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"Veteran actor and director Lionel Jeffries has died, aged 83. Jeffries, best known for directing classic The Railway Children and for his role as Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, passed away at a nursing home in Poole earlier this week, WENN reports.  Before becoming an actor, Jeffries served in World War II and was awarded the Burma Star for his bravery, going on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Upon graduation, he embarked on a stage career in the theatre before moving into films, where he mainly portrayed comedic characters.  His film career reached its peak during the 1960s, with starring roles in a run of movies, including Camelot, Two-Way Stretch and The Trials of Oscar Wilde.  From the 1970s onwards, Jeffries turned to writing and directing, overseeing several hit children&amp;#039;s films including The Amazing Mr Blunden and The Railway Children.  No further details of Jeffries&amp;#039;s death have been made available. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/news/a204246/railway-children-director-dies-aged-83/>