1 9 8 4 ▁he ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁stars ▁in ▁The ▁Bill , ▁a ▁highly ▁successful ▁I TV ▁series ▁about ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Police ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁played ▁Serge ant ▁Tom ▁Pen ny . ▁ ▁However ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁successful ▁stage ▁actor . ▁ ▁In ▁all ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁ 4 2 ▁produ ctions ▁for ▁art istic ▁director ▁David ▁Hor lock ▁and ▁four ▁others ▁at ▁the ▁Sal is bury ▁Play house . ▁ ▁But ▁he ▁also ▁tou red ▁around ▁Britain ▁in ▁many ▁produ ctions ▁at ▁local ▁re pert ory ▁the at res . ▁▁ ▁Among ▁some ▁out standing ▁performances ▁he ▁played ▁Lam bert ▁le ▁R oux ▁in ▁P rav da ▁to ▁critical ▁acc laim , ▁Rev ▁H ale ▁in ▁Arthur ▁Miller ' s ▁The ▁Cru cible , ▁Sc ro oge ▁in ▁Dick ens ' ▁A ▁Christmas ▁Carol , ▁Bl unt sch i ▁in ▁Ar ms ▁and ▁the ▁Man , ▁Sub t le ▁in ▁The ▁Al chem ist , ▁Cla udio ▁in ▁Shakespeare ' s ▁Me asure ▁for ▁Me asure , ▁and ▁Col in ▁in ▁Ash es ▁for ▁which ▁fe at ▁of ▁achiev ement ▁he ▁was ▁cast ▁in ▁The ▁Bill . ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Le ach ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁West ▁End ▁production ▁of ▁Anthony ▁Sh af fer ' s ▁play ▁The ▁Case ▁of ▁the ▁O ily ▁Lev antine ▁directed ▁by ▁Patrick ▁D rom go ole , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Court ▁in ▁G im me ▁Sh elter . ▁ ▁In ▁later ▁years ▁he ▁featured ▁as ▁Uncle ▁Max ▁in ▁the ▁Sound ▁of ▁Music ,