In 1960, Sheard acted at the
Perth Repertory Theatre in Scotland, where he was roommates with
Donald Sutherland. Sheard had a lengthy affiliation with science fiction, and appeared in six televised stories of the
BBC science fiction television series
Doctor Who, appearing with the
First Doctor in
The Ark (1966), the
Third Doctor in
The Mind of Evil (1971), the
Fourth Doctor in both
Pyramids of Mars (1975) (for which he later recorded a DVD commentary) and
The Invisible Enemy (1977), the
Fifth Doctor in
Castrovalva (1982), and the
Seventh Doctor in
Remembrance of the Daleks (1988). He also worked with the
Eighth Doctor in
The Stones of Venice, a
Doctor Who audio drama produced by
Big Finish Productions. He was a regular guest at both
Doctor Who and
Star Wars conventions over the years in the US and the UK. and as Dr. Arnold Anderson in
Crown Court (1976). In 1978, Sheard appeared in one episode ("Sleeping Partners", as the character Adderley) of the television series
All Creatures Great and Small. Also in 1978 Sheard appeared as Merton, a forensics expert in an episode of the hard-hitting British police drama
The Professionals, the episode entitled "When the Heat Cools Off". He also portrayed
Heinrich Himmler three times, in
The Death of Adolf Hitler (1973),
The Bunker (1981) and
Space (1985). Although Sheard never played
Hermann Göring, he did play Göring's double in the ''
'Allo 'Allo!'' episode "
Hitler's Last Heil". In 1980, Sheard had a supporting role in
Stephen Poliakoff's BBC television play
Caught on a Train. Sheard appeared as Imperial Navy
Admiral Ozzel in
The Empire Strikes Back (1980), where
George Lucas cited Ozzel's death by the force-choke stare by
Darth Vader as his favourite movie death scene. Lucas told Sheard at the time that it was "the best screen death I've ever seen". Although Sheard initially regarded Star Wars as "just another part in a very busy actor's career", the role gained him wide recognition among fans and he appeared frequently at Star Wars conventions while an Admiral Ozzel action figure was released. In February 2005, Sheard played a small cameo role as the narrator in the British
Star Wars fan film
Order of the Sith: Vengeance and its sequel
Downfall - Order of the Sith, alongside
Jeremy Bulloch and
David Prowse. These British fan films were made in support of
Save the Children. ==Personal life==