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Roger Leach (22 April 1948 – 1 December 2001) was anEnglish-Australianactor who playedSgt. Tom Penny inThe Bill, and guest starred inBergerac,Perfect Scoundrels andDoctors.

Roger was born inSydney,Australia and read English atSydney University where he also participated in rowing and other athletics. He won a scholarship to theCentral School of Speech and Drama and moved to theUK in 1971. He had many acting roles, including 42 appearances at theSalisbury Playhouse.

Leach became a household name when in 1984 he was asked to become one of the stars inThe Bill, a highly successful ITV series about the Metropolitan Police in which he played Sergeant Tom Penny. He was also a successful stage actor. In all he played in 42 productions for artistic director David Horlock and four others at the Salisbury Playhouse. He also toured around Britain in many productions at local repertory theatres. Among these, he played Lambert le Roux inPravda to critical acclaim, Rev Hale inArthur Miller'sThe Crucible,Ebenezer Scrooge inCharles Dickens'A Christmas Carol, Bluntschi inArms and the Man, Subtle inThe Alchemist, Claudio inWilliam Shakespeare'sMeasure for Measure, and Colin inAshes, for which feat of achievement he was cast inThe Bill.

Leach appeared in a West End production of Anthony Shaffer's playThe Case of the Oily Levantine directed by Patrick Dromgoole, and at the Royal Court inGimme Shelter. In later years he featured as Uncle Max in theSound of Music, Captain Brackett inSouth Pacific, the Narrator inThe Rocky Horror Show, Doolittle inMy Fair Lady, and in 2001, Peachum in a tour ofThe Threepenny Opera.

Leach was also a director, teaching Shakespeare classes in text and audition techniques at three leading drama schools. He contributed scripts to showsMoon and Son,EastEnders andThe Bill. In October 2001, he read theLetters of Beethoven with the Sarum Chamber Orchestra and started rehearsals forThe Donkeys Years at the Salisbury Playhouse, which was due to open in January 2002.

Leach died at the age of 53 after a four-year battle with cancer.^[1]

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