraph". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
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